Given that the weather forecast suggested the best winter conditions in the lakes this year Will and I decided to try Pinnacle Ridge on Great Gable.
The heroic Yaris in the flesh, terrain that brought 4x4s to a halt couldn't stop this beast.
As we fitted the chains two cars tried to head up the pass but eventually conceded defeat. The only vehicle that did get past was a 4×4 truck so we weren't overly optimistic of our chances of getting to the car park. Chains on we made quick progress to the parking at the slate mines, from the car park there was a view down the pass where the 4×4 we saw earlier was now stuck! Along with another truck (we did check the people were ok). The Yaris had succeeded where other trucks had failed, at least for the time being. The car park was covered in snow and the hills were white, so we had high hopes of a good day out. Lots of powdery snow made the walk to Great Gable was a bit of a slog but we eventually got there (about 1:45 on the way out for future reference). There were a few people on the crag, and the route we wanted to do, but they were high up so it felt like we had the place to ourselves. Gearing up was made interesting by the very powder snow we were standing on, unfortunately, I was lowest on the slop so in addition to carrying my gear up I also carried a few kilos of snow that Will knocked down the hill!
The start of Pinnacle Ridge isn't so well defined but we headed up a gully and tried to stay close to the ridge figuring this was the best option.
Gearing up at the first belay, notice the sun glasses? Guess who loaned his goggles to someone?
As it turned out we had the right route and it was easy ground for the time being so we soloed as far as we felt comfortable. The ground was frozen, atleast in most places so a bit of attention with axe placements was needed. As the ground got steeper and the pinnacles that give the ridge its name started to appear we began to pitch. I took the first pitch, fun climbing but short lived, but the weather was clearing so we had great views north for the person belying. The second pitch, which contains the crux, was Wills lead. But there was plenty of frozen turf and hooks galore. This is an excellent route, the conditions and view made it feel like a proper mountain adventure.
It was getting close to 4 by now so we decided to head back to the car, we set off along the path below Green Gable, heading toward the crag at the far side of the Honister Pass. Or, as we found out about 45 minutes later, a crag that wasn't on the other side of the Honister Pass but the other side of a different valley, that'll teach us not to look at the pass before we set off. Thankfully we noticed our navigation error before we descended into the wrong valley. Thankfully we hadn't gone too far of course and a quick look at the map meant we could check the directions before the light failed. So we ended up walking back to the car following a compass bearing in the dark. After about 45 minutes of walking a set of car lights lit up the car park at the slate mine which turned out to be about 300 metres away, not bad on a bearing on the dark. The adventure wasn't quite over, the heroic Yaris had been sat in the cold all day, which it turns out managed to accomplish what the 20% ice road into the pass didn't, the car wouldn't start. Now I don't know if any of you have tried starting a car on snow chains in a carpark covered in snow but I wouldn't recommend it. We managed to push the car about 10 metres but couldn't get is going fast enough for a bump start, as it turns out this is because we chose to push it up hill! So car in reverse we managed to get it bump started, but don't push from the door, it has a tendency to scoop you up and take you for an exciting ride when the engine turns over! Back to York in the heroic Yaris.
As the first winter day out of the year, I was feeling rather unfit. Perfectly summed up by Paul as: it was a day where we seemed to only walk uphill!