Author Topic: Crinkle Crags Bad Step - How difficult to descend?  (Read 10716 times)

gable man

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Re: Crinkle Crags Bad Step - How difficult to descend?
« Reply #15 on: 12:21:09, 14/06/16 »
 I find it best to do it backwards then it is not so bad looks more intimidating than it actually is
 

Skip

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Re: Crinkle Crags Bad Step - How difficult to descend?
« Reply #16 on: 17:36:33, 22/06/16 »
Just how difficult is the "Bad Step", especially alone and in the wet?

By way of preamble, I've done the step a good few times (including a jolly half-hour spent going up-and-down up-and-down to sort of 'memorise' it).

IMO once you identify the holds (look out for a little polished knob of rock low down for your left foot) and get the moves sorted it's pretty easy to get up. If you descend again immediately you may well find it hardly more awkward than the ascent - that was my experience anyway.

But - and it's a big 'but' - if you haven't done the step at all (or not for a while) it may not be immediately obvious how to downclimb it. And if it's wet and you are carrying a heavy load you may well find it problematic to get down safely.

Luckily you don't have to risk it in the wet with your loaded pack. There is a very easy bypass route ('the dog path') rising beside the step's gully. This route is very clearly shown in karl h's photo - it's where the runners are descending on grass between boulders to the right of the picture. The dog path is on the the right going up - it'll be on your left coming down. I've walked dogs down there several times and also seen people taking their kids down that way.

How hard is the bad step?  To me, the answer is largely subjective - one chap's doddle is another's challenge.

Anyway Nick, I hope you have a great walk and the rain holds off.
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Skip

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Re: Crinkle Crags Bad Step - How difficult to descend?
« Reply #17 on: 17:44:07, 22/06/16 »
...if you are carrying a heavy load ...

As an aside, I've sometimes seen people using a couple of metres of nylon cord to haul their rucksack up after ascending narrow gullies or chimneys. I suppose that would work to lower a heavy pack ahead of you when downclimbing awkward steps.
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MkPotato

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Re: Crinkle Crags Bad Step - How difficult to descend?
« Reply #18 on: 14:08:39, 12/10/20 »
I’ve resurrected this thread rather than start a new one. Apologies. The runners photos really illustrates the routes.



I was on Crinkle Crags yesterday, and I’ve previously only done the bad step once going up (which was no drama). Normally I’m fine down climbing but it really had me flummoxed. Similarly a couple of young lads ahead of me had to give up and skirt to the left and down the grassy slope (as in the runners photo).


I think the issue is that it’s really not obvious how to take it if you don’t know the route. I think the tendency is to look for the shortest drop, which is closer to the chockstone. I couldn’t find a hold to lower myself. It looks like one guy in the photo is trying that, but I couldn’t see it, and although the drop isn’t life threatening, it’s just far enough to risk an ankle injury. Obviously the key is to find the stepped rocks a bit further on (where the rest of the runners seem to be heading), but I couldn’t see them looking down. It’s deceptive if you’re not familiar.




 

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