Winter Climbing In The Peak District...
Posted by Jeremy Windsor on Nov 11, 2021
I think there’s few better things in life than having a winter climb or two on your doorstep. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to make the short trip to Snowdonia or the Lakes, even the Scottish Highlands are well within reach. But what really gives me a thrill is getting stuck into winter routes back home in my corner of the Peak District. What could be better than climbing a line or two and still being back in time for breakfast? Whilst there’s always the chance to nab a “once in a lifetime” route, it's a much safer bet to focus upon those destinations which come quickly into condition. For my money, this means - Mam Tor, Kinder Downfall and Back Tor. With a cold snap and a little bit of luck, it’s sometimes possible to climb on all three in a day. But it’s rarely that straightforward...
Mam Tor’s nickname - “Shivering Mountain” - tells you all that you need to know about the challenges faced by those who climb it! Formed from layers of shale, mud and gritstone, the face is always changing, slipping steadily towards the remains of the A625 below. In 1979, the road was finally abandoned. It wasn’t for the want of trying - there's evidence of more than 2 metres of tarmac and gravel being used to patch up some of the cracks! For the winter climber, this means that you’re unlikely to climb the same route twice. Features from previous years change and in some case disappear altogether. Binding the various layers together is impossible in even the coldest of winters. Sadly, shale seems immune to the effects of the cold and simply shatters on contact with ice axe and crampons. Climbers have to rely instead upon frozen turf and mud, with the help of the occasional gritstone crack for protection. But don’t let this put you off because when the conditions are right the climbing on Mam Tor is very special indeed!
The approach to the south face of Mam Tor. Blue John Rib is the obvious arete on the left
Of all the routes on the face, the best has got to be Blue John Rib (III). This elegant arête forms the right hand edge of Mam Tor Gully (I) and runs in a straight line for 3 pitches up to the summit’s trig point. Unlike the gully, it doesn’t need snow or ice to come into condition, just a long settled period of cold weather. Since it faces south and gets a lot of sun, the best conditions are usually found in the weeks around Christmas when the hours of daylight are limited.
The first time I climbed Blue John Rib was with Neil, a brilliant sports climber and boulderer, who at the time had very little winter experience. Aware of the face’s reputation for loose ground and no little steepness, Neil was somewhat unnerved. This wasn’t helped by the decision to climb the route at night. To ease the tension I’d spied the route out earlier that day and laid out a few cairns to help us find the start. So far so good I thought. To ease his nerves I agreed to lead and set off over a series of frozen turfy steps to a belay some 30m up. Just above me I could spy the crux, a short steep band of mossy gritstone and frozen turf. I remember thinking that it didn’t look easy. Whilst belaying Neil it soon became clear that he was already finding it hard. Coming from below, I could hear loud groans and sharp metallic sounds as ice axes and crampons crashed haplessly together. Eventually he arrived breathless, smeared in mud and bleeding from his chin. He was blinking hard, clearly trying to process what he’d just gone through. I waited for a moment. “OK?” I said. “OK” he slowly replied. After back coiling the ropes and collecting the gear I set off again. Fortunately there was no shortage of gear on the crux and I made quick progress to the next belay. Neil followed very slowly and after a few minutes the rope came tight. It stayed that way for 5, 10 and then 15 minutes. My phone started to ring. Again and again it rang but holding Neil’s weight I was unable to answer. More ringing. I started to worry - was there a problem at home? Had a major incident been declared at work? Eventually I tied the rope off and answered. It was Neil and in between gasps for breath he told me in a very high pitched voice that he was stuck and unable to move. To make matters worse his head torch had fallen off and he was using the light of the stars to help him climb. I remember thinking at the time that something wasn’t right. The sky above me was overcast and not a single star was in sight. And then it dawned on me. Below my feet I could see the lights of Castleton. Neil was upside down and trying to climb in the wrong direction. I explained this as best I could and lowered him back down to the belay. Righting himself he then set off on a very tight rope to join me. On arriving, I could see that his face was now red and swollen after spending so long upside down. He seemed a little confused and not quite his old self. Nevertheless I had to trust him to belay and off I went again up the steep arête. Fortunately the angle quickly eased and with Neil finding the belay “autopilot” button I was given enough rope to make good progress. He eventually joined me at the trig point and we returned slowly to the car. I don’t think he’s been back to Mam Tor since...
