Trinity Face... Yet again!

It's been another day on the Trinities for me today. I seem to be addicted. It makes sense though, with the weather and conditions as they are, fairly unstable, the highest ground is most likely to be the best. So today I went up there with Gruff with the route 'Gentleman's Groove' (IV 5) in mind. 

We had a fairly late start, of around 10, thanks to me oversleeping after a crazy dream about climbing on a snapped rope. It was raining on arrival at Pen y Pass which was quite disconcerting. We decided to not wear waterproofs as we both knew with the walk ahead we would probably be wetter from sweating then rain, so we agreed if we got soaked on the walk in, we would sack it off. Thankfully the rain stopped after a short distance and we powered on up. Catching up with Bryn and Gareth who we joined to the kit up area, along with about 3 other parties. It lashed it down with really wet snow as we got there which was most unpleasant.

Bryn kitting up amongst others as the weather became grim

Bryn and Gareth were off to do 'Gwyn Ein Byd', we set up to do 'Gentleman's Groove'. At the base of the route some guy came up soloing 'Ladies Gully', he asked if we were doing 'Couloir', we told him we were doing 'Gentleman's Groove', and asked if he had done it, and it turns out he was the first ascentionist along with Streaky. 'The moves are fairly hard but there aren't many of them' he told us. 

I led up the first pitch, which was a narrow groove, really narrow in fact, required bridging as you couldn't move if you placed your tools at the back. It's an ok pitch but the best was yet to come. The second pitch started up another narrow groove, with fairly blank sides, very little in the way of footholds. The gear there was fairly good though. Some fairly desperate moves up, to a 'thank God' hook got me into a very bizzare position. My feet were wedged lengthwise in the groove with a thin sliver of ice securing my front points. It was very precarious. Eventually I managed ot get out of it to a snowy section above where I noticed my damn crampon had come off my foot and was hanging by the ankle strap! 

Me on the crux of Gentleman's Groove

It took ages to stamp out a ledge and get it back on. The crampon had adjusted its length and was too long, I have found when I fold them up the ring at the front to thread the strap through catches the length pin and must inadvertently adjust it. I need to keep an eye out for that in future. Scary. 

The rest of the pitch was pretty straight forward. Gruff followed up, freezing cold after my slow lead. He didn't find the 'thank God' hook for a while, and was ready to try some horrific moves through that crux section! He got up it no problem, not bad for his first mixed route! 

Gruff playing on the 'Zig Zag Ice Boulder'

On the way down we called in at the Zig Zag ice boulder, and played round on a variety of lines. We found 5 micro lines on it. Some pretty desperate, and the ice was mad, 2 foot dinner plates regularly, sketchy stuff. Bryn and Gareth came down to us and we headed back to the car. They reported little gear on 'Gwyn Ein Byd', but enjoyed it. I don't know how they can say that though, I got a good amount in, and Geoff Bennett who did it before me got loads more then me still! I maintain that its a safe route.