Author Topic: Crinkle Crags Bad Step - How difficult to descend?  (Read 10719 times)

Nick Hope

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Heading to the Lakes for some hiking next week. The weather forecast is rain rain rain but it's my only chance for a while.

One route I'm considering involves descending Crinkle Crags to the south. Just how difficult is the "Bad Step", especially alone and in the wet? I'm 50, fairly fit, and will be carrying full camping kit.

I have descended this step a very long time ago but can't really remember the details. I seem to recall it wasn't as bad as the Blencathra Bad Step which I really didn't like.

ninthace

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Re: Crinkle Crags Bad Step - How difficult to descend?
« Reply #1 on: 10:05:04, 10/06/16 »
Wouldn't have thought it would be a problem but it can be avoided if you don't fancy it. There is a "chicken run" if you back track and go round it.
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Nick Hope

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Re: Crinkle Crags Bad Step - How difficult to descend?
« Reply #2 on: 11:39:42, 10/06/16 »
Thanks ninthace. Glad to know it's not too bad and there's an option rather than turning back.

Hillhiker1

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Re: Crinkle Crags Bad Step - How difficult to descend?
« Reply #3 on: 14:38:49, 10/06/16 »
I remember being worried about this the first time but then when I got there I didn't think this was it as it wasn't too bad, so I was expecting something worse to come.... Later in the day I figured that this had indded been the 'Bad step'. No too bad at all really  :)

Here's a couple of pics.

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Rhino

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Re: Crinkle Crags Bad Step - How difficult to descend?
« Reply #4 on: 14:54:34, 10/06/16 »
Wouldn't have thought it would be a problem but it can be avoided if you don't fancy it. There is a "chicken run" if you back track and go round it.

When did you last go down it Ninthace?
 
 
I did it last year and the worse bit is the last 5ft at the bottom as the hand and foot holds diminish and you have to be careful otherwise its a little fall/slide. Nothing to be worried about but not as easy as perhaps suggested when in descent. Ascent is always much easier.
 
Here is a picture i took without anyone on it.
 
Wainwrights Completed 12/12/15

ninthace

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Re: Crinkle Crags Bad Step - How difficult to descend?
« Reply #5 on: 17:53:48, 10/06/16 »

When did you last go down it Ninthace?
 
 
I did it last year and the worse bit is the last 5ft at the bottom as the hand and foot holds diminish and you have to be careful otherwise its a little fall/slide. Nothing to be worried about but not as easy as perhaps suggested when in descent. Ascent is always much easier.


Rhino, I did not mean to imply it is a doddle but rather that it is practicable in both directions. The OP said he was a fairly fit fifty year old who had managed the step on Blencathra so provided he isn't built like a hobbit, I suggested he should be able to manage it but I did point out there is an alternative and since as you say, going up is easier than going down, he should be able to back out if he is not happy.  To answer your question,  13 months ago - I am also assuming it hasn't changed since?
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keithie

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Re: Crinkle Crags Bad Step - How difficult to descend?
« Reply #6 on: 21:12:06, 10/06/16 »
lol..my bad.. wrong 'bad-step'. I'll shut up for a while!
« Last Edit: 22:21:22, 10/06/16 by keithie »

Glyno

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Re: Crinkle Crags Bad Step - How difficult to descend?
« Reply #7 on: 22:06:32, 10/06/16 »
The bad step (in descent) looks difficult, more than a little bit tricky and probably best avoided. However, it's one of those situations whereby when you've done it once, you wonder what all the fuss was about!


That's how it was for me anyway.

dittzzy

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Re: Crinkle Crags Bad Step - How difficult to descend?
« Reply #8 on: 22:23:52, 10/06/16 »
My first walk in the lakes ever!  My OH isn't very good at thinking about how a route he's picked out on the map would look like on the ground or how a novice like me (I'd been up Pen y Ghent), would tackle Pike O'Blisco and Crinkle Crags.

I got over it, and I don't do climbing.

mike knipe

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Re: Crinkle Crags Bad Step - How difficult to descend?
« Reply #9 on: 23:28:36, 10/06/16 »
OP says he'll be carrying camping equipment - I'm assuming this will be a big and fairly heavy pack..  I suggest that the OP has a look from above and , if he doesn't fancy it, what with the Big Pack and everything to climb back up a bit and then take the easier option to the Right (West) - going back up, this will be Left, of course, but still West. No need for heroics! Last time I did it, I thought it was a bit awkward, but in ascent and with and day pack and a medium-sized dog. (The dog was hauled up)
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midweekmountain

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Re: Crinkle Crags Bad Step - How difficult to descend?
« Reply #10 on: 07:11:04, 11/06/16 »
Just how difficult is the "Bad Step",





Close up of the move on the bad step

Nick Hope

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Re: Crinkle Crags Bad Step - How difficult to descend?
« Reply #11 on: 13:01:41, 11/06/16 »
Thanks again. It doesn't look too bad at all. Hillhiker1's photo makes it look like there's a workable scramble around to the east (left on descent) as an alternative as well, but the photo might be deceptive.

Re the Blencathra bad step, I actually bottled it as a 20-year-old and ended up doing an ill-advised scramble across the slope below it to the east. I'm not good with heights, but I had a broken arm in a sling at the time, so that certainly didn't help my agility and confidence.

karl h

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Re: Crinkle Crags Bad Step - How difficult to descend?
« Reply #12 on: 16:58:38, 11/06/16 »
Thanks again. It doesn't look too bad at all. Hillhiker1's photo makes it look like there's a workable scramble around to the east (left on descent) as an alternative as well, but the photo might be deceptive.




That photo definitely is deceptive. The route down the left from the bad step is not one I would like to attempt.
Here is a pic from when I was watching the Langdale fell race and shows the descent ( and just how mad some fell runners are ;D  )



MoelPysgod

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Re: Crinkle Crags Bad Step - How difficult to descend?
« Reply #13 on: 18:21:27, 12/06/16 »
It's a piece of cake going up, but it'd be unpleasant going down it in the wet with camping gear. Unnecessary too - why not bypass it, and if you really want to climb it (it's really not a big deal in ascent) then scoot back round and go up it before heading back down? It'd only take five minutes.

Rhino

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Re: Crinkle Crags Bad Step - How difficult to descend?
« Reply #14 on: 21:38:53, 12/06/16 »

Rhino, I did not mean to imply it is a doddle but rather that it is practicable in both directions. The OP said he was a fairly fit fifty year old who had managed the step on Blencathra so provided he isn't built like a hobbit, I suggested he should be able to manage it but I did point out there is an alternative and since as you say, going up is easier than going down, he should be able to back out if he is not happy.  To answer your question,  13 months ago - I am also assuming it hasn't changed since?

I wasn't sure what you were implying hence why I questioned your reply. I do a good deal of grade 1 and 2 scrambling and found the descent challenging where as you wouldn't have thought it would be a problem. Everyone has differnet skill levels but it's not called the bad step for nothing especially in descent.

Happy Iam not the only one who found it challenging, in descent that is.
Wainwrights Completed 12/12/15

 

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