Scottishwinter.com

Roger Webb on the first ascent of Moonflower, a new Grade III in Coire nan Clach on Braeriach. Along with the mixed climbs high on Ben Nevis, the remote high corries of the Cairngorms are invariably the first areas to come into condition every season. (Photo Simon Richardson)

Autumn is a great time to explore the high Cairngorms. The north-west facing Northern Corries rime up quickly with the first snows of the season, but it is the likes of Braeriach and Beinn a’Bhuird that truly hold the cold during early season temperature variations and thaw. The climate in the corries cutting deep into the Cairngorm plateau is different to the front line crags on the northern flanks of the massif.

Aspect is important too. The west-facing Coire nan Clach on Braeriach yielded a couple of new lines to Roger Everett, Roger Webb and myself after the first blast of winter westerlies in early November. Moonflower (III) on Alaska Buttress, and RRS Rib (II) up the ridge to the right, were a good opportunity to blow away the summer cobwebs. The following weekend, all north and west-facing crags had been stripped bare by warm south-west winds, but a sharp freeze had transformed the vertical-stepped corner cutting through the buttress left of Powerpoint in the sheltered east-facing Coire Bhrochain. This gave Roger Everett and I Petzl Buttress, a good III,4 climbed on well-frozen turf, new squeaky ice and hard re-frozen snow.

On the last Sunday in November, Roger Webb and I teamed up to visit the obscure East Meur Gorm Craig on Ben Avon. The Sheep, The Sheep (III,4) and Sheep of Destiny (III,4) are probably the best winter lines on a largely disappointing crag comprised of massive exfoliating granite, but nevertheless we had the dubious satisfaction of adding the first (recorded) winter routes to the mountain.

Earlier in the month, The Stuic on Lochnagar – the most accessible high venue in the Eastern Cairngorms – gave a good four pitch V,5 to Roger Everett and myself up the series of steep corners to the left of Millennium Buttress.

These routes will likely only be of interest to a small handful of climbers, and will be quickly lost in the back pages of the SMC Journal. They will almost certainly never merit full descriptions in upcoming guidebooks, but they do demonstrate the exploratory fun that can be had by looking around a new corner or two!

Lee Harrison moving up to the foot of Snuffleupagus (IV,6) in Coire an Lochain in the Northern Corries. The route follows the line of corners directly above Lee’s head. (Photo Michael Barnard)

On November 23, Michael Barnard and Lee Harrison climbed Snuffleupagus (IV,6), a new two-pitch line in Coire an Lochain on the very left side of No.4 Buttress. “It starts up grooves and corners parallel to and left of Oesophagus,” Michael told me. “It then moves leftwards to finish near a route called Sarcophagus which I chanced upon a couple of years ago. That had been done on the solo so the bleak name seemed justified, but this time we decided to go for something more upbeat!”

Given the active and constructive recent discussion about the recording of routes on popular cliffs, I asked Andy Nisbet’s opinion on Lee and Michael’s route. “Snuffleupagus is different,” Andy explained. “I’m guessing a bit without going there, but I suspect it wouldn’t have been considered as a route until recently. But nowadays folk treat cliffs like crags – every feature can be climbed and claimed as a new route. Creagan Cha-no is like that and folk are liking it. So perhaps the old school like me should just go with the times… it will go in the Journal, although hopefully I’ll get a chance to look at it first!”

The right side of No.4 Buttress in Coire an Lochain on Cairn Gorm showing the line of Torquing to Myself. 1. Torquing Heads (VII,7), 2. Western Slant (IV,5), 3. Cut Adrift (III,4), 3a. Cut Adrift RH Start, 4. Torquing To Myself (III,4). (Photo and Topo Simon Yearsley)

Simon Yearsley had an enjoyable day in the Northern Corries on November 25, coming away with a possible first ascent on No.4 Buttress in Coire an Lochain. His climb raises some interesting aspects about the recording of new routes.

