The summer that almost was

Its been a quiet year for climbing. The drama of life persists to dominate my focus and commitment. Finding positives in life has become a ritual and essential task. Thankfully there have been a few opportunities to get out this year and so I've shared a few favorite mountain memories below.

Mike on the wonderfully exposed Bell's Variation finish to the Cumming-Crofton Route on the remote Bheinn a' Bhuird, Cairngorms 

Rafe seconding the fantastic sandstone corner on Central Buttress over in Coire Mhic Fherchair

Base camp in Coire Mhic Fherchair. Looks like paradise but was actually complete midge hell. 

Rafe getting in the groove on Primitive Dance (E2 5c), a classic Ardmair skin graft

A classic Scottish wild camping supper

Rafe on Black Gold, a superb slab climb down at Reiff

Rafe on the first pitch of Olympus on East Buttress in Coire Mhic Fherchair

The end of another day in the big mountain office. Climbing in the remote mountains of the west coast of Scotland really is one of the best life reset buttons out there. 

Approaching the majestic triple buttress in golden hour

Rafe on the first pitch of Groovin' High on Far East Buttress. One of the best E1s you'll find anywhere.

More steep far east buttress action

Just as we settled down for dinner and bedtime, so were the midges

Route 2, Diabeg. Brilliant.

The friendly groove, a HVS traderoute at Ardmair. 

A photo of the author on Gun Furry (E2 5c) in the Thorntons Quarry. No stars in the book, but apart from the dirt and a tiny bit of loose rock it was actually a reasonable route

Ben on the second. Almost enjoying himself.

Trying to find the "poor belay" at the top of the only wet route in North Wales

Of course picking to climb a three pitch mountain E1 would only end one way...

Rafe being chased by the setting sun up the fantastic Lot's Groove (HVS 5a) on Glyder Fach

Burly welsh off-widths and blue skies

Rob climbing the steep groove of Guacho at Hawcraig. Probably one of the more enjoyable HVS in the central belt and nowhere near as loose as expected

Rob making short work of the classic Pain Pillar (VS 4c)

Seb following the wonderfully but grippingly exposed pitch of Whether Wall (VS 4c) on the Cobbler

Beautiful exposure on the headwall of the equally enjoyable Whither Wall. Climbed at the end of September in baking sunshine. At least it was on this side of the hill, must have felt below zero in the shade with a freezing wind.

Some climbers enjoying Punsters Crack in the autumn sunshine

Gregor enjoying the delights of Pathfinder (E1 5b) at Thorntons Quarry near Stirling. 

Guess thats all for now. Hopefully winter will start soon and then there will be some more interesting things to photograph and write about.

Wet n Wild

The weather waits for no man, but no man with psyche waits for the weather.

Now travel restrictions are lifted, its back to the hills for me, but with a slightly different approach than before. Fuel and provisions all bought close to home, with no stops in toilets cafés or whatever. Doing my bit I guess. But aren’t we all?

The weather seems to treat lockdown like a midweek day. Stunning and beautiful weather, until you get some free time, then its back to pissing rain and swollen rivers. An endless amount of time inside  has certainly given me the enthusiasm to look past the weather though, and just get on with enjoying some freedom.

With a dreadful forecast but a pocket full of psyche, myself and Rob found ourselves catching the early ferry across from Inchree to Coran, with the Great Ridge of Garbh Bheinn fastened in our sights. The guidebook suggested that the walk up the glen to the upper corie was one of the wettest approaches in Scotland. Needless to say there was no exaggeration, and our feet were sodden within 100 m of stepping off the road.

Thick cloud and pulses of rain meant the ridge (and its base..) remained elusive for the entire walk up. All we had to go on was a pixeled picture of a topo taken last night on a phone sat on the sofa, which hardly resembled the swirling mess of white and grey which we saw before us. Not to be disheartened, we eventually made it to what looked like the start of the direct route, or at least we convinced ourselves that what we saw before us compared vaguely to the description of the start and the first pitch. With water pouring down the route in vast sheets, taking off trainers to don rock shoes was an unappealing option, so we both initially made-do in trainers. After Rob starting up and securing a belay, I followed up skating and cursing my trusty fell running shoes, whose lugs were clearly no match for the sodden and sloping Lewisian gneiss. I set off up the second pitch only to be barred by a small overlap, which proved too much for me so put in a belay and handed the reins to Rob. That next pitch proved to be quite eventful, with a very wandering line up steep and slippery slabs. A great lead by him. To make up for my misgivings I led the remaining two direct pitches before we gained the main ridge and then moved together to the top, with the odd pitch thrown in on the steeper stuff.