Guy Wilson making light work of the crux on Blue John Rib
Squeezed onto the Great Ridge between Mam Tor and Lose Hill, Back Tor’s routes are some of the quickest to come into winter condition in the Peak District. Two or three days of freezing conditions can sometimes be enough to harden the turf of this north-facing crag and fix it’s loose jumble of rocks firmly into place. A 20 minute approach from Backtor Farm means that the face lends itself to a “quick hit” and in some cases, multiple ascents in a day.
The approach to Back Tor. The snow in the upper section of Back Tor Gully can just be made out on the left skyline
There’s several lines to go at here but the real “stand out” route is a variation of Back Tor Gully. From the road side the face can look somewhat blank and featureless. But up close there’s a very definite crease, some 50 or so metres high, that’s just begging to be climbed! It's best to gear up on the gentle slopes below and work your way steadily up to where the face starts to steepen. Belays are often difficult to make here - a nut placement or a bulldog in frozen turf - might be all that you’ll find. But rest assured, there’s plenty of rock protection ahead to back up the belay.
Within seconds of setting off you’ll find yourself on steep ground. If you’ve picked the right day there's firm steps and perfect axe placements in the frozen turf. Head up past the sapling on the right and over a series of steep mossy rock steps until you reach a shallow snow bowl. The temptation is to step left and follow the track for a quick escape. A better choice is to stick to the direct line and make a belay just below an obvious grassy groove. The exit appears steep but can be made easier by bridging out onto frozen turf. Since there’s nothing to belay on at the top, just keep walking and hope your partner figures out what you’re doing - it’s unlikely that you’re voice will be heard above the fierce wind that often greets visitors as they emerge!
Guy Wilson setting off on the direct finish of Back Tor Gully
From the first frost, the internet is abuzz with rumours that the Kinder Downfall is “in”. Unfortunately this is rarely the case. Normally, a week or so of sub zero temperatures are needed to turn this waterfall into the best ice climbing venue in the Peak District. Stained brown by the surrounding peat, the ice hereabouts isn’t the most attractive. But looks can be deceptive. With temperatures rarely dropping far below zero, the ice is “chewy” and dripping water forms long thin strands of ice that leave space for perfect hooks.
Kinder Downfall - the premier ice climbing venue in the Peak District!
On my last visit with Al we had a go at Downfall Climb (III). My partner made quick work of the corner on the right and soon disappeared from sight behind a pillar of ice. The reason for this only became clear when I arrived at the belay. Just a few metres out to the left, the waterfall was drilling down onto the surrounding ice and dousing anything nearby with freezing water. The pillar was the only shelter available. My heart sank - it was my lead. Teams had now started to gather below us and it was clear that all eyes were on me. Placing a screw bought some time. But eventually I set off on the traverse and was hit by a volume of water that I’d never felt before. Instantly it blinded me and to make matters worse, sucked the air clean out of my lungs. It felt like I’d walked through a car wash. Although the journey took no more than 10 or 20 seconds, in that short space of time I was thoroughly soaked. To make matters worse, the air temperature was incredibly cold. As I looked down at my jacket it turned pale in front of my eyes. The freezing water had set hard covering me like a glaze on a doughnut! The only way to warm up was to press on. First up a short corner crack and an awkward smooth step, before a final set of short icy grooves that led to the plateau. I had made it but had been thoroughly iced in the process!
"It felt like I'd walked through a car wash" - traversing the waterfall on Kinder!
After finishing the post my 9 year old daughter suggested I should finish with this “near miss”…
Dropping our children off at school one cold morning, my neighbour Tim and I both knew that we would have to hurry if we were to climb on Kinder and make it back in time for the school carol concert. Things didn’t look good when we found ourselves topping out with just an hour to go. Fortunately, the plateau was frozen hard and we were able to run down to the car with our crampons on. We arrived just in time for the start but had to sit through the concert with our climbing gear still on…
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11/11/2021 @ 12:51:03
Loved this posting. I once managed Mam Tor and Kinder in a day but that was when we kitted up on the old A625 with rock music blaring out of the car and a five minute walk in.
Other areas to watch: Brecon Beacons which give fantastic ice routes in a cold spell. Also consider the SW Culm coast (in the new CC guide and UKC) and Dartmoor with The White Lady Waterfall and Moonstone.
There must be other local gems?
Dave H
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