“I was due to climb with Helen Rennard again on Monday,” Simon explains, “but she was pretty tired after two days on the Ben – one new route and one VIII,8, so she gave her (very understandable) apologies. The forecast was excellent, so I pottered up to Coire an Lochain by myself to check out the far right hand side of the crag. It’s probably fair to say that 99.9% of the Northern Corries have been well and truly explored by several generations of keen instructors from Glenmore Lodge. However, given that there’s always the chance of finding the 0.1%, and also that I’d been giving a talk recently, extolling the virtues of new routing in Scotland and encouraging folk to look at existing venues with “New Route Eyes”… so I thought it appropriate to check out this wee area. It looked like the ground immediately right of “Cut Adrift” could hold give a short route, and at a grade I hoped I’d be able to solo.

I found it a bit nerve racking starting out to solo a route, but things quickly settled down and progressed quite quickly to a fine blocky ledge below the steep final wall. A flaky crack lead out left, but I must admit it took a couple of nervous attempts to start the crack. Once committed it was of course much easier than contemplation, and I was soon standing on the plateau. Coire an Lochain doesn’t have too many reasonable IIIs, so, whilst the route is fairly minor, it is a useful addition, especially as it makes a good early season line. I must admit to chuckling about the name – I’d stood on the blocky ledge for a good ten minutes, muttering to myself about I should start the final flake crack… seeing as the route lies close to Torquing Heads and Torquing West… ‘Torquing To Myself’ seems appropriate.”

Simon sent his account to Andy Nisbet, editor of the highly authoritative New Routes section in the SMC Journal, who was quick to respond. “It’s unlikely that Torquing to Myself hasn’t been done before,” he wrote. “Glenmore Lodge instructors including me, have taken folk up routes in that area, but it’s difficult to be precise about exactly where we went.”

I pushed Andy a little further, and asked whether Torquing to Myself would be recorded in next year’s SMCJ.

“It’s difficult to know what to do with this route,” Andy replied. “It took some persuading to include [the nearby] Cut Adrift (in the SMCJ) but I actually went and did it myself. And it was good, and not what I’d done before (but others might have). But Simon Y’s line has been climbed before, or roughly so, because it’s less steep than Cut Adrift and does bank out a lot, in fact in mid-season is Grade II. But it’s a bit like Sneachda and the routes that were regular Glenmore Lodge routes but never recorded (like the ribs between the Trident Gullies). After several attempts to claim them, Allen Fyffe did put them in the last guide, and rightly so. The area on the right side of Fiacaill Buttress is another area used by instructors. I’ve had a couple of claims, but I know the routes have been done hundreds of times and have refused; again maybe they should be in the next guide. The “twin ribs” are another instructor area that perhaps should be in the guide, as they are good fun if rather trivial to more experienced folk.

But that’s not a reason why they shouldn’t be recorded because, as Simon points out, he enjoyed the day and if he felt it worthwhile, then so will others. So I think I’ll put it in the SMCJ as a first recorded ascent. I don’t actually know what I did [in this area] – you just took your two students and soloed up ahead of them leading, pointed out runner placements and generally supervised, not thinking about where you went or recording it; there was enough to worry about. Glenmore Lodge have stopped that sort of instruction these days.”

“I’m pretty relaxed about all of this, “Simon responded, “but if I had to choose, I think I’d come down on the side of recording all routes, and if this means that we document some routes as first recorded ascents, then that seems in my view to be a positive thing. I think we’ve moved on a long way from the days of ‘don’t record’.”

So the conundrum – should we record good and accessible lines in popular areas that are known to have unlisted ascents (such as the Northern Corries), or avoid any possible ambiguity by purely focusing on new routes (typically very hard) that are more certain to be breaking new ground?

Helen Rennard climbing pitch two of Day of The Doctor (IV,5) on Ben Nevis during the first ascent. The route was repeated next day by Robin Clothier and Pat Ingram taking a more direct line on the final pitch. (Photo Simon Yearsley)

On Saturday November 23, Simon Yearsley and Helen Rennard added a new route to North Trident Buttress on Ben Nevis. Simon takes up the story:

“Over the weekend, freezing levels seemed hard to predict, with anything from 900m to 1100m for the West, depending which forecast you chose. So Helen and I banked on going high, and headed over to the Ben. We were in a new route mood, so we headed up to North Trident Buttress to look at the buttress tucked between Nereid Gully and Left-Hand Ridge. The buttress is fairly small, but does have a very obvious and very fine looking ramp line on its right hand side. From below, the ramp looked to be about grade III, but, as is often the case with features like this, as soon as you set off, the climbing proved to be a bit harder. Short steep steps with not so great gear lead upwards… but I then decided to head rapidly downwards in a silly 7m fall when an axe ripped. The rope caught in my crampon, spinning me into an inelegant upside down clattering fall. A peg just below me ripped, but a lower sling (and Helen’s belaying!) caught me.