A very wet and boggy Coire an Lubhair, the appraoch to Great Ridge

Looking up through the gloom up towards the Great Ridge. The direct start climbs grooves and slabs in the lower left of the photo

Rob starting up Great Ridge after finishing the Direct Start

The author on a damp second pitch of the Direct Start (credit Rob Steer)

Another weekend. Another shit forecast. After backing off on Direct Route on Great Ridge I was determined to regain some confidence and so (perhaps foolishly..) myself and Jed set out in the monsoon up to Langdale’s Bowfell Buttress. Once again I found myself stood under a crag I could not see the top of through the white and grey gloom of the summer rain. Wind blasted and soaked to the skin, we set off up the first pitch feeling a combination of anticipation and dread. Quite a mixture. The heaviness of the rain deterred both of from adorning rock shoes, so opted to stick with big boots increasing the excitement. After a few thrutchy pitches we found ourselves below the crux wall on the fifth pitch. Whilst no more than 5m high, the wall is plum vertical, hosting a very smooth and wide crack, with plenty of gear but very little in the way of holds. It is this pitch alone that gives the route its grade of HS 4b. In dry weather and rock shoes, it would go without incident but was a serious battle in the deluge we found ourselves in. As such, making it through this crux clean and on-sight in big boots was a bit of victory and I felt redemption from my cowardess on Garbh Bheinn.

The next day Jed and I had a fair forecast for the afternoon so headed up to Sca Fell Pinnacle and opted for Direct from Lord’s Rake to Hopkinson’s Cairn, a magnificent and traditional line which is topped off by a traverse of the outstanding Knife Edge Arete between Low Man and High Man on the pinnacle. Wet weather climbing serves a purpose, but it really doesn’t come close to the joy of sticky rubber and dry rock.   

Jed questing across soaking walls on third pitch of Bowfell Buttress

Jed on easier ground just above the crux wall

Very atmospheric. Indeed, no shortage of atmosphere with all that cloud and rain!  

     

Looking up Sca Fell Pinnacle. Our route climbs the short grove then continues more or less in the centre to the top

Jed making some very delicate moves on Herfords Slab

Jed on the outstandingly exposed knife edge arete between Low Man and High Man on Sca Fell Pinnacle

Lockdown easing feels like dawn breaking. The drought during home confinement was a frustrating time for many, including those who spend their time dreaming of dry rock and crisp moss on cold north facing mountain crags. When a touch of normality started to return, first forays into the mountains were best kept as local and low-key as possible. Our choice of venue, the quiet buttresses of Beinn Dorain, would in any other circumstance be considered an usual choice for summer climbing but not at the minute. Most commonly climbed on in winter, its north east facing aspect and extensive blanket of vegetation and peppering of loose rock make it one of the finest (and closest) options for the cold weather climber from the central belt. In terms of its summer offering, there is just the one route thats listed, the mysterious line of Scorpion (HVS,5a) which climbs a series of slabs and corners up one of the steeper sections of the face.

Getting information on this climb was as constraining as the residual lockdown rules, with a rough description on the UKClimbing log book pages taken from a discontinued SMC guidebook that's been updated, but the crag excluded..   

The pictures below will take up the story from here. For other people mad enough to give it a look, I've also put a more detailed route description and topo at the end of the blog. 

Ben atop the shattered rib on the first pitch

Ben moving up into the corner on the second pitch. Very bold and quite tough moves lay ahead! 

The famous "4c corner" of Sting, the winter line of Scorpian. Unlike the rest of the route, this pitch is well cleaned and very obvious. The corner is relatively simple, apart from the final move to the ledge! Hence the name! 

Start underneath the obvious shattered and leaning rib, just to the right of the winter line of Kick Start

1) 30m, 4b. Gain the shattered rib from below and climb it on the right, or using the large chimney to its top (loose) to step onto the slab above and a sloping ledge. Belays down on the right.

