Christmas Crack 2012
Every year, several brave, determined or possibly
slightly deluded climbers make the trek up to Stanage on Christmas day, to
carry out the task of climbing the famous Christmas Crack. With the clue in the
name as to why this climb is chosen to have multiple ascents every Christmas,
it is always a social gathering to which many veterans, and a few younger
climbers – predominantly just me – attend. This year, similarly to the last two
years which I have done this, the conditions were not exactly ideal, as you
would expect. Despite this everyone who attends is determined to battle their
way to the top, through rain, wind and worst of all, icy cold rock. It is one
of those things which seem exceptionally stupid leading up to it, and
throughout it. You do not get any sense of accomplishment at all until safely
back in a warm car on the way home, when for some reason you think “That was
fantastic we’ll definitely come back to do it again next year”. It’s a climber’s
thing...
The climb itself is probably one of the more
miserable things you could think of to do at Christmas. The walk in is muddy
and marshy, pulling your shoes away from your feet. The bitter wind bites at
any exposed skin for the duration that you are outside. When you finally reach
the base of the climb, the atmosphere changes entirely. You are welcomed by
multiple merry and often festively dressed people who are usually supporting a
hip flask of varying spirits to take the edge away from the weather. Up until
this point my dad was planning to take the lead, but after one glance at the
sopping wet rock he gallantly offered for me to lead it instead. 
After queuing up for a short period, I set off up
the climb. It is not very physically demanding at just HS 4C but that is not
the challenge. After only a few moves all heat drains from your hands and very
suddenly the only tool you have to hang on with is stiff frozen ice cubes
attached to your wrists. Placing gear becomes nay on impossible every move no
matter how basic, it’s difficult. You pull over the top eventually expecting
relief, only to be greeted with unrelenting wind pounding over the edge
straight at you. Desperately trying to block out the wind you must set up a
belay and then sit on the cold rock for the time it takes for the rest of your
party to reach the top. It is not too bad to begin with but as the heat and
adrenaline leaves your body you can again feel the brutal cold that surrounds
you. After much longer than seems necessary everyone reached the summit. And
you can allow yourself some sort of celebration that you have again managed to
complete the climb. But you still have to get back down.
The descent is not as bad with the prospect of
warmth and Christmas dinner to come -it is much easier to withstand the
onslaught of what nature throws at you. And then, eventually back at the bottom
you can finally look back up, mentally pat yourself on the back and say to yourself
“I just did that”. And for me, that is why I do it.
Many thanks to Mary Sealey for supplying the photographs - see you next year Mary.
