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Something different: Drytooling at Newtyle Quarry

With a favourable forecast over east, Scott and I ventured to Newtyle Quarry, one of Scotland's few drytooling venues (the other that I know of is beneath Ballachulish Bridge in Glencoe, so please do let me know if you know of any others!). 

Having not really done much drytooling before, we started on the easiest lines of the quarry, Bonzai and Grooviliscious, both coming in at D4 (roughly equivalent of Scottish VI), and I have to admit that neither of them were that straight forwards, both sporting a few blind moves and a number of thin hooks, nevermind having not really spent much time pulling on ice axes or standing on tiny edges with crampons for some time!

Me on Bonzai

Scott on Grooviliscious

Scott on Roofiliscious

Having both led these, we had a go at Roofiliscious D5+, which packed a punch right from the floor.  In the end, we decided it would be more conducive to top rope this line, which after working out a couple of the lower moves, was technically not too difficult.  Just quite physical!

It was great to get the forearms working hard again, and re-adjusting to balancing with points on tiny edges, and hopefully good preparation for another good winter!

Here are a few tips for visiting Newtyle Quarry:
-Make sure that your axes are sharp, and ideally modified for mixed climbing (click here for more info).  You'll reap the benefits of a sharp hook on the tips of your tools!
-Both belayer and climber should wear a helmet.  Some of the rock is very loose, a fair sized block came down after we had pulled the ropes through.
-Eye/face protection probably isn't a bad idea should an axe placement pop.
-Take a clip-stick if you have one.  We clipped the second bolts on each of the routes, just to limit ground fall potential.

Enjoy!

Another great day in Glencoe

One of the great things about living in Fort William is that less than half an hour away, the magnificent valley of Glencoe can be reached, offering countless opportunities for mountaineering adventures in a very different setting to those of the immediate mountains of Fort William.

Today, I was out with Norm, from Boston, US, who was on an extended tour of the UK.  He had already spent days out on Bruach Na Frithe on Skye, and The Five Sisters in Glen Sheil, and wanted to round off his time in the Scottish Highlands with a walk up to the highest point in Glencoe, Bidean nam Bian at 1150m.  The circuit to reach this summit is detailed in Cameron McNeish's 'Scotland 100 Best Walks' and it would be hard to disagree with it's inclusion.

Despite a good forecast, the skies above were grey and threatening as we headed up the path towards Stob Coire Nan Lochan, which despite it's stature, does not quite make it to Munro status due to the lack in high difference between it and Bidean nam Bian.  On gaining the coire, we veered south east to gain the broad ridge of Gearr Aonach which leds onto the atmospheric East Ridge of Stob Coire Nan Lochan.  Once at the summit, a short descent and ascent, overlooking the crags of Stob Coire Nan Beith and Church Door Buttress brought us to the summit of Glencoe's highest peak, Bidean Nam Bian.  Someone must have been looking down on us, as by now, the clouds had lifted giving fantastic views out to Ardgour, The Mamores, Glen Etive and Rannoch Moor.  A steep descent from the summit brought us down into the Lost Valley, one of the hidden gems of Glencoe, before picking our way through the native woodland, which guards the entrance to the Lost Valley, and down to the Meeting of Three Waters and finally back to the van.

On the South East Ridge of Stobe Coire Nan Lochan, with Stob Coire Sgreamach behind

On the summit of Bidean nam Bian, with Loch Etive in the background

A fantastic day out with some stunning views and good weather, and one which Norm said he would remember for a long time! 

Coached Scrambling on Curved Ridge, Glencoe

Returning clients are great!  Of course I would say that, as it brings back business, but more to the point, it allows both a solid relationship to develop and great opportunities for progression and that's just what the theme of today was all about.  Wes, Kev, both of whom I had guided up Tower Ridge back in July, came back for more mountaineering, and this time had brought Chris along too.  Tower Ridge is unquestionably one of the finest and challenging scrambles in the UK and to step it up from there (without visiting Skye) would enter the realms of rock climbing (North East Buttress and Observatory Ridge on Ben Nevis spring to mind), for which better weather than what was forecasted would be required.  So, in order to challenge the three, and in particular Wes, as he had a bit more experience under his belt, I suggested that a day of coached scrambling, with Wes on the sharp end, leading Kev and Chris, on the Glencoe classic, Curved Ridge would make the most of their day.

