Spring at Haukkakallio

A good day of climbing yesterday at Haukkakallio to start my rock season. Jody got "Clint Eastwood" - a technical and slightly scary E1, and Tony put his impressive system to work and made a very fast and smooth ascent of Nu Moon, a 7a+. I didn't do anything hard as I haven't touched rock (except for with ice tools!) since October, but I did six climbs and got my first jamming scabs of the season on my hands.


Tony 'warming up' by leading Flacka, 6a, an oddly unsatisfying route that doesn't make a good warm up!


Tuukka's mate (sorry, didn't catch a name) making a rare onsight attempt at Jody's scary masterpiece "Smac and Stun Slab", E2 5c. He didn't make it but showed the gear isn't too awful!


Erik smoothly onsighting "Tinkerbell", 6a+.


Mad dog eats Englishman. Me with seemingly only one leg left on "Mad Dogs and Englishmen", HVS 5a. Thanks to Erik for snapping.


Tony cruises Nu Moon 7a+, Coach Gresham would be proud of you chap! Thanks again to Erik for snapping away on my camera whilst I belayed Tony.


Latest gear testing for UKC: "Lime" quickdraws from Climbing Technology. A nice, lightish all-rounder with key lock noses for easy clipping/unclipping.

Tuukka headpoints his scary new route. Good effort! 6c+ on not particularly convincing small gear - anyone want to suggest an E-grade?

Over all, a good fun day and even if my finger strength is gone, it showed that pulling on ice axes is perfectly good training for pulling on hand and fist jams. But maybe next winter I'll try to make it to the wall once of twice, just to keep Tiger Tony company in his 8a quest, and to make sure I still have some crimp strength left come the warming rays of spring.