2) 35m, 5a/5b. Climb leftwards around a small steepening onto a slab, which is followed boldly up a shallow corner to easier ground. Continue upwards to a large ledge, to belay below the obvious right facing corner. 

3) 20m, 4b/4c. Climb the corner which hosts a large crack at the back to a large hanging block, step right and climb the continuation of the crack before making an awkward move back right to a large ledge and belay.

4) 40m, 4a. Step up and left to a ledge and climb a slab trending left, before climbing more direct to the top.

Topo showing the line of Scorpian on Beinn Dorain

Its taken a while but its finally arrived. The hills are white, barren and empty and my mind fills with dreams and aspirations. The only thing is, life seems to be in the fast lane and catching success is about as easy as damming the tide. Conditions change on a daily basis but then again so does motivation. My alarm goes off every day, its devoted to its job. Yet my desire to react positively waxes and wanes in an impossibly unpredictable manner. The mountains are worth it though. However, this year is different. Global catastrophe envelopes everything and the government says we must stay away from the hills at all costs, mental welling included.

The mountains have always brought me peace but loosing ones self in a life with them just over the horizon is easily done and to think otherwise is folly. Its said they stand on the horizon waiting our return, if / whenever that may be.

Muilio pulling through the crux overlap on the 3rd pitch of Crest Route (V,7) in Glencoe

Ben on the first pitch of Western Chimney (V,7) on Church Door Buttress in Glen Coe

Rob pulling through the final bit of steep ground on Western Route (IV,6/7) in Coire an Lochain

Looking up the main pitch of Flake Route (IV,6) on Church Door Buttress

The Ben, with winter mode turned up to 11. You can just about see some climbers high on Orion Direct

Looking up a well iced Minus 3 Gully (IV,5) on Ben Nevis. Let the fun begin! 

Rafe seconding good ice on one of the lower ptiches of Minus 3 Gully

Seb climbing up below Italian Right Hand (IV,4)

Seb following the main pitch of Italian Right Hand on great, sticky ice on a wild and windy day. We also climbed Vanishing Gully (V,5) which was brilliant. 

Looking back across Tower Gap after a solo of Tower Ridge (IV,3), my last outing before COVID-19 brought the season to an early close.

The winter battle in the hills is a purifying experience. Focus and concentration starve the mind of its usual eddies and chasms providing a distraction second to none. For now these places are out of reach and my head drowns in its idle thoughts. 

Top Routes of 2019

Wow, I can't believe i'm writing another annual round up so soon after the last one. 2019 seems to have just flown by in a haze of work, play and everything else in between. In terms of climbing, winter is continuing to be my main focus with the odd bits of summer mountain trad thrown into the mix here and there. Anyway! To stop this from being a regurgitation of my favorite snow, ice and rock routes from the last season I've limited it to including only 3! Lucky you!

Perhaps the most stand out climbing memory for me this year was another sensational Scottish mountain trad trip with Rafe to the North West Highlands (you can read more about that here). After a few days climbing on the coast we headed inland to the wild and ill-frequented Fionaven cliffs in search of adventure and solitude, both of which we found more of than either of us were expecting! Other great days include craggin' in the Lakes and on the crags around Stirling. Thanks to everybody that came out and held my ropes (and put up with my bad jokes!).

Anyway! Without further ad-hue...

10 - Storm (HVS 5a), Glen Nevis

A Glen Nevis classic that needs no introduction. Storm climbs one of the biggest buttresses in the valley in 3 very contrasting pitches. It does however have the worlds most awkward tree belay.. hang off a high branch with your legs in mid air, or wedge yourself between the tree and rock and prepare for the biggest changover faff ever. Its your choice! Thankfully that hanging finger crack is so good it makes it all worth while!

Ed climbing the fantastically steep and juggy second pitch crack on Storm, Glen Nevis

9 - Breakaway (E1, 5b), Lord Raey's Seat

Breakaway is perhaps the only route I'll ever put in a top 10 for the adventure factor alone. While the rock on this route was some of the worst I've ever climbed, the positions were outstanding and the buzz you got from surviving the thing when you topped out was euphoric. What made this even more amazing was the fact we were probably 20 miles from the nearest human, a similar distance to the nearest road and over 50 miles to the nearest hospital. What a place to be out on the edge climbing the biggest pile of jenga known to man!