We set off from the car, with steady drizzle and low cloud, as I explained the various landmarks and directions, which make finding Curved Ridge in the low cloud far easier and picked our way to the base of the ridge.  Before setting off, we talked through the ideal scrambling rack and the principles of scrambling with a rope, i.e. being safe enough rather than too safe in order to keep things moving, and the three components of scrambling:

1) flow -keeping things moving, being dynamic with decision making and planning ahead
2) control -using the rope efficiently and effectively and ensuring that both seconds are always protected
3) command -directing both seconds, at times independently

Chris and Kev enjoying the scrambling, with Rannoch Wall behind

Wes took all of this on-board and with some en-route coaching, brought Kev and Chris up safely and quickly to reach the top of Easy Gully and the base of Crowberry Tower for lunch.  Wes has also started his quest to complete all 283 Munros within 10 years, so rather than hang about, we made our way up the final broken ground to the summit of Stob Dearg, and quickly fired our way along the broad ridge of Buachaille Etive Mòr to the second Munro, Sgor na Bròige.  Munro no. 6 in the bag! The weather had improved vastly throughout the day, allowing fantastic views down into Glen Etive and across to Buachaille Etive Beag.

At the top of Curved Ridge, with glimpses towards Rannoch Moor behind

Spectacular views up Glen Etive

Get in touch for Winter Courses 2011-12

As another summer passes by, it's time to look forward to this coming winter (not forgetting some autumnal rock climbing!), and with temperatures today on the summit of Ben Nevis just above freezing, it won't be long until the first snows arrive.  The past two winters have been fantastic, with some great early season conditions, so fingers crossed for a third.

Please do get in touch at applegateken@gmail.com or 07799 863068 if you are interested in developing your experience in the winter mountains this coming season.  I am based in Fort William throughout the year.
 
Prices per day start from: £160 for 1 person, £180 for 2 people, £200 for 3 people.

Three weeks in the Ecrins Massif, French Alps

Following a day's guiding Tower Ridge on Ben Nevis with Edita and Boris, from Croatia, Scott and I made the long journey from Fort William to Ailefroide, on east side of the Ecrins National Park.  The village of Ailefroide sits at 1515m, and is surrounded on all sides by towering granite mountains, offering everything from roadside bouldering and single-pitch sports climbing right the way through to long (500m+) bolted and traditional multi-pitch climbs and mixed alpine climbing.  Coupled with some of the best weather in France and an enormous, yet tranquil campsite with climbing a mere ten minutes walk away, it seemed like the ideal destination.  And it was.

Scott enjoying the granite slabs of Ailefroide

Having driven for 24 hours almost non-stop, we chose to ease ourselves in gently, and headed up to the local crag of Sector Engilberge (15 mins walk from campsite!) and climbed 'Ma, que! Seulment du V!', which was a perfect introductory climb to the area and sported 5 well bolted pitches of fantastic granite slabs.  The following day, we headed up to Sector Orage D'Etoile and climbed the even better 'Orage D'Etoile', this time sporting 10 well bolted pitches up equally fantastic slabs, which just kept on coming.  The route is quite sustained at the grade, which given the quality of climbing, was no bad thing!

Dawn on the Pelvoux Traverse

After a quick bite to eat, rehydration and a quick re-pack of the bags, we headed up to the Pelvoux Hut at 2700m.  The following morning, having managed about 4 hours of broken sleep, we joined other early risers to head up the 'Coolidge Couloir', graded PD+ (see here for more info on alpine grading) and reached the summit of Mount Puiseux at 3943m, part of Le Pelvoux, which dominates the views to the NE from Ailefroide.  We continued the classic Pelvoux Traverse, and descended via the impressive Violettes Glacier, before tackling a number of rocky ridges and abseils, all as part of a huge 6 hour, 2500m descent back down into Ailefroide.  A long, but highly recommended day!

