19th February 2014 - Winter ML refresher & the Fort William Mountain Festival MRT fundraiser night

Today i headed up to Aonach Mor with Graham, John and Lawrence to refresh some winter ml rope work skills in preparation for their upcoming assessments. We headed up towards the Nid ridge, and found a suitable site to go over some sliding, before looking more in depth at winter anchors. The guys built snow bollards, buried axe anchors, practiced stomper belays and dug loads of bucket seats. Hopefully the day was good for them and gave some good pointers for the assessment. I have no doubt they will all pass no problem.

After tea and cake I heard home to prepare for the evening. I was the compere for the Lochaber Mountain Rescue fundraiser night at the Ben Nevis Inn as part of the fort William mountain festival. It was a great night, with some inspirational films bring shown, a fun raffle and a superb presentation by Joe Beaumont who has come from a serious climbing accident to take on some serious challenges that even fully able bodied people would seriously struggle to complete. We look forward to seeing Joe again later in the year as he completes one of these challenges. Read more of Joe's story here.

It was a really nice evening and great to see people turning up to support the team!! Check out the Lochaber Mountain Rescue Teams new revamped website for more information on what we do, where we do it and why!

The next few nights we will be at the festival in the Nevis Centre promoting the Carpe Diem zone which is offering people the chance to get free guiding on a number of routes to the top of Ben nevis with a qualified guide. In return, all wet ask is that at the top we spend some time picking up rubbish to leave a cleaner mountain for future visitors. The guiding day is on the 20th September 2014 and is in association with Friends of Nevis and the John Muir Trust, so why not come along to the exhibition area and get involved!!

Self arrest practice

John building a snow bollard

Furious digging to create a bucket seat

Beginning to build a buried axe belay

Joe Beaumont giving his presentation

31st March 2012 - First Mountain Route of the Season

The North Peak. North Rib is just right of Great Gully, the obvious gash right of centre

Anna ascending Pitch 2, her first time using twin ropes

The view from the belay stance, Pitch 2

Anna summitting the final pitch, North Rib completed

Just time for a quick pose with some stunning scenery

Looking west towards crowds at the Cobbler summit and down to the Clyde

South East towards Ben Lomond and Arrochar. The Campsies and Ochills in the distance

 Today me and Anna were heading down to Lenzie to celebrate Grahams engagement to Anne, and on the way down decided to make the most of the lovely weather, before it disappears! We opted to stop off at Arrochar and climb a classic route on the Cobbler called North Rib. It is only a VDiff but was ideal for introducing Anna to bigger, more exposed climbs which we will no doubt be trying to do alot more of this year! The guide book gives it one star, which given the good rock and fine situations of pitch two, is well deserved.

After a reasonably early get away from the Fort, we made good time down Loch Lomondside and looked massively over-packed with all our gear compared to the masses of people heading up with shorts and t-shirts and tiny little back packs. We were a little jealous of their lack of weight and equipment! The walk in was not anywhere near as long and sluggish as we had feared and we actually made really good time, even overtaking some of the other groups heading up. It took just less than two hours to reach the bottom of our route, which was not very easy to find initially, as the guide book description is rubbish and the diagram could have been drawn by a three year old! None the less we got ourselves sorted out and racked up for the first lead, which looked a bit of an initial haul up the shallow groove in walking boots!

The gear was good (regardless of what others may say) and above the groove it unfortunately became a grass fest for 15 metres until a rocky corner provides an excellent belay and some nice views. Anna came up second, slowly at first while she negotiated the awkward groove, and we sorted out the ropes on her arrival ready for me to take the next lead. At this point I opted to change into rock shoes as the route above looked much nicer. An awkward step up to a block, and round left on an interesting traverse brought the best of the climbing: up a well protected and fairly easy rib with superb views into Great Gully and out down Loch Long towards Dunoon and the Ailsa Craig far in the distance. I couldn't help but stop and enjoy this superb vista, in warm sunshine, in March! The climbing was nice enough not to worry to much about placing regular gear, but my heart did miss a beat when I wrapped my fingers round what felt like a cracking hold, only for it to come away in my hand!! Panic over, I found a stunning belay spot on a large grassy ledge and a bomber boulder for an anchor. Again, the views were breathtaking and we were glad at the decision not to go cragging as the plan had initially been. Anna came up next, smoothly climbing and removing gear as she came, thrilled at the belay spot I had chosen. 

The final pitch was reasonably short, maybe 15 metres, and started with interest around a jumble of rocks, and ended on the summit of the rib, beside the top of the North Peak, and another excellent anchor was devised using two threaded slings. Realistically I could have led pitches 2 and 3 as one pitch, but the guide book is very vague on the actual route to take, and its length so better safe than sorry. Plus pitch 2's anchor position was worth the extra time required, and it ensured that Anna did not feel too cut off from me.

We skipped to the North Peak summit, took some pics and jogged back down in good time to the car, objective completed. Off to Cumbernauld to see family before going to the Engagement Party and a cracking night out (she said yes, of course!!!). Looking forward to our next venture out, but with a turn in the weather due, who knows if it will be a winter or summer route...

