The forecast for Friday was vicious with rain for the whole day and a thunderstorm in the middle for good measure but I was keen anyway and recruited Bre to see what we can do despite the inclement forecast. These days mixing the outdoor into the gym training has become part of the weekly routine and it feels right to put all that training to good use outside. There are several wet weather options but we decided that the Binary Cave would provide the best protection in regards to the forecast. Also we both had long overdue projects at the crag so it was settled to brave the long descent into the valley.
Thunderstruck (17,25) first pitch only as a warmup. Nice slab start into corner to stance below hanging second slab. Thin moves to corner and view of the wall above. Great looking second pitch of panoramic ledge.
Please Dry (18***) probably the best warm-up here, as long as 18 is not your top level. Grade is subjective. Great layback moves at the beginning, cross a little roof and face the confounding thin section to the anchors. Not that easy really.
Entourage / Bully Boys Buttress Crack (22**) Great little line easy to over look at the very end of the binary cave. Blocky start with a very high ringbolt - stickclip. First crux through the roof on layback crack is very sustained to good rest. Second rooflet is less sustained but crimpy holds to the finish. Great forearm warm-up for the harder stuff in the cave.
Taxi Driver (25**) Excellent steep roof crossing with crux. Pumpy bouldery start on big jugs to laydown rest before roof. Long draws to cross the roof on massive jugs. Establish with heel/foot hook and clip draw above roof easily. Reach massive jug with left hand easily and get ready for the crux. Feet are bad here and you are enticed into high right foot on good hold - this is a mistake. Instead use one of the undercut holds to place left foot for push in the right direction. Lowest of three slopers is bad but can be used to get to high middle sloper. Highest off the three is best and lets you readjust your feet to get over the lip. Once I used my moment to push with my left foot, I could swing straight up to better sidepulls. Short but quite strenuous. The delightful headwall to the top with some reachy moves.
Driven (24**) Bre project which she dispensed in style after a warm-up lap putting on the draws. Remember to unclip first two draws as you climb higher - ropedrag is a killer here. The lower crux is quite sustained. Pull on strenuously from the ledge and start the traverse left on good holds but shocking feet. the final high gaston with the high foot is the crux to good rest. There is an unusual two tier hold before the gaston, left hand low on it and right hand on top, quite sneaky here. Easily over little overlap and onto final face. Last move is the second boulder problem and redpoint crux. I used far left hand crimp and closest bad undercling, bring your feet up strenuously and punch for the high crimp. Desperate.
Swinging in the Rain (25**) One more root to empty the tank. But felt way to tired after Driven. Putting on long draws to the crux sequence was epic and squeezed my body into the slot for a rest. Took a little nap here and gave it everything for the long crux sequence - fizzled out pretty quick and had no clue what I was doing. Several attempts later I made it through barely but felt incredibly hard at the end of the day. Will have to come back for this one.
On the way out with the light still strong but late in the afternoon the crag fell completely silent. A lone guy coming down the steep trail in high viz vest. All he had on him was a pair of climbing shoes. Bre and I passed him and looked suspiciously at each other. Soloist !. A mere 30 min later when we left the car park Bre spotted him again. Silent and fast what did he climb? The pub beer was waiting for us and after picking up Louise we met Pat and some of his friends for a farewell.