I’ve taken very few leader fall in winter, and was a wee bit shaken… but with Helen’s encouragement, and few giggles at the daft position of me being lowered back to the belay with my leg high above my head, I dusted myself down, and I set off again. The ramp is a very fine feature and gave two great pitches before joining Left-Hand Ridge above its crux. We followed the excellent horizontal arête of Left-Hand Ridge for one pitch, and then spotted a series of turfy grooves immediately right of the crest of the buttress between Jubilee Climb and Nereid Gully. This gave a final 50m pitch before the angle kicked back and we sauntered to the top.

Thinking about a name for the climb is always a fun part of new-routing. Chatting through different ideas, we realised that over 10 million people across the UK were going to be glued to their TV screens later than evening watching a 50th anniversary episode of Doctor Who. So, the name was easy – Day of The Doctor.”

The route was repeated next day by Robin Clothier and Pat Ingram. “Robin and Pat climbed a slightly better final pitch,” Simon told me. “Above the flat section of left-hand ridge, where we climbed turfy grooves on the right of the arête, they climbed the deep groove in the arête itself. We’d looked at this but time was pressing, but it’s probably a better finish at the same overall grade.”

Tony Stone making the third ascent of Arthur (VIII,8) on Number Three Gully Buttress, Ben Nevis. The first winter ascent of this imposing line was made by Bruce Poll and Tony Shepherd in 2004 and was the third Grade VIII to be climbed on the mountain. (Photo Iain Small)

If last weekend’s activity is anything to go by, Ben Nevis has taken over from the Northern Corries as the venue of choice for high standard early season mixed. Harry Holmes and Dan Tait set the tone on Thursday November 21 with an ascent of the steep corner-line of Cornucopia (VII,8) on the left flank of Creag Coire na Ciste. This route has become something of a modern test-piece, but it can be even more challenging early in the season when the tricky entry pitch is not banked out by tens of metres of snow in Number Three Gully.

The following day was forecast to be a little warmer, but Iain Small and Tony Stone decided to take a chance and head up to the Ben to take a look. “Luckily the freezing level kicked in below the Number Three Gully Buttress area,” Iain told me. “The snow pack is pretty impressive for this time of year, so no struggling up snow-covered scree! Conditions were pretty icy with some neve even on bigger ledges and the rock was getting rimed and verglassed in the damp mist. We climbed Storm Trooper (VIII,8) by the original start up the flake-crack and finished up the final chimney of Cornucopia. It was very good route, which deserves to be climbed more often. Somehow, it seems to have been overlooked compared with other surrounding lines.”

On Saturday November 23 there were plenty of strong teams in action on the high cliffs of Coire na Ciste. Andy Inglis and Neil Adams made an ascent of The Secret (VIII,9), whilst nearby, Blair Fyffe, Richard Bentley and Robin Clothier made an early repeat of Archangel (VII,7). Across on Number Three Gully Buttress, Iain Small and Tony Stone made the third ascent of Arthur (VIII,8). This steep and rarely climbed summer HVS was first climbed in winter by Bruce Poll and Tony Shepherd in January 2004, and was repeated by Ian Parnell and North American ace Kelly Cordes during the 2005 BMC international Meet.

The following day (November 24), Pete Macpherson and Erick Baillot visited the Archangel area and made the second ascent of Avenging Angel Direct (VIII,8). Direct, steep and uncompromising, this is one of the finest mixed lines on the mountain and was only first climbed in its entirety by Neil Adams and Jim Higgins last February.

Neil Adams and Andy Inglis made it a memorable weekend with an early repeat of Apache (VIII,9), the steep crack-line to the right of Sioux wall on Number Three Gully Buttress. Next door, Harry Holmes and Helen Rennard made a smooth ascent of the modern classic Sioux Wall (VIII,8). “It was brilliant and really enjoyable,” Helen told me. “There were some amazing hooks, and it was never that hard. We started late and finished in the dark but it was still clear with an amazing starry night.”

