Climbing!

A Climbing Update!

Now that the weather is brightening up a little, and the temperature is reaching a point where you can feel your fingers again, the keen climbing constituent of UBES are donning their harnesses and getting a lot more climbing done outside!

A well-attended Ropes Skills session in the Union hopefully cleared up some of the more technical aspects of climbing. Some abstract horizontal climbing, roaming cracks in the rock and knot-tying practise was all in preparation for the Peak District climbing the following weekend. You could say we were dealing with the nitty-gritty skills before going out to hit the grit.

The number of UBESters who are choosing to get a little more vertical with their hill walking and scrambling is steadily increasing year to year, with our most recent Peak District Climbing Trip being the biggest climbing trip we’ve run to date. 33 people, ranging from never having climbed outside before to dyno-ing an HVS in ability, all had the opportunity to get climbing outside and push their own personal limits. A particular big shout out to all those who got in their first trad lead!

A happy UBESter in the Peak District! Jono displays colour-coordinated chiq: make sure your belay jacket always matches the rope. (Photo credit: Laurence Falconer)

More climbers means more equipment, and we’ve recently invested in some more gear so that we can cater to the fantastic enth-ubes-iasm for all things outdoorsy. Thanks to the Union Group Grant, we’ve been able to buy 10 more harnesses. This helps out a great deal at our weekly indoor sessions at Redpoint Climbing Centre, not to mention our huge Peaks Trip wouldn’t have been possible without them.

Some gnarly moves made by Ben Caley (left) and Laurence Falconer (right), harnessing their climbing power! (Photo credit: Laurence Falconer)

A fabulous Ceilidh organised by team Emily not only brought out some questionable dancing and tasteful tartan but also raised enough to money for UBES to have been able to buy 10 new helmets, another essential piece of kit for any climber. We hope to keep investing!

‘Orange you glad we bought some helmets?’- UBES in the Peaks modelling the new helmets (Photo credit: Thomas Eldridge)

The term ‘UBES Power Couple’ springs to mind when climbing with Tom Eldridge and Thom Jenkinson. With these two, bickering like an old married couple and fierce competitive aggression seem to go hand in hand. Tom, usually seen in rasta sunglasses and a snap-back hat, compliments Thom, usually spotted in multi-coloured lyrca. (On a side note, the more outrageous your leggings, the harder you climb. Fact.) This techni-colour team have managed an extremely impressive E2 down in the gorge, climbing Banshee ‘a solid and pumpy crack climb coupled with a delicate and blank mantleshelf’. Go team T(h)om! If you somehow managed to miss their blogpost, you can read it here.

A triumphant Thom at the top of Banshee (Photo credit: Thomas Eldridge)

Sunshine, Mountains and Cloud Inversions!

The Lakes in early February

The Lake District trip earlier this February was one of my favourite UBES trips. We were lucky to have beautiful sunshine all weekend, basically no wind and the not-yet-melted snow from the flurries the week before to play in (a great combo).

Saturday morning’s drive from Thirlmere to Glenridding was spectacular: low morning light and misty fields. From there, a group of us tackled Striding Edge, bumping into another group at the summit of Helvellyn who’d walked up from Thirlmere. Striding Edge was in basically summer conditions, with no ice and patchy snow; we felt a bit silly in our crampons!

We met a woman who reminisced of her student days, when her university hiking club would hire a minibus from their union for £5 for the weekend, fuel included! How times have changed.

Looking down onto Red Tarn from Red Tarn Cove (spot the UBESters!)

…Some things will never change, and we stopped at Red Tarn, after descending via Swirral Edge and a snowy, bum-slidy gully, for an inevitable lake bag. This involved hacking through 4’ thick ice and very little dignity. Luckily, Hugo’s Jetboil restored some warmth to icy limbs.

Alex’s pleasant afternoon dip

In the midst of these naked antics, we spotted Laurence, Ben and Duncan on V-Corner (III) on Red Tarn Cove.

The boiz on V-Corner (III) on Red Tarn Cove

Another group had a brilliant day on Blencathra, via Sharp Edge (involving equally heroic *assisted* (people lowering other people into icy water holes…!) lake bags), and another an ‘awesome’ epic, doing a long loop encompassing Langdale Pikes, Bow Fell and Crinkle Crags.

Team Sharp Edge

On the Sunday, Striding Edge and Sharp Edge were revisited, along with some some lower level walks. It was another beautiful day, with stunning cloud inversions.

What a weekend!

For more photos check out our Flickr page!

