Last week I set off up a little E6 at Ilkley called Shock Horror. It was cold, really cold. The problem with having more psyche than sense is that I often overlook small things like conditions and tactics. This can work in my favour sometimes. Not this time.
A full on blizzard started when I was halfway up the route! I was momentarily worried that I'd put myself in a pretty stupid position, but found I was just about able to reverse to the floor taking the gear out as I went. With numb hands and feet I skulked home with my tail between my legs.
A few days later we headed back for an early morning hit before uni, the sun was shining and the ground still covered in snow. It felt harder than expected and I had a pretty hairy moment at the top when the finishing jug was covered in semi-frozen green slime. Afterwards my housemate Jake decided to have a go, this was the first E6 he'd ever been on...
Shock Horror from Jacob Cook on Vimeo.
A few weeks ago I headpointed the route Deathwatch, an E7 6b also at Ilkley. I always find the process of headpointing a bit odd. We had a rope down it anyway and I was thinking about going for the flash after watching my mates on it, but basically got scared and had a go on the rope instead. Of course it went first time on toprope and I regretted not tying straight into the sharp end, but there you go...
Deathwatch from Jacob Cook on Vimeo.
Nice one, Jacob. Interesting to see you use different kit to Seany Biz when he did SH. Last gear was the wires in the flake with nothing in the break. Good onsight. It's a shitter the landing on Deathwatch is so shit. It looks like a pleasant boulder problem.
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