Eager...

18 November 2012

Craig and I met early and headed to Fort Bill with a plan to climb North East Buttress. 24hrs of snow made the Ben look wintery but it didn’t feel all that cold. As we passed a deserted CIC hut we decided that conditions were not really “in” so opted for Tower Ridge instead.

Getting to the bottom of the route involved some ”interesting” soloing up deeply snow covered un-bonded rock held in place with non-frozen turf.

Once on the ridge it was obvious that the snow had no base and conditions were tricky , but we pressed on till we were wading waist deep beneath the little tower. The wind got up, it started snowing, and both of us had that feeling you get before things go wrong. We bailed with a couple of abseils and picked our way back down to the hut.

We met Spike again (I think he is following me) who had climbed and boarded down no 4 gully-good effort.

Penguin, thanks ...

3 November 2012

Craig and I headed to the Cairngorms to have a look/see at the “just arrived” winter conditions. Surprised on route by the blizzard conditions on the A9 we kitted up and headed into Coire an t'Sneachda.

The wind, CLAG, freezing temperatures, SNOW and spin drift made it feel like proper winter. We geared up and headed for the direct start of Invernookie (Scottish III,4). SMC guide reads, an interesting and popular climb which takes a line of ramps on the wall above and right of Fiacaill Couloir. Loss of turf means there are some tricky moves (IV,5 under powder).

Thin conditions made this feel stiff for the grade with most of the hard moves requiring hooks and torques

and a bit of cunning. The climbing was harder than III,4 and both of us felt that if this was your first grade III you would have been in for a bit of a spanking.

The weather improved and we had a great start to our winter climbing campaign...

More here on the Simple Epic Blog 

Climber on the crux pitch of The Seam IV,5

Craig on the exit pitch

Winter MOJO returned ...

Balls out ...

21 October 2012

The team split for Sunday with Bill and Craig heading to the Witches Trails in Fort William for biking with John (Fish), and me heading into the North face of Ben Nevis.

I was at the CIC hut in 1hr 20min and caught up with Spike and clients with the same objective, Tower Ridge. There was reported snow on the summit, but it was misty, so neither of us knew if this was superficial or not. After exchanging some pleasantries and swapping what beta we had I was quickly on my way and climbing rock. Looking down into Observatory gully I could see what was left of last winter's snow and what new snow was around, it all looked quite white.

Just before the Eastern traverse I hit the snow line; the snow was easily cleared but extra care was needed. The ridge leading to tower gap looked very wintery indeed. I was glad to find the (usual) in-situ sling to clip as I swung round and down before stepping across the gap to climb out of the other side. The snow on the final section was deep and quite tricky, but firm enough for me to kick steps up the exit gully.


I dropped down to Glen Nevis to be picked up by the boys who had a great day on the trails. More info on what they did here at www.simplyepicadventures.co.uk

The Douglas Boulder and The Great Tower in the mist

The Very narrow ridge leading to Tower Gap

Looking back towards the Gap from the other side

Heading to the Pony Track the sky clears

Looking towards the Carn Derg

Beat the clock...

Craig and Bill biked the devils to Kinlochleven then round to the upper Glen Coe cark park while I did the round of the zig zags on Gearr Aonach-SCNL-Bidean nam Bian before dropping into the lost valley and back to the car park in 4 hrs.

All in a good day, cold and windy in the morning above 600m but sunny and clear in the afternoon.

More here on the Simple Epic Blog.

Looking into the Lost valley

Craig and Bill heading to the upper car park

 

Name and shame...

A quick blast on my local hills on Saturday to stretch the legs. The Hills were busy; not surprising with this being the only dry and sunny weekend for a while. We chose different lines up the Cobbler, Narnain and Ime than anyone else, but still found some friendly banter, stories, and even managed to bum some cake on the way.

Not best pleased with the state of the hill after the recent upgrade works to the feeder dam coming off the back of the cobbler...

 

 

Dancing on the ridge ...

With more standing water on the A82 than I can ever remember it was obvious that our planned climb was out. Instead our CPD logbook kicked in with a quick traverse of the Aonach Eagach. This involved security on steep ground and some micro navigation.

The rain and wind abated but the rock was very slippery. We crabbed, down climbed and carefully picked our way across the ridge till the last munro Sgorr nam Fiannaidh where we headed straight off the hill to the Clachaig Inn junction . This is the best spot to thumb a lift back to the upper car park. It is only locals, other climbers or hill walkers that ever stop, as all the tourists must think you want to go all the way to Engerland with them. Thanks again to Moira for the lift.

Badger...

Craig and I supervised a bronze Duke of Edinburgh award for pupils of a private school in Edinburgh. Two 6hr days navigating their way through the Pentland Hills with an overnight camp. 