Conquering the (16m) Dawn Wall of Bristol

On a sunny day in the middle of February, there isn’t that much to do in Bristol that’s better than getting out in the gorge and enjoying a good old climb. Some people take this kind of opportunity to lead friends up easy routes around Sea Walls, other people use the conditions as a perfect opportunity to push the grade. Typically the latter type of climber is a ballsy legend, whom the world just can’t handle. Such a pair of climbers are present in UBES, and take physical form in Tom Eldridge and Thom Jenkinson (henceforth known as Tom). When the thermometer hit 10 degrees C, and there’s not a cloud in the sky, these heroes put down what they’re doing and head to the Ramp, where E2’s abound.

A view from the ramp:

Such a day it was on the 17^th of February 2015. The time, 2pm, the route, Banshee: a solid and pumpy crack climb coupled with a delicate and blank mantleshelf. After a brief tussle for dominance, it was decided that Tom would get the first attempt at leading and minutes later we were at the base of the route, geared up and psyched for the route.

Some time and one lead fall later...

Needless to say, the route was a bit harder than anticipated but being the legendary characters that we are, we persevered. Tom had the next attempt, climbing effortlessly up to the top piece of gear. Thereafter, the route stiffens – traversing across strenuous positions to some of the worst Avon pegs known to mankind. Only a blank, sloping and run out mantleshelf remained between climber and the safe haven of the abseil point. However, these obstacles provided little challenge to team Tom, and having each conquered the aforementioned on lead our boys headed off safely, moving together up Sleepwalk and topping out to a beautiful sunset. 

As an added bonus, it didn't take us 14 days!

UBES Wear!!!

Its that time of year you've all been waiting for...

...The competition for this years UBES Wear design is OPEN!!!

All you have to do is submit your design to here. 

The winner will be decided by a facebook vote, and will receive a FREE Hoody!

Your design can be done in any format you like, whether that is a scribble on an envelope or a beautifully finished computer graphic. We can then help you get it into the correct format to print. Remember the design has to work with only one colour.

Here are some examples from previous years to get you inspired!

The deadline for you to submit your designs is the 20th of March, so get drawing!!!

Any questions then just let me know!

Snowdonia 2

This weekend, forty of us set off for a wintry weekend in Snowdonia. In case anyone was wondering what we got up to, I thought I’d write a brief trip report! 

Going crazy on the Carneddau

On the Saturday, ten of us optimistically set off up the Miners’ track in search of a winter climb on the Trinity face of Snowdon. Despite the thaw the day before, we found Central Trinity in slightly slushy, but climbable condition.

One party soloed, and two parties roped up for the snow gully, which cuts straight up from Glaslyn to the top of Snowdon. It had a chockstone and a teeny bit of almost ice to give interest, and it was great to get the axes out. We were slightly bemused when we topped out to see crowds of people crawling up to the summit in trainers, and then sliding back down again.

An intrepid group of UBESters on the wintry Glyders

Other walks took on the Carneddau and the Glyders, finding plenty of wintry excitement and a fair bit of scrambling too. Tim lead one of his classic slogs, taking in twenty kilometers of epic Welsh hills, and returning late enough that people were talking about getting in touch with Mountain Rescue (It's okay; they were either joking, or had had a considerable amount to drink). 

We all returned ready for a nourishing dinner, however we were not aware that disaster was about to strike. A hole was discovered in the rice pan. The starchy water gushing onto the stove somehow managed to ignite, creating a small fire and a lot of excitement. After consuming copious quantities of delicious slop, cooked at last, the Saturday evening contained its usual dose of organised fun, a bonfire and a disco! 

One of the climbing officers gearing up for a very serious climb

On the second day, which was warmer, wetter and windier, several groups set off to take on some of the smaller peaks. A group of twenty took on Moel Siabod, some of us attempting to run it, to greater and lesser degrees of success. Other walks included a miniature 'three peaks', involving the all important driving aspect of the more grandiose UK wide challenge.

There were many lakes bagged this weekend, one of the more ‘heroic’ ones on the Sunday walk up Cnicht, was described by the bagger himself. “It was too shallow so I had to wade out into thigh deep mud, and the weather was like a moist apocalypse, but less exciting.” Sounds like great fun!I had a great weekend; I really hope everyone else did too.

A massive thank you to everyone who helped organise it, and I look forward to seeing everyone soon!

A postgrad officer looking like a pro!

Topping out on the summit of Snowdon

Central Trinity (I/II)

Saturday 24th January 2015. A bunch of intrepid UBES'ters set of up Snowdon in search of a winter adventure. The conditions had been brilliant all week but were just starting to turn. This meant that we all ended up on one route, central trinity, a 3 star grade (I/II) gully!

10 of us were on the route in total, with experience ranging from winter climbing newbies all the way through to seasoned alpine mountaineers. We decided to split up, with some more expereienced members soloing the route to avoid the crowds, whilst the less experienced roped up for some security.

Everyone got the route done with ease and had a thoroughly enjoyable day, with George and Clay going back for more and getting two routes done in one day!

Check out the video below!

Scottish Highlands!