The summit of Mount Puiseux 3943m

The start of the descent via the Violettes Glacier

Cravasses on the Voilettes Glacier

Following a day of single-pitch sports climbing (I found the routes much harder than the equivalent grade on steep limestone!), we walked in to the popular Glacier Blanc Hut, from where we tackled the Pic Glacier Blanc at 3525m via a seemingly less travelled route called 'Le Communard' graded D (photo topo here).  This excellent route takes quite a direct line up the south face of the 'Pic du Glacier Blanc', and is reasonably well bolted, particularly on the trickier pitches.

Pre-dawn, looking out over the Barres des Ecrins

Pic du Glacier Blanc

Scott on Le Communard, Pic du Glacier Blanc

Bivi beneath the north face of La Meije

After one last climb up Little Palavar, we left Ailefroide, and planned to head round to La Grave, to try 'Gravelotte Couloir' on the north face of La Meije.  This involved bivi-ing on top Les Enfetchores, at one of the most spectacular spots that I've spent a night, directly underneath the looming north face of La Meije. However, after another early start, we began crossing the heavily cravassed glacier, and soon realised that the snow was far too soft and that the snow bridges, which would allow safer passage through the almost blind maze of cravasses when frozen, were not so secure due to the temperatures not falling as much as anticipated through the night.  We called it a day (at 5am!), and whilst we were unsuccessful on climbing La Meije this time, it was a great experience non-the-less and certainly a lesson!







The village of La Berade was our next destination, and is almost a mirror image of Ailefroide, minus the crowds and shops.  A quick climb on the local crag of Tete de La Maye set us up well for our final trip into the higher mountains, up to the Soreiller Hut, which lies at the foot of the striking Aiguille Dibona. We climbed 'Voie Madier' TD, which is now largely bolted, which was without a doubt, my favourite route of the trip.  The route follows an obvious diagonal fault up to the Boell Ledge, from where we took a slight diversion up the grooves of Visite Obligatoire to reach the summit.

The striking Aiguille Dibona

The Aiguille Dibona from the Soreiller Hut

On Voie Madier, Aiguille Dibona

One last climb of the trip saw us abseiling 6 rope lengths down the Cascade de Villard, close to Bourg d'Oisans to gain the base of 'Issue de Secours'.  The three routes of this well hidden crag lie either side of a magnificent waterfall, which provided a very atmospheric backdrop to our final adventure in the Ecrins.  Whilst the climbing probably only merits two stars, the situation definitely deserves three!

A visit to the Ecrins National Park is highly recommended, and I will be heading back there in the future!

Mountaineering on Ben Nevis: Tower Ridge & Ledge Route

Today I was out with Wes and Kevin, who were keen to tackle one of the finest mountaineering routes in the UK, Tower Ridge on Ben Nevis.  Both had a fair bit of hillwalking and scrambling experience under their belts, but the majority of scrambling they had both done had tended to be in the Lake District and North Wales, so as the clouds swirled around the coires as we made our way up towards the CIC Hut, they were clearly in awe at the scale of the north face of Ben Nevis, and in particular that of Tower Ridge.

We made good progress up the ridge, and were fortunate for the clouds to lift and provide some impressive views out towards Carn Mor Dearg, Aonach Beag and beyond.  I've said it many times before, but these spectacular views are very hard to get bored of!  We didn't hang around, and soon found ourselves at 'The Gap'.  On Saturday, a substantial block came away from Tower Gap (details here), which has led to the down climb into the gap being slightly trickier than before, and more importantly has loosened up a few other surrounding blocks in the gap, and now requires greater care than before.  We did just that, and soon found ourselves emerging into the sunshine on the summit plateau.

Beyond the Gap

The gravity defying blocks on Ledge Route

As if scrambling 900m up was not enough, Wes and Kevin were keen to descend via Ledge Route, and in no time at all, we were back down at the CIC Hut.  All in all, it was another fantastic day to be out in the mountains.

Ben Nevis this afternoon

All clear on Ben Nevis

Yesterday, I was working for Snowdonia Adventures, along with Mark and Helen, and were with a group from 'Islamic Help', a charity based in Birmingham, who are doing what they can in order to make a difference to the lives of those afflicted by poverty and suffering, and in particular those affected by the devastating earthquakes which hit south-western Pakistan earlier this year.

