REPORTS
Welcome to Cubby Images Climbing Reports. Each month we'll be adding reports to keep you up to date with the latest Scottish climbing news. - significant new routes and repeats, expeditions, events, competitions and much more. For future reference, all climbing reports will be archived at the bottom of this page. If you have any news you'd like share, please e-mail us info@cubbyimages.co.uk
Winter Climbing Report - No.10
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
It seems there has been a lot of tragedy amidst climbing circles over this last year or so, both at home and abroad. While our hearts are always with their loved ones and families, it is always that bit tougher when you have known the deceased personally. Many of you will be aware that Alan Mullin died on the 9th of March. His funeral took place this Monday past. I will write a personal obituary on Alan once I’m back from the Alps. My sincere condolences go out to Marion, Alan’s wife, and his three children. (For some happy memories about Alan from friends and acquaintances, visit “Laugh with Alan Mullin” at http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=232554
I started writing this report on Monday the 12th March after a day on the Ben. The weather was awful. Cold, wet and just for a change – windy! There was however an encouraging amount of snow falling. It wasn’t a day to be out climbing but surprise, surprise there were quite a number of desperados on the hill, despite avalanche debris issuing from just about every gully on the mountain! Enough to send Graeme Ettle and John Lyall scurrying off down the Allt a Mhullin with their tails between their legs. But then they are sensible mountain guides!
A brave team did Two Step that day and said it was excellent with no cornice difficulty. The mountain had been clearly hit quite hard after the warm, high winds of the weekend of the 10th and 11th March. But the ice forming lines were holding out and appeared to be quickly rebuilding. The forecast for this week is snow and more snow, and here on the 19th March it’s certainly dumping the white stuff, which suggests winter is far from over yet!
12th March - The Ben, the weather was awful, cold, wet and windy just for a change....
Photo: copyright Cubby Images
Going back to the week preceeding the International Meet, conditions in general were building beautifully with near legendary neve enjoyed by many above 3500 feet on the Ben. The Gorms though, lean in appearance were nicely sprauchled with ice and neve which produced an opportunity, for those so inclined, to move quickly and boldly on a number of ‘Norries’ classics.THE CAIRNGORMS
Under the watchful eye of Alan Fyffe, aspirant Dave Hollinger and Neil Johnstone repeated Swansong (V,6) and Cap In Hand (IV - formerly Rampling) during their guides test. Both routes were added earlier this winter. And previously unreported was Physical Grafitti by Alan Fyffe and John Lyall, a IV,6 which cuts straight through the original and wandering – Rampant.
Breariach – Angels Peak, Coire of the Chockstone Gully.
On March 7th, Andy Nisbet and Dave McGimpsey climbed the rib between White Hotel and Sasquatch to give a boldish, icy mixed line named Big Foot (V,5).
Sron na Lairige
Thinking they were doing a new route, Davie Crawford and Dave McGimpsey climbed Sinclairs Last Stand (a Brian Findlay and Greg Strange route from ’92). They did however finish up the “very thin groove” mentioned in the guide which provided a good direct so all was not lost. Stormy winds produced a Patagonian snow mushroom capping the groove and barring access. But McGimpsey ‘levitated’ this section in a fine lead above suspect gear. The Cerro Norrie Finish is graded V,5 and was climbed on the 9th March.
Thinking they were doing a new route, Davie Crawford and Dave McGimpsey climbed Sinclairs Last Stand (a Brian Findlay and Greg Strange route from ’92). They did however finish up the “very thin groove” mentioned in the guide which provided a good direct so all was not lost. Stormy winds produced a Patagonian snow mushroom capping the groove and barring access. But McGimpsey ‘levitated’ this section in a fine lead above suspect gear. The Cerro Norrie Finish is graded V,5 and was climbed on the 9th March.
Dave McGimpsey on Sinclairs Last Stand with The Cerro Norrie Finish (V,5)
Photo: with thanks and copyright to Davie Crawford.
Beinn a’Bhuird
Rich Cross and Guy Robertson have established a new, bold route with the first winter of The Scent which weighs in at a hefty IX,8. Guy takes up the story - “we tried the route two weeks previously but failed at the base of the "awkward ramp" mentioned in the guide. On that occasion, I belayed there on a little ledge due to rope drag, but the belay was very poor, and became even poorer when Rich torqued out one of the two quasi-acceptable pieces! It was pretty obvious the ramp above was going to be hard and sans gear, and we didn't fancy climbing this section straight above a crap belay, so we (very) gingerly rapped off a number of poor equalized pieces. On the second attempt I sorted my rope work out a bit better and simply clipped the crap belay as a runner. As predicted, the ramp was indeed hard - very precarious, blind and rounded seams - and it didn't yield any pro at all for maybe 20 feet or so, when I placed a hook in some turf. I'm not really one for big grades, but this is certainly amongst the most committing bits of climbing I've ever done. In retrospect it was pretty difficult to justify; so it's well protected crack lines for me from now on! It's a bit of a shame about the boldness in some ways as it's genuinely a really nice, cunning line up an impressive buttress in a wonderful setting”. Any takers?
