They seem to have strayed towards Foule Crag.
They seem to have strayed towards Foule Crag.
Bailed at Sticks Pass? Or at least the guy with the tracker did
If it is as it appears then bad luck lads. It would have been a tough night I imagine.
Just noticed the out and back route on Calva too. What was it like up there I wonder? Did the conditions mean that this was the safer option? Be interested to hear about their outing. Hats off lads, hard call to bin it but they're still there...
Last edited by Mark Smith; 22-01-2015 at 08:42 AM.
bad luck boys - what was it like up there (apart from dark)?? Are you going for another attempt this winter?
Bad luck, the snow must have been a real challange in places.
All seemed OK at first. Despite hearing horror tales about the snow depth at the top gate on Skiddaw this was no issue at all and we reached the summit within a minute of the 23hr schedule.
But then the fun began.....
We reached the fence crossing and made down toward Hare Crag initially enjoying the speed of the hill and softness of the deep snow. Once the steep side was behind us it was really slow progress ploughing through the snow as we contoured R of Hare Crag.
Climbing Calva was probably not much slower than usual but with the lost time getting to the Cumbrian Way we were 10 mins down on Skiddaw to Gt Calva section.
Retracing to the Cumbrian Way meant getting across the (wet) Caldew via the (dry) bridge and also avoided trying to nav' a good line down through the heather. Also, the snow was trampled to a degree all the way to Skiddaw House.
Climbing up toward Cloven Stone, Mungrisedale common, Foule Crag was just a long slow drawn out plod and when the 4 hour mark chimed just as we were making the last of the way across Blencathra saddle to the trig I knew that the time we would get to Threlkeld meant we would have to somehow speed up for the next 19.5 hours to make it home in time.
I decided to quit, eat, sleep a bit and go to Dunmail with the plan to start again if either of the other two wanted to carry on for leg 3. They did at least begin leg 2 but, taking over 60 mins to reach just the top of the steep bit of Clough Head, never mind the more runnable top bit, they knew the chances of gaining any time back were gone. then, to compound matters, within a few metres of the pleasantly snow scoured top of Gt Dodd, they were into deep snow again, but not the soft stuff that moves as you go through it, but crusted stuff you need to literally climb out of with every step.
A call was made and I collected them from the bottom of Sticks Pass!
Beforehand, we had looked into the idea of snow shoes but it appeared to be universally agreed they were not really suitable for running so hadn't gone to the expense of trying. We always knew we wanted snow cover for a winter round, to help with the light, nav' etc, but ideally it would have been less deep and frozen harder to allow running over the top of in microspikes.
The wether was just what we would have ordered, just below freezing and only the mildest breeze, even on Skiddaw. A moon would have been nice but the stars did begin to appear after a claggy beginning.
We three are all reasonably accomplished fell runners, having all completed our summer rounds in the previous 18 months, and each with at least 4 hours to spare. So for all three of us to agree these ground conditions were simply too tough to move along at 23/24 hour pace I think shows that it simply wasn't possible. Maybe we were a bit naive, maybe we should have waited for a thaw/refreeze, but we had already postponed 2 possible starts this year and had missed the midwinter dates so were keen to at least have a bash. And hey, at the end of the day it was just three mates and a couple of helpers having a run out in the place we love to be. Beaten back today but we will rise again.
Now wheres my Club certificate? - I think I need to look at it a while and remember.
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Don't think you need to justify anything. Great effort to even try.
Well that was a tough but enjoyable night. The three of us have all done summer BGR with four hours to spare and have been eyeing up a winter round. For me that needs to include snow & ice rather than just dark & clag.
We set off at 9pm going clockwise on a 23hr schedule. The weather was set calm with low temps but no snow forecast.
We had road support planned but just the three of us on the fell.
We'd all been on the fells over the preceding days and thought the snow conditions would be ok.
Climbing Skiddaw was fine on trodden snow but the descent to Hare Crag was knee deep in many places and the fence almost buried.
Nick chose a line to the R of Hare Crag which was nice and dry. In order to keep feet dry we opted for an in-out route to Gt Calva and the bridge over the Caldew. This was a good move as the Cumbria Way was very runnable compared to the heather/snow of the normal route. Mungrisedale Common was a slog but we kept to the grass to Foule Crag to make it easier. Descending Doddick Fell was the sensible option.
However on arriving at Threlkeld we were already 40 mins down. After a conflab Nick and I decided to push on hoping the Dodds had been swept clean and we could make progress.
Clough Head was tortuous in deep soft snow with the final 100ft on hard neve so we were glad we'd taken axes.
Over the top and we were forced to walk the normally runnable sections to Great Dodd. Apart from the summit of the Dodd being scoured and sold everything else was deep, soft, crusty snow and it was obvious we couldn't get round sub 24.
We carried on to Sticks Pass, turned right and Steve collected us at Stannah.
Really disappointing given such perfect weather but we gave it a good go, got 1/3 way round and it was a great night out. If you don't try, you'll never succeed.
Thanks to all those who turned out to see us off, supported us on here and particularly to Phil Whitehead for road support.
Ha ha, didn't see you already posted Steve. At least we told the same tale!
Hard luck lads. Apart from the obvious disappointment of having to bail out, it sounds like you had a blast out there.
When the fells call, they scream.
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