Simon Yearsley making an ascent of Savage Slit (V,6) in Coire an Lochain on Cairn Gorm. Savage Slit reliably comes into condition with the first snows of the winter and is a popular early season choice. (Photo Helen Rennard)

Strong westerlies brought the first real snows of the 2013/214 Scottish winter season during the last days of October. There are rumours of an ascent of Fingers Ridge (IV,4) in Coire an t-Sneachda during the first snowfalls last week, but the first batch of this season’s winter routes were climbed over the weekend and Monday.

Blustery conditions and poorly frozen turf, meant that many folk climbing in the Northern Corries went away empty handed over the weekend, but further west, parties were more successful on the mountaineering classics suxh as the Aonach Eagach and Ledge Route on Ben Nevis.

Yesterday (November 4), Duncan Hodgson and Mark Chadwick visited the Northern Corries and climbed the modern classic Hookers Corner (VI,6). Next door on No.4 Buttress, Helen Rennard and Simon Yearsley made an ascent of Savage Slit (V,6).

“Sensible route choices are always important, but none more so than with the first snows of the winter,” Simon told me. “It’s tempting to rush out to “grab the white stuff”, but it was pretty obvious that from following the forecasts that no turf would be frozen by Monday (as Helen found out the day before when she’d taken a walk into Coire na Ciste on the Ben to check out conditions), so it was all about routes which can be climbed in a good coating of snow but don’t rely at all on turf. Routes like Fingers Ridge, Crest Route, Crypt Route, Hookers Corner Savage Slit and Mess Of Pottage are good objectives, and yesterday was no exception!

Helen and I walked into Coire an Lochain with deep snow in the boulders around the eponymous lochan and the cliffs plastered with rime and heavy snow. Savage Slit was beautifully white, with lots of effort needed to uncover the cracks for gear, and coupled with the wind it was a full-on reintroduction to Scottish winter! Mark Chadwick and Duncan Hodgson found similar conditions on Hookers Corner, and later in the day we also bumped into Lou and her partner after they’d done a route on Mess of Pottage, and also heard later that Andy Nisbet and Dave McGimpsey enjoyed a fun (and possibly slightly more sheltered) day out on Fingers Ridge. I must admit I did feel pretty tired after the Ice Factor Festival of Ice Comp on Saturday, but walking back down to the car park, we both agreed that it felt wonderful to be back in the swing of things… here’s to more white stuff!”

Pete Macpherson on the second ascent of Steam Train (VII,7) on Ben Nevis. This striking line takes the big corner between Orient Express and Newbigging’s 80-Minute Route on the First Platform. (Photo Guy Robertson)

On April 26, Guy Robertson and Pete Macpherson visited Ben Nevis. They had their eye on an objective higher up the mountain, but with the big routes buried under thick unstable snow, they opted for a safer low level option and made the second ascent of Steam Train which they thought weighed in at about VII,7

Steam Train was first climbed as a summer route by Doug Hawthorn and Noel Williams in July 1984 and graded HVS. Dave MacLeod and visiting US climber Alicia Hudson made the first winter ascent in 2007 and graded the route VI,7.

“It looks like Dave started up The Ramp and missed the first pitch of Steam Train,” Guy told me. “This was a notch harder than the top corner, so the grades make sense. It’s definitely a quality wee route and a good option when the weather and/or snow are conditions unfriendly!”

Doug Scott below The Smear (V) on Sgurr a’Mhadaidh just before the first ascent in 1979. The route was not climbed again for 34 years until Andy Huntington and Mike Lates repeated it this April. Scott later wrote that this was his hardest new route on ice. (Photo Jim Duff)

Mike Lates and Andy Huntington rounded off an exceptional 2013 winter season on Skye with the second ascent of The Smear (V) on the North Face of Sgurr a’Mhadaidh.

