Saturday 29 November 2014

CMD Arete

Ian and Clare have a 5 year plan to climb the Matterhorn or Mont Blanc so today was the first leg of the process.  The summit of Ben Nevis was the first obstacle and we were accompanied by very mild weather but a strong chilly wind.  Despite completing the route mostly in the cloud and dampness we made a 7 hour round trip with some fantastic gluten-free millionaires shortbread to keep us energised (thank you Clare).  We did come across some thawing snow on the summit plateau but didnt feel like it will last very long.  Very warm for the end of November.

Ian and Clare enjoying the last of the view


Nice while the view lasted

Who said hill food is boring?

Rock hoping 

Ian's 2nd Munro and Clare's 4th time on the summit

Thursday 27 November 2014

Where is winter?

This time 2 years ago it was winter.  Donald King and I on Strident Edge
I keep asking myself this.  For some reason I feel the summits should be covered in snow, the crags plastered and my evenings spent drying out my winter climbing kit.  What is different?  Nothing.  I've looked back to last year and I didn't do my first route of the season until 6th December.  The Sourcerer on Ben Nevis with Keith Ball and Kenny Grant.  Patience Guy!  Looking back further though to 2012 I did my first winter route on the 31st October!  Archangel with Kenny.  I think the reason I have found myself at the indoor climbing walls and mountain bike tracks is because usually I will be in Spain this year getting some sunshine and building some strength for the winter.  After a good trip in the USA and the Alps I thought it would be best to give it a miss this year.
A brilliant dry tooling crag

Traditionally not a busy time of the year work wise but bits and bobs have come in, some obscure, some normal and I have had plenty of opportunities to climb, walk, bike, run, gym and generally just enjoy Scotland in the Autumn...which has been really good this year.

Accommodation for a night
Coming off the back of Castle Ridge
Spent some sub optimal days on some Munro's I haven't been on, spent a night in the CIC followed by an ascent of Castle Ridge on Ben Nevis, a chilly day on North Buttress on Buachaille Etive Mor, dry tooling with Martin Moran at his local crag at Loch Carron, multiple sessions at the Ice Factor, I spent a day keeping an eye on 6 mast technicians carrying out repairs on the Network Rail mast on the summit of Meall a'Bhuiridh in Glencoe.  We got a ride up in an very interesting vehicle...think Norwegian Special Forces!
Transport to work!

I had very little to do this day!

I had a day with Blair Fyffe (avalanche forecaster for SAIS and my flat mate) on Ben Nevis looking at the existing snow patches as he monitors them from year to year to see how long they last.  He was sharing some very useful insights into the coming winter, he is 'Dr Snow' after all and I hope he is right!
Closest I have been to winter climbing so far this season!
 I have just been on a brilliant 2 day Outdoor First Aid course ran by BASP and held at Glenmore Lodge.  Great to refresh the skills and have the peace of mind that I will be doing the right thing if I find myself involved with an incident.

Winter is looking very busy this season and so is next Spring.  Bookings and enquiries are coming in left, right and centre.  If you are interested in any winter action then please get in touch,  I have some space around Christmas and New year, 12th-16th January, 2nd - 7th February and a couple of weeks in March are available.  Please get in touch if you are interested in brushing up your winter skills, mountaineering or climbing.  Fancy some classic routes?  I can do that too.  All tailor made to suit you and your group.





Monday 10 November 2014

Winter training continues...

Alan on the first difficulties on North Buttress
Alan's nice new helmet showing it can loosen itself on its own!
Alan, like every year has big ambitions for the winter and knows how important it is to put the ground work in before the snow arrives.  Getting out on a day like today, short day light hours, cold temps and poor visibility will get us a few steps ahead for when the winter finally arrives.  We got some glove faffs out the way, climbed damp, slippy rock and I placed plenty of gear to get Alan back in the swing of things.  Only one nut dropped (and retrieved) so Alan was happy.  North Buttress on Buachaille Etive Mor was our route as it has some great climbing, plenty of scrambling and tricky route finding in the very low visibility.  Also Alan has never done this in summer but has in winter.  We had the place to ourselves...as far as we could see anyway (10m) except for the summit where a very friendly raven was hoping to share our lunch.  A great day, I'm glad Alan brought a flask, tea and cake on the top was great!
Over the last few days I have been ticking off some Munro's I haven't done, doing a spot of dry tooling (ice axes in the climbing wall) and generally just enjoying being back in Scotland after 2 months away.