The very wild and remote Lord Raey's Seat. Breakaway climbs a run a grooves and shattered pillars left of the main buttress

The first pitch of Breakaway. From here it appears solid, but then again looks can be deceiving! 

8 - Tainted Elixir (V,6), Ben Cruachan

First of the winter routes.. and this one is a belter! Set high on the far side of a munro, Tainted Elixir climbs the Cairngorm like north face in 2 pitches with hooks abound and exposure to boot. Ironically its altitude and aspect make this a great option for the early season as it comes into condition quickly, unfortunately we missed that memo and slugged up through snow from pretty much the hydro station, only to find the whole face buried under a thick layer of powder. Since neither of Rafe or I are very good at making sensible decision in situations such as this, we decided to go and have a look as we'd made the effort to get all the way up there. The omens were good because as soon as we'd abseiled in and looked at the route, Rafe realized he'd forgotten half the rack. A bit of frantic wading and some standing star jumps later we got started and had a total battle with iced up and buried cracks. At that point i'd not climbed much tech 6 so didn't know any better, but looking back now conditions were probably VI,6/7, to the point where the crux overhand (which wasn't buried) was actually one of the easiest bits..

The day was made all the more exciting by almost getting avalanched on the walk out. We'd taken every precaution possible and even changed our route down based on how snow was accumulating. However the mountains have the final say, but thankfully we were lucky that day. 

7 - Gobi Roof (E2 5c), Forth Quarry

Gobi Roof is not in here for any other reason than me being happy to get this one ticked. A long time ambition really. If you're in the area and like overhangs and crimps then this route is for you.

Ed pulling through the crux roof on Gobi Roof, Forth Quarry

6 - Ordinary Route (HVS 5a/b), The Souter

With hindsight climbing an esoteric sea stack on the Berwick coast in January may have not been particularly well thought out.. However slimy and guano covered rock never really hurt anyone did it so we definitely felt it was worth a look!

The Souter is a slender 25 meter sea stack east of Edinburgh and is climbed via a variety of lines, with the most popular being the atypical sea stack name "Ordinary Route"... very imaginative... Not! Its climbed in a single pitch from the seaward side via a blind and slimy groove. The rock is a little dubious but its generally not that bad considering the entire thing is essentially a product of rock failure and erosion. The hardest bit is actually getting to the base of the pitch, which involves climbing a little vertical wall at the base which is greasy and has a landing that is essentially in the sea. 

The slender sea stack known as The Souter situated just along the coast from Edinburgh

Moving up towards the crux groove on the seaward "Ordinary Route" on the Souter

5 - Iolaire (HVS 5a), Creag Urbhard, Fionaven

Woah, Iolaire must be the only route ever to make one of my "top 5" routes having less than 2 stars for quality! Yes its loose, yes its green and yes its probably not to many peoples tastes BUT it has unrivaled exposure and a crux pitch that will keep you smiling for days. After all who doesn't love a hanging 5b chimney!? 

Basecamp at Fionaven. We camped here for a week and were blessed with sunshine and absolutely no midges whatsoever! 

Rafe moving up and below the large roof on the second pitch traverse of Iolaire up on Fionaven

4 - Secretaries' Superdirect (E1 5a), Glen Nevis

More bold spice than a vindaloo but none the less, utterly absorbing climbing up the blunt arete of one of Glen Nevis's most scenic bits of rock. SSD climbs the left side of a huge corner of overlapping slabs in as many as 3 pitches and is well worth seeking out, being characterised by precarious and thin climbing with pretty spaced gear!

I climbed this with Ed late in the summer. The whole day seemed pretty unlikely given the multitude of rainstorms we'd driven through in the morning getting to the crag. Thankfully the sun soon came out and dried things out just enough for us to give it a go. The first pitch sees you step off a ledge above an overhang onto a cramped slab with small holds and even smaller gear - however this was no problem for Ed who danced up it! The second pitch is as bold as its run-out but has just enough positive edges to keep you going until you eventually reach the sanctuary of the half-way ledge. After that its glorious jug hauling in a superb position.

Have I sold it to you yet? 