BEINN EIGHE - West Buttress, Fusalage Wall
Nisbet with McGimpsey added yet another route to this area with Nisbet making the comment that this had to be done before the new guide book appears and revealed the obvious unclimbed corner.Pension Plan (I’ll refrain from saying that its aptly named – boys!), which offers three improbable pitches up the edge of the buttress between Flying Fortress and the right-hand finish to W.B is graded V,7. Typically for this area the rock is ‘helpful’ and the strenuous corner on pitch two providing a well-protected crux.
AN TEALLACH – Toll An Lochain
Vivian Scott and Gareth Hughes have added a new route graded VII,7 and named Crashed Out (after Gareth flipped and wrote-off his car the next morning!). Three pitches were required – an access pitch, then a bold and slabby pitch to outflank an overlapping roof and a butch (Viv’s favourite word!) chimney to finish. I’ll update more info. on this route once I know more about its location.
Rich Cross and Guy Robertson have established a new, bold route with the first winter of The Scent which weighs in at a hefty IX,8. Guy takes up the story - “we tried the route two weeks previously but failed at the base of the "awkward ramp" mentioned in the guide. On that occasion, I belayed there on a little ledge due to rope drag, but the belay was very poor, and became even poorer when Rich torqued out one of the two quasi-acceptable pieces! It was pretty obvious the ramp above was going to be hard and sans gear, and we didn't fancy climbing this section straight above a crap belay, so we (very) gingerly rapped off a number of poor equalized pieces. On the second attempt I sorted my rope work out a bit better and simply clipped the crap belay as a runner. As predicted, the ramp was indeed hard - very precarious, blind and rounded seams - and it didn't yield any pro at all for maybe 20 feet or so, when I placed a hook in some turf. I'm not really one for big grades, but this is certainly amongst the most committing bits of climbing I've ever done. In retrospect it was pretty difficult to justify; so it's well protected crack lines for me from now on! It's a bit of a shame about the boldness in some ways as it's genuinely a really nice, cunning line up an impressive buttress in a wonderful setting”. Any takers?
BEINN EIGHE - West Buttress, Fusalage Wall
Nisbet with McGimpsey added yet another route to this area with Nisbet making the comment that this had to be done before the new guide book appears and revealed the obvious unclimbed corner.Pension Plan (I’ll refrain from saying that its aptly named – boys!), which offers three improbable pitches up the edge of the buttress between Flying Fortress and the right-hand finish to W.B is graded V,7. Typically for this area the rock is ‘helpful’ and the strenuous corner on pitch two providing a well-protected crux.
AN TEALLACH – Toll An Lochain
Vivian Scott and Gareth Hughes have added a new route graded VII,7 and named Crashed Out (after Gareth flipped and wrote-off his car the next morning!). Three pitches were required – an access pitch, then a bold and slabby pitch to outflank an overlapping roof and a butch (Viv’s favourite word!) chimney to finish. I’ll update more info. on this route once I know more about its location.
Sunset over Lord Reays Seat at the end of a perfect day.
Photo: with thanks and copyright to Viv Scott
AONACH MOR – Coire an Lochan
Blair Fyffe assessing the cornice situation on Ben Nevis.
Photo: with thanks and copyright to Viv Scott
Surprisingly, this area continues to yield some good routes (I’m sure I said that in my last report). To the left of the Prow area, left of Backstreet Boogie, Ed Edwards, Nisbet and Chris Plant climbed White Cap Gully (IV,5) on the 18th Feb. Nisbet said the gully provided some lovely steep ice and a scary crux – an unexpected gap between the cornice and an Andean-like snow arête, overcome by some freaky chimneying.That same day Nisbet soled a short new route by climbing the icy corner left of Summit Gully – Sixty Metre Dash (III,4).
On 23rd Feb Nisbet accounts for another three solos – Man Friday (III,4) takes the first icefall right of the rib of Pernille (footsteps were noted so it’s possible that the line was climbed by another party), and Castaway (II) – the next groove right again. To the right of Right Twin, White Noise (IV,5) climbs the icefall right of Lost Boys (which was also soloed), while the next icefall right again provided Ed Edwards and McGimpsey with White Bait (IV,5).
