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Buffalo Aidfest November 2013 4-Dec-2013 At 10:11:02 AM sbm

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The next day we got up and I actually clipped the portaledge to my harness and jugged with it to the second belay which is also hanging (James assured me that it's a thing people do). We set it up again. We hauled.

Then I got on lead again. The third pitch is straightforward, bomber gear but it is loooong. 45m apparently. It was a very long time and I had to fight down the Fear a few times and keep going. After a while the guys ran out of rope to tag up more gear so I did a couple of bigger back cleans.

Setting off on pitch 3

The classic layback technique

Right at the top you have to move right towards the ledge. I could see the final carrot that would take me to the ledge, with one crack between it and me that I had to move in to. From a high piece I reached way right and was able to blindly place a big ol' metolius cam. It felt solid so I moved onto it. As it moved into view i was horrified to see it was the mankiest cam I have ever placed. Every single lobe was at a different angle and every single lobe was barely touching the rock. I stopped breathing and was able to place a half decent #3 camalot above it. Oh god.

I clipped the carrot and mantled to the ledge, built the bestest and most well-organised anchor ever, fixed the ropes and sat back satisfied that my job was done.

After we were all established at the ledge, Ro and James racked up and free-climbed out the variant finish. It was apparently quite exiting, Ro did a couple of very good leads and James apparently had a brutal time trying to second, he said something about sideways jugging.

I didn't listen too closely as I was settled on the ledge, with a beer and plenty of water on hand enjoying the view. A frantic scream or two from the others interrupted the serenity occasionally, but the waterfall drowned out most of it and I even had a little snooze.

Finally Ro reappeared, having rapped back down from the top rap station to set up the final haul. I jugged out last, pushing the haul bag and ledge past the trees. The lengths were all wrong and the jugging was fing brutal. I was destroyed when I got to the top, back at the rap station where we had started.

Jugging out.

We got everything over the lip and safe and trudged back to the car with a little daylight to spare. I remember I saw a sign saying "Danger Unprotected Cliffs" and broke down laughing...."but I got so much good protection..!"