The group's aim was to scale the UK's highest peak, Ben Nevis, standing tall at 1344m above sea level.  Whilst many of the group had been to the top of Snowdon, a worthy achievement in itself, the walk up the mountain path of Ben Nevis has the added challenge of starting at just 15m above sea.  Fortunately, we were blessed with good weather throughout the day, and the group did very well, with 18 out of 20 making the summit.  The group were particularly impressed with views into the north face of the mountain, providing views very different to those encountered on the western and southern slopes.  I certainly don't ever get bored of looking down onto the steep cliffs and ridges, it is an amazing place after all!

Team 'Islamic Help' on top of the UK

Change of Scenery: DofE Silver Expeds with Eton College

Having had one day to turn around my kit after Skye, Max and I headed off on the 22nd June to North Wales for eight days, to work for A to Z Expeditions, who specialise in providing training and expeditions for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, across the length and breadth of the UK. Keen to tackle their Silver practice and qualifying expeditions in one intense (in tents!) 8 day burst were Eton College, who were made up of 7 highly motivated and enthusiastic groups. Alongside Max, I was working with Simon Knight, Dave Fowler and Steve Ironside, a great bunch of fellow instructors, all of whom were keen to deliver high levels of challenge and adventure.

The determined 'Group 7' with Tom, Ludo, Jo, Ed, Oliver and Tom

Group 7 on the summit of Moel Siabod

The focus of the first expedition, the practice was to equip the groups with the necessary skills required to be self sufficient in the mountains, so included everything from use of stoves to basic and more advanced navigational techniques. During day 2, the weather was such as to necessitate the use of pacing and following bearings in poor viability, both skills of which the group I was with grasped quickly. I was particularly impressed with the determination and ability of 'Group 7' made up of two Toms, Jo, Ludo, Ed and Oliver. On day three of the practice expedition, we headed up the West Ridge of Moel Siabod, which provided some easy scrambling and great views in the adjacent cwm, which clearly showed signs of glaciation.

The following day allowed groups to relax, replenish energy supplies and reset all their kit before setting out again, for what was to be some fantastic three day qualifying expeditions. The groups I was supervising started at Llyn Gywnant, before tackling Snowdon via the back of Cwm Tregalan, talk about being thrown in the deep end! In order to meet our respective groups, Dave and I enjoyed a quick scramble over Crib Goch, and having eventually met all the groups, (who were in varying states of euphoria and appreciation for what they had just completed), we descended down the Parson's Nose, whilst the groups made their ways down either the Pyg Track or alongside the railway.

Group 1 successfully on the summit of Snowdon 1085m

Group 2, just as successful, on the summit of Snowdon

Day two saw my two groups crossing over from The Pass of Llanberis, via the spectacular Devil's Kitchen into the Ogwen Valley, before camping at the head of Llyn Cowlyd Reservoir, a great little site, nestled in amongst hillocks and small rocky outcrops. The final day saw both groups finishing their qualifying expeditions in good adventurous style, taking in the Carneddau before finally descending to Aber Falls and onto Abergwyngregyn. Throughout the three days, both groups showed nothing but determination and a thorough understanding of what it is to be self-sufficient in the mountains. Well done to all the Eton College groups who all rose to the many challenges, I look forward to working with them again next year!

Book Review: Skye Scrambles by Noel Williams

I've just finished writing a book review for Mountaineering Council of Scotland's quarterly publication, The Scottish Mountaineer.

The Isle of Skye unquestionably boasts some of the finest scrambling and climbing opportunities in the UK, and for many mountaineers, the traverse of the spectacular Cuillin Ridge, arcing 12km and providing some of the most dramatic and challenging mountainous terrain in the UK is a life long ambition.  However, it’s not just the Cuillin Ridge that draws mountaineers and walkers, as numerous outings, of high quality, can be found across the island, which is quite useful, given the notoriously changeable Hebridean weather.

