Related Clues:

• Precarious footing?
• Small established position
• Minor position from which further progress may be made
• Small purchase may have been handy just now on the way up?
• Tentative starting position
• Tentative starting point
• First footing
• First established position
• Position of initial advantage from which further substantial progress might be made
• Small recess in rock
• Opportunity to improve when on the rocks?
• Initial advantage to English at the side of Nelson maybe
• One foot in the door of drunken hotel do
• Initial advantage reported, European house claimed
• Tool he'd fashioned, something of use to climbers