Dave Riley and Andy Harrison had a superb day on Lurcher’s Crag on February 25. They climbed a steady run of ice between Central and Diamond gullies up the very best a part of the crag ensuing within the 365m-long An Ice Shock (IV,4/5).
“We had a unbelievable day on Lurcher’s Crag benefiting from the climate window and the facet,” Dave informed me. “We traversed the underside of the crag in search of one of the best line and had been enticed by very icy situations within the central despair straight beneath the apex of the cliff. We climbed 4 pitches on ice, with some good steep sections by means of overlaps, earlier than becoming a member of simpler terrain in the midst of face. We moved up this to beneath the summit buttress and took icy grooves and a gully (beforehand climbed by Have an Ice Day) to the left of St Bernard’s Ridge. This led to simpler floor for a protracted pitch to the highest. For certain a few of this floor has been coated earlier than, however possibly not as a steady direct line?
The break up grade is annoying but when the road of least resistance was taken by means of the decrease icefalls, then IV, 4 could be advantageous, nevertheless, on the day we climbed a couple of physique lengths of vertical ice. As well as, I’m fairly certain we joined the groove pitch of Have An Ice Day which Andy, Sandy and Steve graded V, 5. They climbed it in mid-December after I presume it was much less banked out and leaner, whereas we discovered it extra like IV, 4 in fuller situations.”
As Dave says, components of this route might have been climbed earlier than, however it’s not doable to say for certain. Current description make no point out of approaching the higher cliffs from straight beneath by way of the icefalls, so this part is prone to be new. Sadly, detailed information about Lurcher’s was misplaced with Andy Nisbet and Steve Perry’s tragic accident on Ben Hope in 2019. Whether or not this ascent follows fully new floor or not, it definitely gives an impressive icy journey straight up the centre of the cliff.