The eagerly awaited second edition of Skye Scrambles, published by the SMC is finally in the shops, and just a brief flick through the pages, was enough to convince me that this guidebook is an absolute must for anyone with a mountaineering interest in the area.  The most striking feature of this guidebook must be the hand drawn topos, as for the first time that I’m aware of, the drawings are now in full colour, showing intricate detail through careful hill-shading, providing information that even photos can not always offer.  Whilst predominantly a scrambling guidebook, a healthy selection of easier climbs and walks have also been included, giving the reader plenty of options in almost any weather condition, and as with all SMC guidebooks, inspiring chapters on geology, history and environment are included, all of which can easily enhance one’s experience of mountaineering on Skye.

The second edition of Skye Scrambles fell into my hands only a couple of days before a planned working visit to Skye, provided me with the ideal opportunity to put the guidebook through it’s paces.  During four days on Skye, I covered the following: West Ridge and Pinnacle Ridge of Sgùrr Nan Gillean, Direct Route up the East Ridge and down King’s Cave Chimney of Am Basteir, and the majority of the Ridge Traverse, starting at Gars-bheinn and descending after Sgùrr a’ Mhadaidh, and can honestly say that this new guidebook helped me to no end, particularly the chapter that describes the Cuillin Ridge Traverse, which includes clear yet simple descriptions and perhaps more useful, well annotated and simplified maps.  If the rest of the guidebook is this useable, which I’m absolutely certain it is, then a new benchmark for scrambling guidebooks has been set.

So, if you want help fathoming out the most complex and spectacular mountain range in the UK, you know what to do.

Four days on Skye, including a Cuillin Ridge Traverse

The northern Munros of the Black Cuillin

It's certainly been a busy few weeks, hence the lack of postings here, but my feet have finally touched the ground, so to speak, for a short while at least!  Friday the 17th June saw an early start with a drive to the 'Misty Isle', or Skye as it's better known as, which in my mind, is one of the finest mountaineering playgrounds in the UK (see my book review on the new Skye Scrambles Guidebook, published by the SMC), and to meet up with Steve and shadow Mike along with his clients; Nick, Noel, Bob and Peter, with the intention of completing the three northern most Munros on the Black Cuillin; Sgurr Nan Gillean, Am Basteir and Bruach Na Frithe.  The circuit is very achievable in a day, and incorporates plenty of excitement, from the airy scramble along and back down the West Ridge of Sgurr Nan Gillean and a tricky down climb from the summit of Am Basteir, imaginatively called 'The Bad Step', to a spectacular abseil down the Knight's Cave Chimney, in between the summit of Am Basteir and Am Basteir's Tooth.  From here, it was a straight forward walk to the summit of the third Munro, Bruach Na Frithe, before descending back down Coire a'Bhasteir.  The weather took a turn for the worse as the day progressed, however despite the rain, the group had a great day.

Heading up the West Ridge of Sgurr Nan Gillean

Heading to the summit of Sgurr Nan Gillean

Saturday saw me working with Mike for Abacus Mountaineering and heading out with Anthony, Paul, James and Bryan for a warm up day up Pinnacle Ridge of Sgurr Nan Gillean, before a full Cuillin Ridge Traverse starting on Sunday.  In profile, Pinnacle Ridge, which we saw the previous day, looks quite spectacular and imposing, and whilst the journey is nothing short of spectacular, the actual route over the pinnacles is far less intimidating than first appearances may suggest.   The highlight must be the airy abseil from the third pinnacle, onto quite a narrow ledge, before down climbing to a much larger ledge below.  The ascent of the Knight's Peak involved some fantastic scrambling, before easing off leading up to the summit of Sgurr Nan Gillean.  From the summit, we heading back down the West Ridge and back down to Coire a'Bhasteir.  The weather held out nicely, and gave the team a taste of what was to follow over the next couple of days.