After a great trip to the West Highlands over New years, our very own Lucy Rand wrote this wonderful article in the Epigram for us!

Check it out here!

Head Torches are BACK!

After the success last year, we have just got in another order of Alpkit Gammas!

You've probably seen a lot of the committee and other people using them and we can sell them to you for the discounted price of £14!!!



It is essential that everyone has a headtorch for safe walking on the hills, as the days are still quite short!

If you want to buy one then get in contact with Duncan by ubes-kit@bristol.ac.uk


Here are a couple of links that give you some of the information:

https://www.alpkit.com/products/gamma/

 

Castle Ridge (III), a winter adventure.

Castle Ridge, a classic winter route on the UK's highest mountain!

Check out the short video below! 

Ben and myself set out early on Sunday the 28th December 2014 to tick my first winter climb of the season, and Ben's first ever!

After an early morning 5am alpine start, we walked in from the North face car park up to the CIC hut to start our route.

The line of the route can be seen as the ridge on the far right of the picture below.

 

We were met with beautiful views as the sun finally rose over the mountain side and lit up the snow covered slopes.

We got to the start of the route, geared up and got excited.

Once on the route we started moving together up the easier angled slopes, only stopping to pitch the 2 difficult sections, including the "awkward chimney."

The whole route seemed to last a lot longer than the 200m stated in the guide book, with us topping out Carn Mor Deag just as the sun was going down, after a full day of alpine style winter climbing!

 
 



Laurence

Ledgendary: Night on the Bare Cliff Face - Tom Eldridge

As clouds set in over Bristol on Thursday, four intrepid young UBESters completed an Avon Gorge rite of passage as old as the rock its self. For those of you reading this who don’t know the cliffs around Bristol very well, one of the most visited sections of the edges running alongside the river Avon on its way towards the mouth of the Severn Estuary is, suitably, named ‘Main Area’. The wall here is divided into climbs on the lower section ‘Morning Slab’ and climbs on the upper ‘Evening Wall’, so named because a day climbing can take in a route on each of these on the way to the top, with a stop off at ‘Lunchtime Ledge’ halfway through.

Well, at least that’s the order the guidebook recommends you do it. Lunchtime Ledge is a huge section, large enough for climbers to untie from their ropes completely and walk around without fear of falling, and so since its discovery it’s been very common to invert the usual procedure and spend the evening climbing Morning Slab, kipping overnight on the ledge and then climbing out in the morning. We weren’t the first to do it, and we certainly won’t be the last, but we may temporarily hold the record for being the most naked. The weather on Thursday was glorious. Jenks and I had been anticipating this since the start of the week, and Duncan and Emily perked up at the idea in the Highbury on Wednesday night, so at 8pm we met at the top of Whiteladies Road to grab a few beers and were shortly on our way. The clouds hugged the city like a cosy blanket, keeping in most of the heat of the still day, and never once threatened us with rain. Wrapped up and ready to go, we arrived at the bottom of the gorge at about 9 o’clock.

We divided ourselves into teams. Thom and Duncs took the slightly trickier HS Sinister whilst Em and I sauntered up The Arete (VD). In contrast to spending a day in Avon, the night time was still and quiet. Thom and I, sat on our respective belay positions, were able to chat easily at a distance that would usually render everything inaudible, and I turned my headtorch off and sat and belayed quietly until I managed to surprise Emily with this shot:

We clambered to the top, and after a little faff with ropes and a short wait, were joined by Thom and Duncan. Soon after we heard a call from a light source at the top of Evening Wall and saw the President himself abseiling down to join us. It was so lovely to have everyone together that we quickly made use of the gorge’s proximity to the city and promptly started ignoring each other in favour of our respective mobile devices (I should point out that this was a joke and the below was posed).

Once the beer had dried up we found ourselves sleeping spaces, and, with levels of preparedness ranging from Duncan's full bivi bag to Laurence's pile of ropes and bags, settled down to sleep. A makeshift net stopped us all from sliding forwards and off the terrace, and we all woke up well rested and ready to go:

(Fit For A King: Laurence chuckles off the ‘most comfortable night’s sleep he’s ever had’)

(Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed: Team Kit and Safety brush themselves off and prepare for the morning climbs to lectures)

Waking with the sunrise, Thom and I assessed the situation and decided to boldly solo it to our 9am lectures. Simultaneously on the climb to the left of us, Duncan bagged his first outdoor lead, and Laurence and Emily followed him safely up it a little while later. Here’s a photo of him sat belaying at the top:

I can honestly recommend the experience – we had a great time, became closer as chums, and really capitalised on the weather whilst simultaneously not taking any time out of our busy university timetables. A perfect combination of type 1 and type 2 fun, and an excellent way to spend 12 hrs.

Finally, thank you for reading patiently: here is the nudity you’ve all been waiting for: