Wilton burns, and Hacker crushed.

I had the morning working from home, but really wasn't getting into anything so I decided that an hour at Wilton might well shake me back into the working groove... (!!).
I got to Wilton at about a quarter past nine. Last night when on the way to the LCCC Committee meeting at about 7:30 I noticed that Wilton was on fire - there were loads of people about and I was already late, so I didn't think it was necessary to stop.
When I arived this morning the heather was still smoking in places, and a considerable amount of the quarry has been burnt - all but one of the hillocks opposite the Prow have been burnt as well as half of the other side of the hill. I guess this happens every now and then, and given the lack of rain recently it is not surprising.
It has only been a couple of years since virtually all of the moor on the way to Tockholes burnt. When I got there there there were some United Utilities lads checking out the fire damage to the Telegraph poles.

Anyways, the objective of the day was Hacker, which I've only recently started to look at - things didn't start well, but that is only because I wasn't warmed up but as soon as I got moving I quickly got to my previous point of the upper arete. Firstly I was crimping the small crimp on the face, but this was a dead end, it felt much easier to layback and use the crimp as a thumb sprag. I was barn dooring though and couldn't hold it. It was quite frustrating as it felt close.
After a play on Snakey B and Sitting ducks I left to get back to work.

I decided to head back to WIlton after work as it was bugging me the fact I was close but no cigar... I arrived at the crag about twenty past five and knew that I only had about 45 minutes as I wanted to be away by 6ish. After a few failures the crux seemed to be holding the upper arete again, but I thought that a left foot flag would help keep me in balance - I was just about to leave but thought I'd engage crush mode and no sooner had I done that than it was crushed!! YYFY!

One more problem on the list done, but that still leaves me with quite a bit to do before the end of the year!

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