Loch Scavaig and Loch Coruisk

Anthony, Paul, James and Bryan

The team had opted to start the traverse by taking the boat from Elgol, across Loch Scavaig to the foot of Gars Bheinn, which I now think is possibly the best way to start the traverse due to not having to back track at all, never mind the adventurous feel to it all!  We made good progress up onto the ridge, and found ourselves at Sgurr Dubh Mor in good time.  Both Mike and I took our teams up the King's Chimney on Sgurr MhicConnich, before moving swiftly up An Stac and up and over the Inaccessible Pinnacle, where the weather took a slight dip, fortunately the difficulties for the day were done with. That evening we made it passed the Three Teeth of Sgurr Thormaid for a short bivi.  The following morning was another early start, however following the knife edge ridge of Sgurr a'Greadaidh and technical climbing of Sgurr a'Mhadiadh, I descended from the ridge at Bealach na Glaic Moire, with Bryan who was finding that his knees were giving him trouble.  It must have been a hard decision for him to make, and made all the more difficult by watching the rest of the team head off up Bidein Druim Nan Ramh.   Mike went on to complete the ridge with Anthony, Paul and James, despite less than ideal conditions, so a huge well done to them!

Descending the Inn Pinn

Tacking the knife edge ridge of Sgurr a'Ghreadaidh

That was my first substantial bit of work on Skye, and I'm not sure that guiding in the mountains gets much better, so fingers crossed it won't be long until I'm back on Skye! (All photos courtesy of Steve Holmes).

Last minute plan: Creag Dubh, Newtonmore

The original plan was for Jo (pronounced Yo, and short for Johann!), to spend a day taking me and one other scrambling in preparation for his MIA Assessment.  However, one other cancelled at the last minute, so instead of the two of us going scrambling, we made a last minute decision to 'just go cragging' and ventured over east (where the forecast was better) and to go to one of Scotland's premier roadside crags, Creag Dubh.

Creag Dubh is a fanastic crag, being steep, ten mins from the road and generally the rock is of good quality.  However, the crag has got a reputation for bold climbing due to the lack of gear placements, and perhaps not a place to 'push the grade'.  With that in mind, and given our time constraints and the risk of rain, we thought that a day of ticking off some of the easier routes would make for a good day, so first up was 'Strapadicktaemi E1 5a'. I led up the first pitch, and it was quite clear why the route had been given that grade.  The climbing was great and all on very positive jugs, however, with some long run outs, a fall was pretty much out of the question.  Jo then led through, up to an in-situ abseil point, although with abseiling being the only means of descent from the top of most routes here, I don't know why something more permanent could not be set-up to abseil from i.e. chains/cables rather than masses of unsightly tat.

The first pitch of Strapadicktaemi

Looking across 'The Great Wall' of Creag Dubh.

We then repeated 'Inbred HVS 5a', which I think is technically slightly harder than 'Strapadicktaemi', just with better protection, and finally 'King Bee (Direct Start) VS 5a', before calling it a day, and driving back to a wet Fort William.  It was nice to be out cragging after such a wet May.  Fingers crossed we get some more dry days soon!

Tranquility on the summit of Ben Nevis... for an hour at least!

Today, Max, Jamie B, Isi and myself were all working for Jagged Globe, marshalling various checkpoints on the mountain track up Ben Nevis, as part of a 3 Peak Challenge, this time for 'Action for Charity'.

Max and I were marshalling on the summit of the mountain, me at the top of Gardyloo Gully, where the mountain track makes a dog-leg, and Max at the summit itself, which given the forecast, was definitely the most scenic place to be.  In order to ensure that we were in position before the 36 teams (made up from 180 participants) arrived at the summit, we left the Glen Nevis Visitors Centre at 3am, and made quick progress to arrive at the summit just after 5am.  The teams didn't leave until 4am, so that allowed Max and I to enjoy a very tranquil hour and a half on the summit, above a cloud inversion, with some stunning views over towards Tower Ridge, Carn Dearg and Carn Mor Dearg. 

The top of Gardyloo Gully and the summit of Ben Nevis to the right.

Once the first team arrived, the other teams followed in hot pursuit, with the final team making the summit at 8:30am.  We followed the final team down, and reached the glen at about 11:30am.  For us, that was the end of a day's work, for the 36 teams, it was time to drive down to the Lakes, and Scafell for the second of their three peaks.

The final summit of the Three Peaks: Ben Nevis

Completing the 'Three Peaks' (reaching the summits of Snowdon, Scafell and Ben Nevis) is quite an achievement for many hillwalkers, so for a small group of Year 8s from S. Anslem's Prep School in Derbyshire to complete this undertaking is a fantastic achievement!

