A week in the west

Stob Coire nan Lochan

I had been in the day before with Andy to have a look at Spectre and Scabbard Chimney in Stob Coire nan Lochan in Glencoe,but there was fresh snow and a thaw going on and everything was just a little spooky. So we headed up Dorsal arete which was great to check out and new to me still.
So the following day I returned to get on Scabbard Chimney with Ian, it was still a bit warm but such a beautiful day . We topped out to fantastic views and pretty much had the whole of the Coire and the peak to ourselves. It felt very alpine, soft spring snow, longer days and eating our sarnie's in our t-shirts in the sun at the end of the day , looking back up at the snowy peaks.

Ian have a great time following up the first pitch.

Ian cruising off on the second pitch

Doing the tourist bit on the tops, and dreaming up mega ski descents in the corries behind.

 

Two days in the Sunshine Teaching and Guiding Ellie and Greg

So I thought we would do some of the classics seeing as it was going to be two high pressure blue sky days. Ledge route on day one and we let a group head off infront of us so we had the space to allow ellie and greg to lead a pitch each.

 

Ellie setting off on the first rising traverse pitch, focusing on positive foot placements.

Ellie bringing greg up.

A bit of piton placement skills at the belay, ellie having a go.

Greg bringing ellie up to his belay.

On the ridge and time  for some short roping to move us swifty to the top.

 

 

Curved Ridge

 

The second day me and Ellie headed for Glencoe with an early start of beat the crowds on Cuved ridge. It was in fantastic condition, the rock was rocky, the snow, snowy and the ice icy. It was very alpine in atmosphere. A girly ascent, looking a little like twins in our orange helmets and blonde hair. We were off the route before twelve so we had a leisurely lunch enjoying the views and the headed off to the munros behind, which was also had to ourselves. Back at the car by 3.30 for tea and medals. Fantastic couple of days out!

Ellie dancing her way up the crux corner.

A photo of our next objective.

 

Highlights of March so far

The Cairngorms - Aladdins Buttress

The beginning of March was seeing good conditions in the Cairngorms, where everywhere else seemed to still be burried aladdins buttress in Coire an T-Sneachda was in fantastic conditions and became the stanage of winter climbing, I have never had such sociable belays in winter. I managed to tick a good number of routes on this buttress leaving a select few for next time.
The First day out with josh, I got to lead all day, which is always nice as this was josh's intro to some harder winter climbing, his first season this year. We got on Damnation VI 6, The Lamp V,6 and Doctors Choice with some nice ice at the bottom. More ice in sneachda than on the Ben at the start of March.

Me leading up the corner pitch of damnation. Brilliant neve ice up the corner and then interesting mixed climbing above.

 

The next couple of days I was joined by Kevin from Northern Ireland, who was over with Tollymore national outdoor centre for Northern Ireland. He had been doing winter skills and navigation during the week so with a good weather forecast for the weekend he was itching to get out and swing his axes again. So we did The Prodigal Principal V,5, The Third Wish V,7 and Pateys route.

Kevin on the first pitch of The prodigal Principle

Kevin with some people retreating behind him after taking a wrong turn on The Lamp.

Having abseiled into Aladdins couloir and walk down it and watch others ski down it, all week, I decided it was my turn and went skiing on saturday. Blue bird day and 6 inches of fresh powder we had a few runs in the ski area before setting off up Cairngorm to go and check out Aladdins Couloir... which was fantastic, fresh tracks all the way down and all the way out of the Coire. I think that has to be my best day skiing in Scotland so far.

Me rather excited about dropping into aladdins, the last time I did this was after working with the Ski School after heading up it in the Moonlight before work that morning. Both times were pretty special.

 

Beinn Bhan

 

Next stop Beinn Bhan with Greg and Andy. Two days introduction to winter climbing for Greg and a building on skills for Andy. We did North Gully on Beinn Bhan, the intention perhaps to head up and over the A Cioche ridge as well but the conditions were thawing rapidly so we gave the teaching priority and practise plenty of skills, looked at lots of different options for belays and got plenty of practise at the art of climbing steep soft snow.

 

Greg and andy enjoying the waterfall effect on the belay.

Andy getting stuck in digging a bucket seat

 

 

 

 

Bomber Neve in the Cairngorms!

The weather was looking brightest East or North on Tuesday... Lochnagar...?? hmmm no idea what the conditions are like, turns out there have been loads of cornice colapses and avalanches. Ben Eighe? It would have been good but I had a 5am start to get to Balahulish for work the next day, I was lacking the psyche for lots of long drives. So we opted for the Cairngorms, initiatly on a mission for Stags rocks but with the wind and rain battering on the side of the car at Seven in the morning  in the ski car park, we opted for an easier day in the Northern corries.
The Genie followed by Pygmy ridge a great link up and what awesome condition they were in! I dont think we could claim technical 7 for the Genie when it had ice and neve to hit into rather than a sketchy lay away, I might add I did test the lay away up the corner but couldnt resist the neve. It did howl all day so on topping out we escaped quickly down Aladdins couloir, back at the car park for 3pm. Great day out and good decisions made!

