Author Archives: Simon Richardson

About Simon Richardson

Simon Richardson is a passionate Scottish winter climber

Andy Turner Repeats The Hurting

Big News from last week, and widely reported elsewhere on The Internet, was the second ascent of The Hurting (XI,11) in Coire an t-Sneachda by Andy Turner and Phil Dowthwaite on Friday January 28. Andy had attempted the route a … Continue reading

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Storm Trooper Repeated

On Friday January 28, Tim Neill and Keith Ball made the second ascent of Storm Trooper (VIII,8) on Creag Coire na Ciste, Ben Nevis. “We climbed via the original first pitch – the one with Steve Ashworth pictured on it … Continue reading

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Bavarinthia Bravo!

Ines Papert and Charly Fritzer have continued their impressive run of routes. After their first ascent of Triple X (VIII,8) on Ben Nevis on January 28 with Dave Macleod, they headed back east. After a rest day they visited Coire … Continue reading

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Triple Talent

Visiting climbers Ines Papert and Charly Fritzer visited Ben Nevis with Dave MacLeod on January 28. After weighing up various new route options, they decided to try a new line based on the rarely climbed summer HVS Rolling Stones on … Continue reading

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The Evil Penguin Didn’t Get His Way

On Saturday January 29, John Lyall and Andy Nisbet made the first  winter ascent of Penguin (VS 4c), which takes a flake-crack on the right side of Flake Buttress on Coire Sputan Dearg. “As I made a fierce layback over … Continue reading

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Stone Temple Pilots

Guy Robertson and Pete Macpherson pulled off a major coup on Friday (January 28) when they climbed a new direct line up the front edge of the Shelter Stone. Their new route, called Stone Temple Pilots (named after a 90s … Continue reading

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Two Days – Three Major Repeats

Well known German climber Ines Papert is visiting with Austrian Charly Fritzer, and it’s all go in the Scottish mountains at the moment! On Wednesday January 26, Ines teamed up with Pete Macpherson made an early ascent of  Daddy Longlegs … Continue reading

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Darth Vader – Alternative Finishes

Simon Yearsley sent me the above photo the other day asking me to clarify the finish to Darth Vader, so I’ve labelled the exits of DV and its surrounding climbs as they were climbed on the first ascents. I suspect … Continue reading

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The Final Solution?

Pinnacle Buttress of the Tower on Ben Nevis has fascinated me for years. It is an elegant feature running up to the Great Tower from Coire na Ciste just to the left of Glover’s Chimney. Way back in 1996, I … Continue reading

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Gaddzooks!

Lured by good icy conditions after their recent ascent of Kukri on Creagan a’Choire Etchachan, Andy Nisbet and Helen Rennard returned on Saturday January 21, this time accompanied by John Lyall. They came away with the excellent Gaddzooks (VI,6), an … Continue reading

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