This chap joined us for lunch on the summit

Not shy

It cleared now and again...we did get a view from the summit too!

Sunday 2 November 2014

Matterhorn North Face

The Horn
I am writing this post as Tony is scrubbing the apartment clean because we have decided to end our Alpine trip a week early due to the upcoming poor weather.  Now watching Tony do all the cleaning isn't the only reason we are finishing the trip on a high.  My highlight of the trip was climbing the Matterhorn (4478m), my highest peak to date, via its North Face, the Schmidt Route (TD+).  An iconic mountain which has called out to me ever since I had set eyes on it and it was great to climb it.

Murdoch and Tony set for 5 hours of walking
Our success on this mountain was due to a failure on the Grande Jorasses where Tony, Murdoch and I walked for 5 hours from the Montenvers train station to our bivi site.  After 40 minutes of digging to make a suitable site we scoped out the base of our objective, the Demaison/Gousseault (ED2) and then settled down for a cold, unsettled sleep.  Unfortunately everything didn't go to plan and after 3 pitches we decided to call it a day as time had disappeared before our tired and heavy eyes.  We didn't want to be pushed for time to say the least.

Team shot at 8.30 at the Hornli Hut (Photo:Tony's camera)
So another failure on the Grande Jorasses for me.  It seems when I fail on this mountain, I have success elsewhere.  Last time I failed here on the Croz Spur I ended up climbing the Eiger North Face.  This time success on the the Matterhorn.
Murdoch (right) and I somewhere on the route (Photo: Tony)
On arriving in Zermatt we took the ski lifts up and made the 3 hour walk to the Hornli Hut from Trockener Steg station.  On arrival to the Hornli Hut we realised that we would not have the face or the summit to ourselves, it was the weekend after all.  Infact there were about 12 other teams, that's over 24 climbers!  Not a pleasant number to be involved with.  So we decided to just get going after a rest and some food.  We left in darkness just before 20.30.  Conditions were perfect, not a breath of wind and not another climber out of bed.  We initially soloed until we got too the first tricky bit.  From there Tony led the first section, I led the middle section and Murdoch took us to the Zmutt Ridge.
Murdoch climbing to my belay before he takes over to the Zmutt Ridge
We each only belayed once, when we ran out of gear, just moving together on our single rope, placing gear now and again.  After 7 hours of climbing we found ourselves at the top in darkness with only the surrounding glow from the street lights 2km away.
Happy on the summit (my camera, 8th attempt)
It was perfect, we didn't get clogged up in other peoples ropes, we didn't get hit by ice and we had all the time in the world.  We did want sunrise on the summit but unfortunately we were 3 hours early so we decided to make our way down.  A friend had said 'don't underestimate the descent'.  He was right.  It was long, very long,  Especially after climbing the 1100m route after no sleep and in the dark.
Murdoch and Tony happy to be at the Solvay Hut

Murdoch not quite keeping his eyelides open in the Solvay hut
We ate and drank and then off we went.  The descent was a bit off a blur for all of us, lack of sleep made for a slow and careful descent to the Solvay Hut at 4003m.  We arrived at the hut at sunrise and squeezed inside and made a well needed brew.
Tony and I just about staying awake
Forcing our eyelids open, we knew we couldn't wait around, so after burning our lips and tongues on the boiling tea, we looked as lively as we could and continued down to the Hornli Hut where we had stashed our sleeping kit and some water.  With a spring in our stride, or maybe a fatigue limp, we made our way down to the lift and onto Zermatt for a milkshake and back to our apartment for pizza and beers.  Over all its been a great trip, a usual Alpine trip for me, some failures, some successes, some good weather and some bad, good partners, good food and needing a rest when I get home.  Bring on winter (not in the next couple of days though)!

Murdoch and I descending the Hornli Ridge (Photo: Tony)
Packing up after a successful ascent (not our tents) (Photo: Tony)