Craggin' Season

Unlike the rest of the UK the big mountain craggin' season of climbing the bigger rock route hasn't quite started in the Cairngorms yet. Until now the remnants of this winters massive amount of snow has had the crags in lock-down either be it from low down pitches being buried or persistent cornices selfishly remaining atop draping water down over all the routes!

A lot of this snow will persist through the summer this year but we thought we'd go and get a good tick early in the season anyway. The route we chose was The Magic Crack (HVS 5a) on Alladin's Buttress in Coire an t'Sneachda.

It started well, I mean it only took us 40mins to get established above the 'first icefield' on a snowy ledge balanced between a bottom less bergshrund and the steep slope down to the scree slope. Of course we had to kick steps up in trainers using the ever versatile nut keys as an axe! We threw the bags back down the ice and almost as soon as they crashed into the rocks Caelen realized he'd just thrown off his shoes and helmet, all adding to the adventure of course! It was starting to feel like we were tackling some kind of alpine north face not a summer trad route! 

Caelen led the first detritus covered 4b pitch. The gods of the crag clearly liked our 'cow boy' approach as he then found a BD C4 micro cam! Lucky git! I led the next 5a pitch up a thin crack finishing with an interesting mantle move to finish (interesting mainly because it was so cold you couldn't feel if you had hold of the rock or not!). After that is THE pitch of the route. A mega 40m pitch up a sublime finer crack and through a thin and awkward overhang. It was cold and lightly raining. We decided to split the pitch in two.

Pitch 2 of The Magic Crack HVS 5a

Good old guide mode helping provide a confidence boaster for the seconds!

Scott leading the superb 'crack' pitch

Scott did a cracking lead up the absolutely amazing finger crack (which just eats gear apparently!) but only takes the tips of your fingers. There aren't moves any harder than 5a its just all 5a! After that I led up the bulge which uses finger locks and an invisible foot hold which gains the tops slab and finally the lower-off. Victory! 

Looking back down the crack from the 3rd belay

Caelan seconding the last bit of the top pitch

Just before the ropes got stuck!

Definably an unusual descent...

In the bag! We abbed off to a spike above the ice. Pulled the ropes. Rope stuck. No longer in the bag. Starts to rain. We free ropes. Abseil down over the ice. Freedom!  It was actually a very profitable climb - we found a cam, a screwgate, a snap link and a quick draw! Pro climbers don't even get paid that much! 

The line of Magic crack taken the next day.

A cracking day had by all!

 Went for a wander the next day to scope out some more of the remote crags.

The last hurdle. Some climbers fording the icey river.

The New Cornwall..

An odd tittle for a post about a day in Torridon you might think? From my old house in Devon, Cornwall was a mere hour and a halfs drive away. Well now, if I drive an hour and a half then I'm in the Northwest Highlands! A bit different I guess!

We set out with a plan of the classic mountaineering scramble of Beinn Alligin. Plenty of rain, plenty of mist and plenty of midges (and even a bit of sunshine)!

Sarah rounding 'The Horns' of Beienn Alligin with the weather providing an intensified atmosphere!

Looking North towards the Sheildaig Forest

Nearing the top of The Horns with the summit pyramid of the summit removing its misty covers
visible to the West (left)

Looking back down the ridge towards the ridge of Liathach

The amazing glacially sculpted mountain landscape of Torridon

In fact so good its worth seeing twice!!!!

Quick nerd moment.. A wonderful example of a post-glacial rockfall. The upper section of
Beinn Alligin seems to have just fallen off!

A poor introduction to Scottish craggin'

Another quick session after work the other day on another little roadside gem, Kingussie Slabs. The smooth micra-schist outcrop is actually a combination of easy slabs and steep cracked walls some of which are used for aiding practice! (if you're into that kind of thing..)

Floating up the easy slabs on the Lower Teir

The Groove HS 4b a wee route but surprisingly fun
and for a corner unusually delicate!

Doug seconding The Groove HS 4b

Doug wandering up The Edge VDiff

Apparently this is a poor introduction to what climbing in Scotland is usually like!

The steep and juggy Far-Right Crack HVS 5a

Thanks go to Doug's wife Jacquie for the photos!

Huntly's Cave

It turns out that the Scottish Highlands are not only the home of mega multi-pitch mountain crags, but also hosts some of the finest rock outcrops the UK has to offer as well. An example of one these is Huntly's Cave found just outside of Grantown-on-Spey. This fine cliff offers routes of between 10 to 30m on steep blocky schist with plentiful holds and gear (most of the time!).

The upper right hand wall area, steep and juggy is the order of the day!

 As it was only a quick session after work we only managed 3 routes but they were all fantastic! Will led the first pitch of Diagonal (VS 4c) but then decided he'd stretch the ropes and do the second pitch as well! There goes my warm up!

