Gritstone challenge

On Easter Sunday, with a fine day forecast, Jon and I set off for Stanage. We parked up at the unusually early hour of 8.30 at the Popular End and proceeded to walk the 3 miles to Stanage End. Upon arriving we located the route 'Start', which seemed as an appropriate place as any to start our challenge of doing 50 routes in a day.

I should explain that 100 routes in a day is regularly achieved on Stanage and other Eastern Gritstone crags so our 50 was, relatively speaking, a small number of routes. However, it felt like a big enough challenge to us. We decided to take a rope and a light rack so we could attempt some of the VS classics of the edge on our way as we were unwilling to solo some of the taller VS routes onsight. Stanage End passed quickly and we were on 10 routes within 90 minutes of starting, including the classic Green Streak. The smaller walls right of the end slab slowed us down somewhat and we were drawn into trying to highball a number of 5b and 5c problems; this sapped our power and motivation so we decided that in order to complete the challenge we'd best climb no harder than VS from then on.

The Crow Chin passed quickly and, from my point of view, uneventfully. Jon lead Kelly's Face, formerly graded diff and featuring precarious 4b moves with no gear at 10m, excellent fun. After Crow Chin a morale boosting count revealed that we were on 24 routes and nearly half way there. As we reached Cosmic Crack the sun came out and our energy levels dipped with every degree the temperature rose. I wanted to lead Cosmic Crack and managed to make the slowest, most unco-ordinated lead the route may have ever seen. I have no idea how long I spent going up and down at the top overhang, unwilling to commit properly to finishing the route. When I finally committed to the good foothold and good jugs the top arrived with ease. I quickly brought Jon up, annoyed with myself about how long I had taken. At this point I thought we'd blown it, but outwardly I remained positive. In a funny way thinking I'd blown doing 50 routes made me relax and enjoy the movement of the climbing.

High Neb was next, the lowering sun flooded the rock with a familiar glow. We were well warmed up and the easy movement over classic routes was immensely satisfying. Just out of interest we counted our total as we reached the end of High Neb, 37 routes, we might do this...... Quickly we half walked, half ran towards Dover's Wall intending to solo as many as we could in the remaining hour of light. After every route we shouted the number of routes we were on, encouraging, exhorting each other to concentrate. Tiredness was racing up on us but at the same time the finish line was close at hand. It was with great relief that I pulled over the top of Black Hawk Traverse, the light was gone and our torches were in Sheffield. Careful counting revealed we had managed 51 routes, we'd done it and with not a moment of light to spare.