Highlights from Skye so far

Since returning from fairhead  at the beginning of May, I have been living and working on Skye mostly mountaineering work in the Cuillin a mixture of day trips and overnight cuillin traverses as well as some great rock climbing day both coastal and in the Cuillin. Each day has been unique with fantastic keen clients and a massive variety of new and old options to explore on the Island. It is definately has to be up there as one of the best places to work.

 

Rubha Hunish

 

And a few good days off cragging.

Ian seconding Minch and tatties

Ian leading up the second pitch of Master of Morgana

 

 

The Cioche in style

 

These two chaps were a pleasure to be out with for three days, they were inspiring still so passionate about the mountains and keen to scramble and climb at the the age of 68. So we started with a trip up the cioche and arthur thompson route above to finish off. The crag was a bit damp but they managed well and we had many interesting chats about routes they had previously done on this crag in the 60's and how methods and gear had changed. 

Highlander retake... now they just need to go and watch the film to understand.

Clach Glas and Bla Bheinn
The matterhorn of the Cuillin, clach glas bla bheinn traverse has to be one of my favourite outtings in the Cuillin, plenty of interest both in route finding and climbing. We had the perfect weather so made the most of it.

 

Rod and Philip on the final pitch up onto Bla bheinn.

 

Pre traverse training at Neist Point

 

Joe had been to the Cuillin two years previously and definately got the Cuillin bug, so she was back for a traverse and got some good weather and climbing in too. We started at neist point for some training, climbing, abseiling, movement and generally having a good time getting to know one another without too much uphill walking to save ourselves for the traverse starting the next day.

Joe seconding Tatties at Destitution point

 

Joe on the Green lady, good to get on a stack.

 

Speedy start for the traverse

 

And so we set off for the south end of the ridge, a true traverse end to end. This is a great way to start, speeding towards the Cuillin in a rib with just the two of us, getting dropped off next to the seals and setting foot up the steep slopes to Garsbheinn with none-one around. We had gear stashed at Sgur a Ghreadaidh so with lighter packs we managed to get to all the summits and do pretty much all the interesting climbing sections such as the TD gap (some what damp) and the Kings Chimney. 

Joe making light work of the slightly damp and thrutch TD gap.



Joe pulling through on Kings Chimney on Sgur Mhichonnich

 Dinner and sunset on the Bivy, it can't really get much better.

 

Cioche West

 

Traverse complete, a fair bit of rain on the second day meant the camera didnt come out so much and we got our heads down to get to the end, but we still did all the peaks. Joe was super chuffed but still full on energy on finishing so we planned for yet another day in the hills to do a route on Sron na Ciche. 

Joe on the cioche west crux traverse.

The final knife edge arete of the cioche nose onto the cioche.

 

Sunshine at Elgol

 

Today I met Michael for the first of three days rock climbing in and around the Cuillin, he is keen to develop his indoor rock climbing to outside and do some multipitch routes. So we covered all the basics at elgol and got plenty of mileage under the belt including a couple of E1's which was a great start for him on his first day back on rock this summer. 

Michael throwing for the last holds against the pump on Angel of sharkness.

 

Fairhead - The best climbing in the UK?

 

Having been told by all Northern Irish people I had met that this was by far the best crag in the UK, I thought I should probably go and find out if I agreed. I climbed with Kevin for a couple of days this winter in the Cairngorms and having had lots of fun and adventures we hatched a plan for a trip to Fairhead. Kevin was the perfect guide, knowing the crag well with inside knowledge of the fairhead grading and what was clean. This is something I would recommend, local knowledge is definately helpful at Fairhead or I would have jumped on a few things that are far out of my abilities and spent much more of the day trying to work out where to ab into my route. He also picked me up, provided food (thanks to Tollymore), sleeping facilities, transport so I just packed harness, helmet, shoes and chalk and plenty of psyche.

 

We started gently on the bally castle descent gully and soon got on a route which was not totally of fairhead style, Run fast run free E3, with a jump in the middle and a strange eliminate start.

 

Kevin getting gear before the crux on Run fast, run free.

 

I was loving the interest and long sustained climbing at fairhead, so was keen to get on the longest face... Am Bealach Runda it was... meaning the secret way and it definately was. Most of my chimney moves and squirming has been in winter, so I put it to practise on this route.