INTERNATIONAL WINTER CLIMBING MEET
Despite poor weather limited venues and conditions, the International Winter Meet was a great success. Once again the Ben proved to be our saving grace and not surprisingly a large number of routes were successfully completed here. An overriding enthusiasm by the organisers and hosts, together with friendly competition and international chemistry, provided the key ingredients; a vital spark that resulted in some great repeats and even first ascents.
Good conditions high up on Ben Nevis during the week of the International Winter Climbing Meet was the saving grace
Photo: with thanks and copyright to Viv Scott
Blair Fyffe with two guests from China about to embark on Thompsons Route (IV)
Photo: with thanks and copyright to Viv Scott
As ever abilities were wide and varied amongst our 45 guests which included representatives from 22 countries including the likes of China, Croatia, USA, Canada, Slovenia, South Africa to name but a few, and some thirty hosts. A selection of the climbs on Ben Nevis made during this Meet Week included: Tower Ridge, Indicator Wall, Thompsons Route , No.3 Gully Buttress , Gargoyle Wall, Cornucopia (by Stu MacAleese and Tomaz Jakofcic from Slovenia), Sioux Wall (3rd ascent by American, Freddie Wilkinson and Slovenian, Rok Zalokar), the 3rd ascent of Babylon by Ian Parnell and Denmark’s own Kristoffer Szilas (the 4th was made shortly after by the all-American team of John Varco and Wilkinson.
A busy day on the Ben during the Meet - four parties seen here on No.3 Gully Buttress
Photo: with thanks and copyright to Viv Scott
Ian Parnell on the 3rd ascent of Babylon, and on left of photo - Slovenian guest, Rok seconding Es on new 'Rok of Ages' finish.
Photo: with thanks and copyright to Viv Scott
And continuing on; Darth Vader, Parnell and Canada’s Sean Isaac’s new route based around the line of Last Stand on the Sioux Walls which weighed in at a hefty VIII,8 called Curly’s Arete, Es Tresidder’s (climbing with Slovenian, Rok Zalckar) new direct finish to Hobgoblin (VII,7). Other new routes this same week included Dave MacLeod, Hiroyoshi Manome and Katsutaka Yokoyama’s (both from Japan) new route on The Comb above The Good Groove, which after some committing moments, gave another grade VIII,8. At one point MacLeod was “so pumped I had to shake out before I could even open the krabs on my harness to place a much needed runner. Soon I was hanging from a sound belay and thinking it had been a long time since I felt ill at the prospect of a likely bad peeler!” For the whole of this account and more on the Meet visit Dave’s blog at http://www.davemacleod.blogspot.com
Domagoj from Croatia seconding Viv Scott the first pitch of Salva Mea (VIII,8)
Photo: with thanks and copyright to Viv Scott.
And also on the Ben, Viv Scott and Domagoj Bojko from Croatia dispensed with the obvious hanging chimney to the left of South Sea Bubble to give a third new solid grade VIII,8 named Salva Mea. The first pitch – an eighty degree slab was described as “not bad on hero neve” indicating that the climbing is bold but technically straight-forward. Viv remarked that the pitch above – the chimney is the hardest and scariest thing he has climbed and nearly came off on more than one occasion, which would almost certainly have resulted in broken bones. All the hallmarks of a classic new winter route then!
And finally away from the Ben, Simon Richardson and Sean Isaac went to the rarely visited Braeriach and did an excellent three pitch new route, graded V 6. More details on that next month.
Typically as soon as the snow arrives I have to take off for a job on the Eiger for a few weeks. We’ve just had lots of fresh snow fall here too so it looks very pretty – shame I’m working!
Cubby
other useful Scottish climbing links:
For articles and climbing & bouldering news updates visit Scottish Climbs http://www.scottishclimbs.com
For bouldering articles and latest news visit John Watson's recently redesigned site at http://www.stonecountry.co.uk
For latest winter reports and conditions visit Kimber's site at http://www.westcoast-mountainguides.co.uk and http://www.abacusmountaineering.com
And for more Scottish winter conditions and info. - climbing and weather reports, web cams and much more, visit Winternet at http://www.winternet-scotland.co.uk
For avalanche conditions http://www.sais.gov.uk
For mountain weather forecasts visit http://www.mwis.org.uk
And looking for some climbing instruction or guiding in a sunnier clime?... then visit Ryan Glass at http://www.ryanglass-mountaineering.co.uk
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