Me checking out the crux, its looking good!

I did say it was windy and snowy!?

Since being over on the west coast alot, I had forgotten what the cairngorms were like... a brilliant insitu belay just where I wanted it.

Ian starting up pygmy ridge.

Ian enjoying yet more bomber neve.

Tower Ridge

Yesterday I was working for Mike Pescod as an MIC aspirant, on Tower ridge. A Brilliant day, calmer conditions in comparison to most of the winter, although still snowing consisently higher up. This sadly resulting in yet another avalanche on Ben nevis, and this time with two climbers caught up in it. We were in a good place up on the ridge. This was my first time on tower ridge this year and I couldnt believe the amount of snow, it looked a little different, with the usual belays somewhat hidden.  
A great day out with the group of three over from Ireland.

Fantastic snow crests along the ridge.

 

Kieran on one of the pitches on the little tower.

The eastern traverse

Kieran coming out of the tower gap, still smiling!

A very white walk off for the team.

Back to Reality - Scottish winter update

The past three weeks have been a bit hectic and I have not had chance to get photos uploaded each evening between unpacking, repacking, eating washing and sleeping.
Since returning from Spain I got straight back out in the hill with a windy ascent of ledge route, first winter day for Liam. Sadly following this there were a few attempted climbing days but the Ski road up to Cairngorm had been shut so coffee and cake ensued instead. What a hardship!

Josh and terry battling the wind on the final section of ledge route.

 

The Following week I spent shadowing Mike Pescod for three days of coaching and guiding Kiernan on an introduction to mixed climbing. Kiernan is a keen ice climber and rock climber but being new to mixed climbing was seeking some instruction. We climbed a very snowy North east Buttress, all of two hard moves on the man trap, 999 in Coire nan Lochan and Crest route in Stob Coire nan Lochan.

 

North East Buttress

And the clouds cleared

Busy in the hurt Lochan

Mike on the crux pitch of Crest Route

 

After these few days with Mike I headed straight back to the west for a week with Plas y Brenin on my MIC training, a great week thanks to Tim and Dave for running the course and everyone who was on the course. It was a wild week and I was too busy concentrating to take many pictures.

 

My day off before a week of work with Glenmore Lodge and Pete hill, was a good weather day so me and Ian headed over to Stags rocks for some not so buried climbing and to place the first ice screws of the season on Ampitheartre Gully. Thankfully now upgraded to V,6 as I thought the crux was pretty stiff. Brilliant route, though sadly we didnt quite get off in time before the next storm hit so night navigation in 60mph winds ensued off the top of the route. If only they had opened the snow gates alittle sooner.

Ian leading the ice pitch

Gearing up at the top of Diagonal gully

Me on the crux pitch, always make the mistake of saying it dosnt look too bad from the bottom!

 

Thats me just about up to date so far.

El Realet and the Penon de Ifach

 

With all the trainee's having gained the knowledge they needed to go climbing themselves we gave them the chance for some indepence at the crag and had a couple of days to go and play ourselves. Day one we embarked on a traverse of El Realet, a grade 4 knife edge ridge, which was fantastic all the way, good scrambling, exposure and a few abseils. The only complaint was the spiky spanish bush whacking we had to do at both the start and finish of the day. I don't think this ridge see's much traffic. We completed this in half the guide book time so enjoyed relaxing with an ice cream in the afternoon.

Day two was a trip to the Penon de Ifach, a superb chunk of rock which protudes from the sea at Calpe. I had climbed on this a few times before but for me this was a new route, and a guide book top 50 route. Diedro USBA. Fantastic route, with great climbing exposure and variety. I throughly recommend it. For Liam this was his first big route so well done to him for keeping his head together in such an exposed situation. What a fantastic end to a brilliant Spanish rock climbing trip. Back to reality now in wild and windy Scotland.

 

 

Me entering the knife edge section.

 

 

Views along the ridge

Stephen leading the way for Liam yet another exposed section.

 

Day two on Diedro UBSA, stephen with a sore ankle recently sprained and trying to recover. This is him at the second belay before we had to say our fair wells and low him off. We continued as a three.

Liam following up the steep by jug filled second pitch.

Dance on stances as we made sure we had the essentials (i.e lunch) out of Stephens bag before we lowered him off.

Short abseil into the final part of the route. Liam feeling slightly exposed at this point.

Josh having found yet another knee bar giving a hands free wave on the final pitch.