Potentially a new route: Mint Sauce E1 5c*, Glen Nevis

Having enjoyed yesterdays session on Sheep Fank Wall in Glen Nevis, Alex and I decided to head back and climb some of the other routes up there.  The rock is clean and dries quickly, and although the routes are short, they're quite technical, and on the whole, quite well protected.  It's a great micro crag! Alex warmed up by climbing 'Haul HVS 5a', which sports a nicely exposed crux, before gaining easier ground to the tree belay.  He then mentioned that there could be a potential new route, which I was very keen to try...

Just beyond the crux of Mint Sauce

Beneath the first roof of the crag, which is bound by the route 'Fence Edge HS' to it's left, and 'Sheep Fank Direct S' to it's right, is a small hanging slab, which looked quite blank, and not recorded in any of the guidebooks for the area.  Protection seemed to be reasonable from the ground, so I thought that there would be nothing to loose by having a go.  Having placed a Wild Country Zero Friend and a small Black Diamond micro-stopper, I made a few false starts before finally committing to the thin and quite strenuous slab, with feet on the tiniest features and hands undercutting varying quality of holds on the roof itself.  The join between the roof and slab didn't yield a thing for hands!  It was only a couple of moves across the slab, but felt quite exposed, as a slip would certainly not be pleasant!  Once I had gained the arete to the left, I muttered to Alex that I wasn't quite out the woods yet, before placing a solid cam, and establishing myself on the easier line of 'Fence Edge'.



I'm surprised that the slab had not been recorded, as it was a good route, with quite a technical crux, and it fits in well with the other routes on offer on the wall.  I've emailed the Scottish Mountaineering Club, and put the route forward...

POLLDUBH, Sheep Fank Wall:

Mint Sauce   30m   E1 5c *. Ken Applegate, Alex Wheeldon. 29 March 2011.

Start beneath the corner 3m right of the lowest point of the crag.  Climb up the corner, to the roof then make a delicate traverse left, across the hanging slab to gain the arete of Fence Edge and easier ground above.

Alex pulling through the crux on Tickattack

We finished the afternoon off with 'Tickattack E1 5b', which boasts an exposed and entertaining move as it's crux, to gain easier ground above.  Well protected, and good fun!

It's looking wet tomorrow, so I'm going to head up and see what winter's left on Ben Nevis...