12th March 2012 - A visit to Creag Dubh

Graham making early moves on Inbred (HVS 5a***)

The view from my belay on pitch 2 of Inbred

Graham moving up pitch 2. It was an excellent, interesting route well worthy of its 3 star status

Graham approaching the crux roof of King Bee Direct (HVS 5a**)

Placing protective runners before the tricky move to gain the belay ledge

Graham upon reaching my perch after pitch 2 and 3 (crux) of King Bee Direct

Graham dropping over the edge approachinh space on the final descent

Looking justifiably happy after pitch 1 of Inbred, a Haston classic

The view from the belay ledge on pitch 1, Inbred. Pumped and cold, it took me a while to take the next lead!

So today Graham and I headed east to look for some dry rock. I cant believe that this time last week I was on my Winter ML assessment, and now I'm doing my first rock climbs of the season, its pretty mental! But best to start as we intend to go on, so it was a trip to Creag Dubh that was in order, a crag that neither of us has ventured to before - and it delivered the goods!

We decided to get straight on something with a bit of kick, so G led the first pitch of Inbred (HVS 5a***) which was steep and sustained, but on good positive holds. He belayed on a decent ledge, and as I seconded up my hands were so cold and pumped I couldn't feel anything. A great start to the season for G, he will be leading to a great standard by the time the season ends! I then led the second pitch over easier ground, with some decent gear if a little run out. Positive holds and a lack of over-polished rock made this route an immediate favourite, and after a lovely abseil back to ground level we were keen to grab a bite to eat and hit the rock again.

Although the rock was generally dry, there were some irritating areas of wet which disturbed some lines which may have taken our fancy, so we opted for the classic King Bee Direct (HVS 5a**). Again G took the first lead (which gives this VS classic its HVS grade) and after some deliberation made easy work of the overhanging crux to a solid belay above. I moved up after, impressed at his lead, and then took over to attempt the 'original' crux at VS 5a. The line was lovely, with alot of interest, a good mixture of holds and body positions and just the right amount of exposure for someone just getting into multi pitch VS+ climbing. In some guides this long pitch is split in two, but I led through both as one. Having made short work of the well protected crux, I scaled the shallow arete to the exposed but comfortable belay and brought G up. He then led through up the final pitch, which started with interest and ended like a scene from the Lost World: grassy, slippy and overgrown. We rigged up an abseil rope, and nicked down to our original hanging belay before heading on down the looong Great Wall to the ground and packing up.

A superb start to the season, my intention being to be climbing comfortably at VS 4c multipitch by the end of the year seems much more achievable. Cheers to Graham for coming out and as always, having a right blast!

Check out some pics of the handsome man at the other end of the rope at Grahams blog! :)

26th January 2012 - A day on Aonach Mor

Freezing cold on the chair lift to the top!

Looking back towards the Gondola Station

Looking down the first pitch

Graham making a start on the ice pitch

Enjoying tea, cake and a chat at the Gondola Station

So today Graham and I had a leisurely start before taking the Gondola up Aonach Mor. It was looking white and snowy, and the temperature was pretty low so we were hopeful that conditions would be in. The plan was for Graham to lead White Shark (IV, 4***), and then I would have a go at a Grade III nearby. After getting the chair lift up to its highest point, I felt really sluggish on the final walk in, tired and sore. However, when we reached the top station and started kitting up, surrounded by other climbers and falling snow, my spirits rose and I felt much more up for some adventure. Guy was also up Aonach Mor, no doubt doing something ridiculously hard!!!

Our initial plan went a bit hay wire when Graham suddenly realised that he hadn't packed his helmet, so we had to change our plan with this in mind. We opted to ab over the cornice at Easy Gully (I) and check out Temperence Union Blues (III*), but it had a team on it already and we certainly didnt want to be climbing under anyone else!!! Moving along a bit we took a look at Pernille (III), and Graham decided it was in. We soloed up the first pitch and set up anchor. We were, however, off route already. With only a glance at the guide book we didnt really take in where the route went, but Graham made an excellent lead up this nameless route (we reckon it should be called 'Remember Yer Lid Next Time, Ya Fud!'). There was a brilliant pitch of ice, with a fast-melting ice curtain to lean off to get a good foot placement. Above this, a short snow section led to a horrible step of mixed climbing, which was awkward but not exposed, and the placements above were pretty solid. While Graham was leading, I was getting pelted with spindrift, loose ice and plenty of slabs of neve, but the worst came as he cut his way through the cornice, it was like being avalanched there was so much loose stuff coming down and I was in the direct line of fire.

I seconded up the route, impressed at Grahams lead. I thoroughly enjoyed the nice ice section and made a good job of the mixed step, but the hot aches caught up with me as I topped out. Sheer agony, I was good for nothing for 10 minutes! We decided that, given the situation, we would call it a day at that, and walked down to the Gondola Station, where we enjoyed a well earned cup of tea and a bit of cake, lovely! Cheers Graham for another cracking day.

Things I learned today:

1. Get a lanyard for my axes, leashes are awkward, get in the way and I hate them
2. Look at the guidebook properly!
3. Shake out more while climbing!