I was working for West Coast Mountain Guides, and along with teachers John and Helen, we accompanied an enthusiastic team of 8 up Ben Nevis, and in very good time too, 7 hours up and down, which is quicker than many adult teams!  We encountered a reasonable amount of fresh snow towards the summit, and in places it was mid-calf deep!  We were lucky to have the summit cairn to ourselves, despite probably close to 70 people milling about the summit ruins.  It certainly wasn't a day to hang about on the summit, so after a quick congratulations, photo and bite to eat, we swiftly descended back down to Glen Nevis.  A very impressive achievement for the 8 young mountaineers from S. Anslem's Prep School, let's hope that they've caught the mountaineering bug, and find their way back up the Highlands again soon!

S. Anslem's Prep School on the roof of the UK

Two rounds of the Inn Pinn, Black Cuillin, Skye

The Black Cuillin of Skye has to be one of the finest mountaineering playgrounds in the UK, if not the best, so I jumped at the opportunity to guide the most technical of all the Munros, The Inaccessible Pinnacle, or the Inn Pinn for short.  I was working for Martin Moran, and guiding Craig, Mike, Anona and Steve.  Mike and Steve had climbed a bit in the past, whereas for Craig and Anona it was their first real experience of climbing outdoors, what a fantastic place to start!

Mike and Steve surrounded by clouds on the final pitch

We started out from the BMC Hut at Glen Brittle, and made our way up the scree slopes of Sron Dearg and onto Sgurr Dearg.  The weather throughout the ascent was very changable, with strong gusts and rain coming through regularly.  As we approached the summit of Sgurr Dearg, the clouds rolled in, obscuring views in every direction.  Due to the low visibility, it was only when standing on Sgurr Dearg, that the incredible Inn Pinn could be seen, and for first timers, it is an exhilarating sight, as the knife blade of basalt, which is only meters thick at it's base rears up from the gabbro mountain.

Anona and Craigon the summit of the Inn Pinn

Mike and Steve opted to be guided first, so we roped up and made our way down the loose ground to the base of the East Ridge.  From here, it is a moderate rock climb to reach the summit, requiring two or three pitches, particularly when the rock is damp, which it was for Mike and Steve's ascent.  We soon gained the summit, before abseiling off the west face, which can be done in a 20m abseil off an in-situ steel cable.  With a quick turnaround, I was back up the Inn Pinn with Craig and Anona, both of whom, considering their limited climbing experiences, did very well, and as we reached the summit, the clouds lifted, giving us fantastic panoramic views of the surrounding area, which was impressive to say the least.

Anona abseiling off the Inn Pinn

Looking at the west face of the Inn Pinn,
with Sgurr Mhic Choinnich in the background

We then descended back down the way we had come, everyone immensely satisfied having reached the summit of the 'mountaineer's Munro'.

The knife blade of rock that is the Inn Pinn

Looking back to Sgurr Na Banachdich

A fine day on Curved Ridge, Glencoe

Today I was working for West Coast Mountain Guides.  I was out with Bill and Mike who were keen to either climb Tower Ridge on Ben Nevis or Curved Ridge on Buachaille Etive Mor in Glencoe.  With the weather not looking fantastic, the decision was made to head to Glencoe and climb the classic Curved Ridge.  As we pulled into the lay-by by the SMC's Lagangarbh Hut, it was steadily raining, so donning waterproofs, we headed up towards Coire Na Tulaich, before veering off eastwards and round towards Rannoch Wall and Curved Ridge.

Not long into the approach, the rain eased, and despite weather forecasts, failed to materialise for the remainder of the day.  The scrambling on Curved ridge is great, with good, continuous clean rock and plenty of opportunity to build quick belays, either by placing gear or by using one of the numerous spikes on the route.  As we drew level with the base of the impressive Rannoch Wall, we chatted briefly to a team, about to start up the classic VDiff, Agag's Groove.