The weather on Saturday was glorious but deteriorated overnight with high winds and rain on Sunday. This is the perfect mix as it really test resilience and team work. Both teams did very well and passed. 

Many thanks to David Adamson (assessor), Louise for her dedication to the students the DofE award and for the lemon drizzle cake and Will for giving up his weekend to help.

Silver next ?

Team 1 handrail navigating on day 2

 The way ahead

A glacia erratic on Capelaw hill

A (non) glacia Belfast sink on the same hill...

Sea level...

Simply Epic crew members and Peter had a great day's sea kayak training with Keith from Paddle Power Adventure. We paddled 26 kilometers round the island of Kerrera just off Oban. One word, fantastic. More on the epic blog here www.simplyepicadventures.co.uk

Peter paddling uphill...

 

a Vole

1 September 2012

A quick, mild and misty round of Mid Hill, Coire na h-Eanachan and Beinn Dubh and back to NS 331 942.

Plus 20 years of hill and mountaineering boots minus one pair that I had given away. Bill remarked that my feet seem to have got bigger (they are in order left to right, he’s not wrong).

Decided not to dispose of them just yet as they all have stories to tell...

That "bastard" bracken

Mid Hill and Coire na h-Eanachan

Miles and miles and miles or should that be kilometers ...

  

Wanderings...

25 August 2012
Great morning climbing the first 3 pitches of January Jigsaw (s) and the last pitch of Satins Slit (VS). The alpine start meant we had the face to ourselves and managed to outflank the incoming rain and wind.

Craig was climbing well on his first climb back after his wee accident in the Alps.

Some images from the last couple of weeks showing and impressive land slide and some alpine’s that are out at the moment.

More here on the Simply Epic Website

Me on lead, pitch 2

Craig, "walking the walk" on pitch 3

Craig following up the last pitch of Satin's Slit

Devil's-bit scabious

Exposed bedrock

Self heal

Le Mistral...

12 August 2012

It was windy and Buachaille Etive Mòr was covered in mist as Bill and I headed up to the Ranoch Wall from Jacksonville. We had planned to climb January Jigsaw but the CLAG and high winds made us change our minds to Agag's Grove instead. This route never disappoints and is great climbing for its grade. We came down a busy curved ridge as the sun came out and headed home. Lots of great Alpine flowers out just now.

Buachaille Etive Mòr and the Rannoch Wall in the mist

Bill nearing the top of the first pitch

The Nights are Fair Drawing in...

Making the best of a mid-week (evening) weather window, Bill and I climbed the Jock Nimlin 1935 classic, Recess Route. This never disappoints, and was made all the more exciting by climbing the last pitch in the dark ! Off the hill by 12.05 and home by 12.45am

(MCoS grade this as Severe and not VD and I think that’s spot on).

 

 

Climbing that left us with a bit of a Void...

30 June 2012

This years Alps trip was a bit of a mixed bag with unsettled stormy weather across Europe. We arrived in hot sunny weather and raced up to the Midi station in the hope of getting a route done but had to contend with (due to cable car times) a quick walk on the Vallee Blanche. The weather report was spot on and it rained for 48 hrs leaving many teams stranded in high huts. We were lucky enough to beat a retreat to Anacy for coffee and cake.

Craig on the upper Vallee Blanche

With a short weather window we climbed the uber-classic Cosmic arête arriving on the midi viewing platform to the applause of the surprised Japanese tourists. Lots of pictures were taken and we felt like conquering hero's with one man telling his companions that we climbed Mont Blanc and another Everest. We spent the afternoon at the 'guides crag' climbing 3 pitch bolted routes, fantastic. 

Midi Plan traverse stretching out in front of us

Low down on the Cosmic Arete

Rigging the abseil

Abseiling the Great tower

The difficult crack

The Piton Sud

Looking across to Italy and the Dent du Geant

With high winds the following day the Midi cable car was closed so we headed up La Flégère-Index to climb la Chapelle de la Gliere on the Aiguilles Rouges. We managed 4 pitches before the rain and wind caught us up. We rethreaded a found peg with some 6mm cord, backed this up and Craig was lowered into the mist to see where it went. It went and we continued to abseil to the base and back to the valley for more cake and coffee.

Another bail...

The next day with an am weather window we decided to climb the Chevalier Couloir on Petite Aiguille Verte. The bergschrund was difficult and by the time we established ourselves on pitch one the sun was working its magic on the upper slopes and we were in the firing line for small stones and rocks whizzing past us like bullets. We bailed and headed for home. This was not without its dangers as the snow was now soft on the glacier ...

Chevalier Couloir

Argentiere glacier 

The CLAG in the Chamonix Valley was just above the tree’s for the remaining days so we contented ourselves checking out other climbing and biking venues in the Haute Savoie.


Good to meet Bill and Eileen in the happy bus on our last evening for dinner, beer and stories...