161 - pushing Left hand route
Jared West
Got underground about 10 a.m. Down through squeeze where Chris S was hammering away, no problems. 50m pitch 'Baker' was piss wet but got to bottom fairly dry due to nifty abseiling. Joe asked me for the driver & I found I hadn't got it in my SRT bag; I feel a right pillock and offer to go and fetch one from someone at squeeze. After discussing the foolishness of going back up alone I decidd to go because otherwise trip would be total failure. Get driver from Animal at the bottom of squeeze - back to bottom. Joe rigs traverse line & puts bolt in for 15m hang - then realises he has no hand jammer - he has accidentally left it somewhere ! Not being able to go back we decide to go on & descend 15m hang - the Oubliette ! Find ourselves in rift with two pitches & a climb going down. Joe goes down climb on a lifeline & finds it blocked. We decided pitch to right of rope landing is best for rigging - boulders dropped lost in noise of water !
Debate how to get Joe out. He ascends 15m hang using prussik loop, but decides next pith is too long/wet/too many rebelays & I go up to find a jammer for him. Find Animal at squeeze just about to exit squeeze & persuade him to take jammer to Joe. He curses, not surprisingly, & goes down.
As if this were not enough, the jinx (or just lack of braincells ?) continues. I tip out contents of SRT bag & almost don't notice. Joe gets halfway through squeeze & I remembr I left my glasses at bottom - Joe changes to descender in squeeze (is anyone else capable of this !) & goes to fetch them.
Finally exit about 7.30 into pissing rain & tackle path to camp 1 in rapidly failing light.
[sketch]