We reached the top of Curved Ridge, and the summit of Stob Dearg (the first of the Buachaille Etive Mor summits) in good time, before making our way round to the top of Coire Na Tualaich, and descending via the screes and broken ground down into the coire.  Bill and Mike were also keen to learn a few key scrambling skills such as building quick yet safe belays, using both natural anchors such as spikes and threads, and with placed protection such as cams and nuts, so we ventured off the descent path to one of the many outcrops that scatter the coire.  On the final leg of our descent, we heard the distant rumble of thunder, and again the rain fell, hopefully after the team on Agag's Groove had topped out!

Bill and Mike on Curved Ridge, with Rannoch Wall on the left

Summer Mountain Leader Training: Lochaber

It's been a busy few days and following on from my climbing trip to the Cairngorms, I was straight into observing a 6 day Summer Mountain Leader Training Course, run by Mike Pescod of Abacus Mountaineering.  Although the training course isn't compulsory for those looking to become a Mountain Leader (you can apply for exemption), it is certainly highly recommended as it cover the syllabus set out by the MLTUK, following which a consolidation period will allow potential Mountain Leaders to practise the various techniques and skills before putting themselves forward for assessment.

Day 1 was spent focusing on introducing the role of a Mountain Leader and core navigation skills, and we headed up to the hills bound to the east by the River Lochy and north  by Glen Loy.  Due to the fantastic high pressure we had sitting over the UK, we were treated to some great views towards Ben Nevis.  With such good visibility, compasses remained in the rucksack, and just the map used to pick out various features, as we covered ground up towards Stob a' Ghrianain before descending into Coire an Lightuinn.

Navigating on the flanks of Stob a' Ghrianain,
with Ben Nevis in the background

Day 2 saw the team heading up the North Ridge of Stob Ban, in the Mamores, with an emphasis on group management and leadership, particularly on steeper and more rocky terrain.  The day highlighted the need for dynamic leadership, using a variety of leadership styles to safely and efficiently cover tricky ground, whilst still allowing a healthy degree of freedom for the group, who certainly wouldn't want to be 'in-tow' all day.  Again, we had great weather, and views up Glen Nevis and across to Carn Dearg and the southern slopes of Ben Nevis.

Negotiating steeper ground, just off the North Ridge of Stob Ban

Using the rope in the event of an emergency,
looking out to Ballachulish

Day 3 was another steep ground day, but on ground that as a Mountain Leader, you wouldn't intentionally encounter.  In other words, ground that as an ML, you would only be required to ascend, or more likely descend, in the event of an emergency or as an escape route.  We ventured into Glen a' Chaolais, by Ballachulish.  The various granite outcrops allowed the team to learn and practise safeguarding both a group and themselves by means of a rope (and nothing else!), by building belays, setting up simple top ropes using waist belays and abseiling using 'classic' methods.





Day 4 was based in Glen Nevis, looking at various methods to evacuate a casualty from the hills using improvised stretchers and other carrying methods before practising river crossings, both with and without a rope.  There were plenty of others in Glen Nevis, enjoying the sunshine (before the midges start attacking!)  The evening was spent route planning for an overnight expedition.

Practising river crossings in Glen Nevis

Days 5 & 6 were spent on an overnight expedition, with a strong emphasis on navigation and, of course, walking in amongst some fantastic mountain scenery.  We started in Glenfinnan, west of Fort William, and headed up onto Streap, which despite not quite attaining Munro status (3000 ft or 914m), still feels very mountainous, and has a narrow, airy ridge leading up to it's summit.  The weather did finally close in, which enabled the group to practise navigating in poorer visibility.   Another big aspect of becoming a Mountain Leader is the ability to navigate in any conditions, so part of the evening was spent navigating in the dark, relying on pacings, bearings and reading the steepness and aspects of the ground beneath their feet.  On day two, the weather cleared again, and we walked up Na h-Uamhachan, a broad ridge at 691m, and then descended back into Gleann Dubh Lighe.

Day 2 of the expedition, heading back down to Gleann Dubh Lighe,
with Loch Sheil in the distance

All the trainees took the course in their strides and are well on their way to becoming Summer Mountain Leaders, and for me, I found it very useful to recap the delivery of all the aspects of a Summer ML Training course (I did mine back in 2003), and enjoyed a productive week.