“Mick Fowler once told me that he’d only ever seen it touching down in the mega winter of 1986,” Mike told me. “I never thought it would happen again, but I watched it grow considerably over the first two weeks of April. Andy’s sailing to Oz this summer so needed very little encouragement to drop everything before the thaw arrived. Some pressure built with a text from Blair Fyffe asking if Icicle Factory was in nick, which I just had to duck and hope he didn’t interpret my silence as a yes – sorry Blair!

Heavy rain overnight luckily cleared by the morning (April 12) and we reached the freezing level just below the climb. After studying the B&W shot of Doug Scott beneath it (on the first ascent in 1979) Andy had rehearsed the committing start in his head. I was blown away by quite how rapidly he went for it and very relieved when he finally placed a screw after 20m. One swing explained Andy’s speed – the ice was perfect with first time placements virtually all the way. Having worried whether my arms would make it to the belay I found myself, instead, looking forward to leading the second pitch. Even a crampon coming off couldn’t distract from the fun, which was over far too soon.

Looking at the B&W shot again, Doug and Jim had far less ice than us – in fact it doesn’t even appear to be touching down. They must have been wearing wings that day!”

Perfect spring conditions on Ben Mor Coigach with the prominent North-East Ridge containing the Reid-Crofton Grade III and Hyperborea (IV,5) in the centre. (Photo Bob Reid)

Bob Reid and Ian Crofton visited Ben Mor Coigach on April 8 and did a little exploring.

“Conditions were excellent,” Bob told me. “There was plenty of snow and ice on the north faces and we had good weather. We walked in toward Lochan Tuath and went southwards into the corrie at the northern end of Ben Mor Coigach. There are several easy gullies in this corrie (which appears nameless on the 1:50,000 OS Map). We passed these by and headed for the left-bounding rib of the corrie. This is much more of a feature than we imagined, and became quite well defined as we got higher. It gave a very good mixed climb. We stuck to the crest and were delighted at the climbing we found. Sandstone steps, grooves and the odd chimney connected by steep snow led directly to the Coigach plateau where the climb abruptly ends.

We didn’t think a [modern] name appropriate for such a traditional route but suggest North-East Ridge of Ben Mor Coigach (285m Grade III).”

The story should have ended there, but it turned out that Bob and Ian were not the first to climb in this corrie. When Bob returned home the latest version of the SMC Journal had arrived with a description of Hyperborea (IV,5) climbed the previous winter by John Higham and Iain Young. “They call the hanging corrie Cadh’ a’ Mhoraire,” Bob explained. “And their route took a rather more serious challenge on the right (west) side of the North-East Ridge.”

Ian Magill on the first ascent of Highway to Hell (III,5) on the north side of the North-East Ridge of Beinn Ime. This is the highest cliff in Arrochar and provides worthwhile climbing when conditions are lean. (Photo Andrew Fraser)

“While on the subject of high, north facing and reliable crags in unreliable areas,” Andrew Fraser recalls, “we have been doing some routes on Arrochar’s highest crag – the north face of the North-East Ridge of Beinn Ime. Again this only had one route, being The Lost Highway (III). There are two crags, both of 100m. The left one has a ramp leading rightwards across it. This gave the excellent The Darkness Beckons (IV,4) with a surprising first pitch and a sting in the tail to Ian Magill and myself in February 2012. The vertical fault at the right end of the cliff gave Lane Restrictions (III,4) to Ian, James Dalgliesh and myself on April 7.

On the right-hand crag, the fault to the right of Lost Highway gave two pitches of pleasant Grade II climbing to Ian and myself on 28 November 2012, before Ian spoiled matters with a desperate tech 5 finish – Highway to Hell (III,5). At the far right end of the crag, Ian, James and myself did Innominate Gully 55m (I), in heavily banked conditions, on April 7. As the highest crag in Arrochar, and north facing as well, this is another crag, which has proved reliable in thin conditions.”On the right-hand crag, the fault to the right of Lost Highway gave two pitches of pleasant Grade II climbing to Ian and myself on 28 November 2012, before Ian spoiled matters with a desperate tech 5 finish – Highway to Hell (III,5). At the far right end of the crag, Ian, James and myself did Innominate Gully 55m (I), in heavily banked conditions, on April 7. As the highest crag in Arrochar, and north facing as well, this is another crag, which has proved reliable in thin conditions.”