kinder downfall

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MikeMarcus 15 Dec 2018

Downfall Climb (II/III) is almost in condition. Heading up to the base of the climb is thick, clear solid ice that takes an ice too beautifully, but the actual fall is a bit wet. 

Id have probably done it if I was covered head to toe in Gore-Tex and on top rope but I wasn’t happy to soloing more than the first two or three moves.

Post edited at 13:26
4
 mrphilipoldham 15 Dec 2018
In reply to MikeMarcus:

Don't worry, it'll all be gone tomorrow! 

MikeMarcus 15 Dec 2018
In reply to mrphilipoldham:

Unfortunately so. I was hoping a could catch a brief window and it almost got there.

Now I’m thawing all over the floor of the Birch Vale Cafe.

rob sykes 17 Dec 2018
In reply to MikeMarcus:

I ran (slithered, slipped) the Kinder Downfall circuit from Hayfield yesterday.  Some ice had formed on the right hand side (looking up) but water was flowing on the left hand side.  Suspect one would need both axes and a wetsuit for any attempt.

 JHiley 17 Dec 2018
In reply to MikeMarcus:

Cool, I was looking at the picture you posted I'm surprised it built up that much! I'd be a bit wary of saying its almost* in though. Its hard to tell but it looks like a fairly thin layer over the rock. Both times I've climbed there it was well buried beneath thick ice rather than just a white coating and there wasn't really any chance of hitting rock until scrambling up the stream bed on top. Going from the other pictures on here a lot of people seem to have a very low bar for when it's "in". Possibly they are treating it like a Scottish mixed route that just has to be white but there has been a lot of damage detailed in a thread this spring.

Wish I'd gone for a walk by one of the lesser cloughs to have a look.

*depends what is meant by "almost" I guess but some people will interpret it differently.

 

MikeMarcus 17 Dec 2018
In reply to JHiley:

It wasn't actually that thin, certainly thicker than my ice axe blade in almost all parts that I explored. It was just a touch wet and rotten though.

The spray was terrible though and that was the main reason why I didn't solo it.

 Mike_Gannon 31 Jan 2019
In reply to MikeMarcus:

yes a bit thin I'd say. Had the rock fall already occurred when you were there? I went up Sunday to see the waterfall in the wind up close and realised I was scrambling over fresh debris.

It seems to have broken away from just under 'Slab Climb' on the right hand side.


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