Kevin seconding the first chimney pitch inside the amazing hexagonal pillars.

 

Me pulling some chimney drop knee moves.

This was a great start to the trip, we finished, ate and made excited plans for the next day.

Me on the fantastic Hurricane putting in a struggle as I found out Kevins hand jams were off widths for me. I resorted to some strenuous laybacking up the crux of this one.

Doldrum

As if we hadn't done enough at six in the evening we thought we would just ab in for another 3 pitch route, with the rain spitting, above... ah it will clear up!

So some of this route had fallen away last year and been upgraded to E2, we think we actually did the second ascent after the rock fall and regrading. Kevin was keen to get on this crazy offiwdth chimney, I was keen for a challenge as long as the rope was above me on this pitch. Very excited to see the size 6 cams in action.

Kevin starting up the chimney pitch with the rack of gods. This was a crazy route, I used every move in the book and more and the upper section turned to an ice rink in the rain. Awesome lead by kevin, we came out stinking of pond and throughly shattered. Fish and chips and beer in Bally castle were in order.

 

The next day at The Prow was an active rest day after leaving bally castle at 1am in the morning and waking to find every muscle and more were aching. Whilst at the crag we met a friendly pigeon and Kevin tried to teach it about off widths and cams.

 

And the proceeded to get on another one... there is unfinished business there.

The last day started on the Stoat, which i decided needed some cleaning attention before I was going to make further progress on, so we finished up Hell kitchen before the rain set in. We got away with alot of threatening spitting all week but it properly rained this time. Thankfully we were tired and satified so enjoyed the cafe.

 

So to answer my initial question, I think so far it might have to be, there is so much potential at fairhead and totally absorbing massive steep strenuous different climbing. I will definately back! 

April Alpine trip

 

April had arrived already, so I set off for the alps with the hope of some climbing and ski touring and hopefully some sun. The result was some sun.. some snow a little too much time on the planks and not so much climbing but still a good trip.

I certainly learnt a good few life lessons on this trip and gained some good ski touring experience in slightly challenging conditions.

 

A good couple of days on the Verbier haute route with guy.

 

Guy on the summit ridge to Rosa Blancha

Two nights in the Dix hut so we went for this peak, which I had aspired to climb when walking the Chamonix Zermatt haute route with my Mum as a teenager.

 

 

 Following this there was an atempt on a north face, and some sunny rock climbing and relaxing in the valley before I set off on another tour this time to the Bernese Oberland with Matt. The weather forecast was looking variable but we went for it and achieved more than we expected.


The first day up the from the Jungfraujoch train to the monchjochhut was a full on scottish winter skin, thankfully there were poles to follow and a hut to hide in. Then the weather cleared and we headed to the Gross Fischerhorn with an open mind as we didnt know how much snow and fresh windslab we might have to avoid. I broke trail in to the climb to the col and we noticed some unnerving whumphing sounds under our feet but the steep ascent was fairly scoured.

Matt on the rocky ridge up to the Gross Fischerhorn

Very quick summit shots on the Gross Fischerhorn looking to the Kleine Fischerhorn and Grun horn, before a rapid descent to get down the dangerous crevased section of the glacier Walliser Fischerfern before the visibility left once again and the weather closed in.

The most gripping descent I have done yet... similar to a roller coaster, with sections of track missing and no seat belt. Thankfully the cloud stayed off until we were down on the flat of the glacier. Matt on the right on the final friendly section after negotiating some rather thin snow bridges.

 

 

Skinning up to the Gross GrunHorn, many thanks to the guide who broke trail all the way!

 

 

Narrow snowy summit ridge.

Woop woop...Pow pow, amazing descent 900m fresh tracks.

 

In high spirits we set off for the 8km gradual ascent to the Holandia hut... spirits were slightly lower by the time we got to the hut but the warm welcome from a friend of matts, the guardian in the Holandia hut made up for it.

Final day setting off from the lovely, friendly Holandia hut up to Mittaghorn for a descent we have been told about all week.

More Pow Pow.. photos from Nicolas who we befriended in the hut and have persuaded to return for another go at Scottish winter this coming year. I couldn't leave him put off after a wet and windy visit in February this year.

Amazing seraces above our intricate descent from the mittaghorn.

Just a bit excited about that amazing descent.

 

And some good old heather skiing to finish.. we were that desperate to stay on our skis.