Double Overhang HVS 5a (taken from gaz-softrock.blogspot.com)

 After that I led the classic of the crag Double Overhang (HVS 5a) of which the line is self explanatory really!

Will leading Diagonal Direct (E1 5c)

Only time for one more route in the now light drizzle and fading light. Will repeated Diagonal Direct (E1 5c) of which the crux is burling through a roof using finger jams..AWESOME.

Cold hands and well laid plans

This weekend for me marked the return of the craggin' season! Since everything in Scotland is mostly covered in snow a cheeky trip south of the boarder was required. The forecast was not initially that great which meant everything was nicely saturated.. But to keep it interesting we ditched the E grades and opted for the mountains!

Day 1 - A rainy day in Langdale; Pavey Ark via Cresent Climb and Gwynne's Chimney

The alpine-esque start of Crescent Climb on Pavey Ark, Langdale

The gopping first pitch of Gwynne's Chimney

Day 2 - The big one! A massive day out in a belter of a spot; Grey Crags, Buttermere.

 Big drops, numb fingers and a long walk-in defiantly made this a grand day out!  

Ascending the easy slabs of Chockstone Buttress

Emma willing the sunshine to move a bit closer!!

The 3rd Pitch of Slabs Ordinary (VD)

Oxford and Cambridge Buttress, of whom's stunning central arête (Oxford Cambridge Buttress Direct) is an absolute must do!

Surmounting the bulge on the second pitch of Oxford Cambridge Buttress Direct (HS)

The quadruplet of buttresses of Grey Crags, 8 pitches of climbing totaling
 over 200m of superb mountain rock climbing on 3 buttresses, and not a single wet hold!

Day 3 - Troutdale Pinnacle and Sargent Crag Slabs

On the 4th Pitch just below the pinnacle (yes that is blue sky!!!)

Now that's what you call a belay. 

Looking down from the top of the route to the pinnacle itself, quite possibly the coolest route in The Lake District!

After this excursion we headed over to Sargent Crag Slabs and had a play on Lakeland Cragsman (HVS 5a) which is awesome.. So good infact we forgot to crack out the camera!

Stag Rocks

Went out with the aim of climbing the 3* classic Afterthough Arete (III) on Stag Rocks in Glen Avon the other day. Due to the still extensive snow cover I opted to ski tour over Cairngorm and ski down into Corie Raiberit. The snow was hard and icey but its coverage was almost total. No rock dodging, no grass patch veering, no intricate line required. Just point and go! Made even better by the absolutely cloudless skies..

After leaving the skis at the top of Stag Rocks I descended Diagonal Gully and at the base looked up at the obvious arete feature on the west side of the gully and guessed that was the way. After noticing the lack of worn rock and quite tough start I realized in my enthusiasm I had failed to read the guide properly (which was conveniently in the car!) and I was infact, on the wrong ridge.. I had by accident climbed up Serrated Rib (III). Ops!

 

The Northern Cories catching the last of the Sun

Ah well, not quite a 'Scottish classic' but good in the sunshine. The sunset from the top of spot height 1141m made up for the minor route deviation though!
    

Sunset from SH 1141m just before the descent in Coire Cas

Sunshine somewhere

 From what I hear its been a rather nice day in the south. In fact in Devon its meant to 'ave bin bleddy 'ansome. Meanwhile in Scotland.. Stormy and warm!

 The big thaw has begun. So I decided to make the most of the snow while its still here and get out and do some ski touring. Only last week you could ski right out of the Cairngorm Mountain car park, I have to lug all the gear up to Corie An Lochain before there was anything near enough to skin up on.

 Looking over at Buttresses 1, 2 and 3 in Lochain from the West. The big 'crevasse' can be seen below which are indicative of the full depth avalanches that regularly occur in that part of corie! At least this warm weather might get rid of some of the biblically proportioned cornices baring access to the face routes.

The approach from Cairn Lochain to Ben Macdui was on hard snow with thick mist for most of the way. Skiing with a compass in one hand is defiantly an acquired technique (and no I still haven't acquired it yet!) made all the more interesting when the only things visible to use as bearing features is the odd Ptarmigan.

 The Summit of Ben Macdui. There is a shelter under there somewhere! 

 Looking over into the Loch Avon basin at a still winter-locked Carn Etchachan and Shelterstone Crag whilst being buffeted above Hell's Lum. At least I finally got a view!

  Clouds coming down and the wind is picking up. The weather closing in again at spot height 1141m. 

 Time for some descent decent! Looking back up at spot height 1141m before dropping into upper Corie Cas above the ski resort.

 After skirting the steepest corniced section I then dropped down into the Corie. Almost feel sorry for the people on the tows!

Another cracking day. Just not quite as warm as the rest of the UK it would seem!