A Code for Winter Climbers in the Lake District

Last week I mentioned the new Code for Winter Climbers in the Lake District that can be found in full here.  This code was compiled by a group of Lake District climbers representing both winter and rock climbing interests. The project was supported by the BMC, FRCC, National Trust, National Park Authority and Natural England.

Here are the key points for ethical climbing in the Lake District and a list of agreed crags that we should stay off with ice climbing tools to prevent damage. We could so easily damage fantastic rock routes for ever if we scratch our way up them with ice axes and crampons. But there has to be space for both winter and summer climbing as many people, including me. climb in both summer and winter conditions.

The following voluntary code is a guide to allow for an accepted ethical ascent that has minimum impact on rock climbs, the natural cliff environment and the future of the sport:

1. Winter climbing should only be undertaken under frozen and snow-covered conditions.
2. The cliff should have a ‘wintery’ appearance with snow, rime or verglas covering most of the rock, not just snow covering ledges.
3. Consider if your ascent would be feasible without axes and crampons; if you could brush the snow off the rock and rock climb the route then you’re doing a rock route.
4. Turf can be an excellent winter climbing medium but should only be climbed on when it is solidly frozen or deeply covered in snow/neve and so unlikely to be dislodged. 
5. Many summer routes have little vegetation or even ice. They are vulnerable to damage even in perfect/ideal winter conditions. This could involve loss of small holds, loss of flakes, modification of pockets and loss of protection placements. To prevent damage to summer routes please consider whether your proposed ascent is likely to cause such damage; if so, choose another objective.
6. During any winter ascent there should be a presumption against the use of pegs if at all possible. Placement of bolts on mountain routes, as in summer, is unacceptable and counter to the area’s traditional ethic.
7. Routes should be climbed from the bottom to the top of the crag in a single push, with no abseil pre-inspection. If a bivouac en route is required so be it, however abseiling off and resuming from your high point the next day is not a valid ascent. 

 Please keep off the following crags when climbing with winter equipment:

Langdale

Raven Crag, Walthwaite.

Scout Crags - Lower, Middle and Upper.

Raven, East Raven and Far East Raven Crags.

Gimmer Crag – the South-East Face to the North-West Face inclusive.

Flat Crag – from Conditionalist to BB Corner

(excluding those routes).

Black Crag.

Lightning Crag.

Long Crag.

Dow, Coppermines & Slate

Dow Crag – A and B Buttresses not including the

gullies.

Duddon & Eskdale

All the low lying crags in both valleys unless via

obvious ice lines.

Esk Buttress – from Gargoyle Groove to

Trespasser Groove (including those routes).

Scafell & Wasdale

East Buttress, except the obvious ice and

turf lines.

Scafell – from Moss Ghyll to Botterill’s Slab

(excluding those routes).

Buttermere & St Bees

Grey Crag.

St Bees.

Gable & Pillar

Kern Knotts – from Cat Wall to the Cracks Area

(including those routes).

The Napes – Tophet Wall and all the major

buttresses excepting the gullies.

Gable Crag – from Engineer’s Chimney to

Engineer’s Slabs (excluding those routes).

Borrowdale

Reecastle.

Shepherd’s Crag.

Black Crag.

Quayfoot Buttress.

Woden’s Face.

Bowderstone Crag.

Sergeant Crag Slabs.

Eastern Crags

Castle Rock of Triermain.

Raven Crag, Thirlmere.

Raven Crag, Threshthwaite Cove.

Dove Crag – North Buttress.

Eden Valley & South Lakes Limestone

Everything except High Cup Nick and various

waterfalls.

New and existing winter routes climbed on

the above crags may no longer receive official

recognition.

In addition to the above list, there will also be a general presumption against recording future

first winter ascents of any existing high quality rock climbs (** and *** for instance) unless

they are natural ice lines. Such climbs may no longer receive official recognition.