Ed on the exciting first pitch of Secretaries' Superdirect, Glen Nevis 

 
3 - Crest Route (V,7), Glen Coe

Unbelievable. Probably the most outrageously positioned winter climb (and summer climb?) I've ever done. Its also quite hard which all in all makes for one hell of a day out!

I was speechless at the top, so i'll remain speechless now. If you want to know what its all about I suggest you go and find out!

Murlio pulling into the crux groove on Crest Route in Glen Coe

2 - Observatory Ridge (V,4), Ben Nevis

A huge, huge day on one of the biggest mountaineering challenges in the UK. The crux is low, which helps, but even then you've got a lot of intermittently technical ground to cover before things totally ease back. We did this route in a one day push from Stirling, leaving at 3 and getting back after midnight. One of the longest days I've ever had in the hills.

The north face of Ben Nevis with its winter coat. Observatory Ridge climbs the central ridge just right of the Orion face

One of the tricky mixed sections of the lower ridge

1 - Atlantic Wall (E1 5b), Am Buachaille

The epitome of adventure. The base of the sea stack Am Buachille must be one of the most remote places in the whole the UK. It might only be 5 miles from the road end, but the road end itself is 3 hours north of Inverness! The stack commands an impressive position at the base of a huge headland,  which has to be circumnavigated to the east and involves descending a rubble pile cliff before weaving between waves and sheer walls to the sea channel. All you need to do then is negotiate the north Atlantic swell and cross the 20 meter wide gap between the headland and the stack. Easy when you have a one man inflatable boat!

The classic route up the stack goes at HVS and climbs a line on the landward face. Having climbed this line before I was really keen to sample what other delights the stack had in storr (see what I did there? ha!). As it suggests, Atlantic Wall climbs the more mysterious seaward face, with only the first pitch traverse being visible from the ground. It really was like climbing into the unknown and what a hell of a place to do it!

The first pitch climbs a short tricky crack before making a long traverse out above the frothing ocean cauldron before a few thin rounded moves through a hanging overlap lands you on a small belay perched right on the arete above the waves. The next 2 pitches climb a short and burly hanging crack before a eventually reaching a wall and wider crack, and eventually the summit. The rock on this route is significantly better than the HVS, with reasonable gear to boot.

Sitting on top of that stack and watching the sun melt into the sea was a moment i'll never forget. Let alone this year, the day we had on Atlantic Wall was probably one of the best this decade. 

Rafe on the first pitch of the superbly positioned Atlantic Wall

The sun setting on our adventure on Am Buachaille

Anyway heres' to another great climbing year, I can't wait to see what 2020 brings.

The daylight is gone. The skys are grey. Gunbolt metallic. Sometimes crystal, but not all that often

Certainly not at the weekend.

Early season adventures, you'd think they'd be easy. The snow just a dusting, the ice still on its way. Yet this year every trip out has been wading. Powder as deep as the thigh or perhaps deeper for those under 5'10. Step, push, step, push. The effort of moving is enormous. We're going downhill and yet it felt impossible. Poles pushing me forwards, but heavy feet, heavy legs, heavy bag, pulling me back. 

This for miles. Or at least it looks miles. In the white, distance lies in the eye of the beholder. The task was as mortifying as the methodical thoughtless nature of it, is one to relish. 

Hoods are up. The wind is dropping but the view grows faint. The hill goes flat, then up, then back again. We pass between boulders. Some big, some small. The Shelterstone is enormous, but the holes beneath other rocks are bigger. Could swallow a man whole, especially if its not a whole man. 

Settling down under 20 feet of granite. Sleeping like that you live for the moment, Its been still for an age. A sentinel for adventure, safeguarding those who venture into the wild. Strange to think its occurrence on the valley floor could be a product of such violent beginnings.   

The frost is everywhere. It  covers the walls, fills the torch light. 

Step, push, step, push. This time steeper and only up. At this hour you see little but sense everything. The brilliance of the stars shrouded behind white walls bathed in moonlight. 

In the end, the land was frozen, but the route was not. The vision of axes thunking into frozen turf 

was all it was. Good things come to those that wait, but better things come to those that go. Winter will wait, but i'll always go. After all, what is life without a role of dice.    

Walking out to Carn Etchachan after a night under the Shelterstone. A frozen landscape bathed in moonlight.