Monthly Archives: January 2011

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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Corner Time on Druim Shionnach

On Wednesday January 19, Martin Moran and Pete Macpherson added a good new route to Druim Shionnach in Glen Shiel. “We’re not sure what the name is yet,” Pete told me, “but it goes up the big left-facing corner which … Continue reading

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Slicing Through Creagan a’Choire Etchachan

On Wednesday January 19, Andy Nisbet and Helen Rennard visited Creagan a’Choire Etchachan in the Central Cairngorms. They climbed Kukri (V,6), a good mixed route based on the grassy fault and inset slab which bounds the right side of the … Continue reading

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Exploring Cha-No

I knew that Andy Nisbet would not be able to resist taking a look at Creagan Coire Cha-no, the little crag I’ve visited a few times this season on the eastern side of Cairngorm. After the thaw on Tuesday January … Continue reading

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Historic First On Sight of Happy Tyroleans

Nineteen-year Greg Boswell is on a roll. Brimming with confidence after a superb recent run of routes, Greg visited Coire an Lochain on Wednesday January 19 and made the first on sight ascent of Happy Tyroleans, the impending corner-line to … Continue reading

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Another New Winter Crag in Glen Coe

When Simon Yearsley and Malcolm Bass climbed the classic ridge route of Sron na Lairig on the south east ridge of Stob Coire Sgreamhach last December (see Major New Ice Venue in Glen Coe), they also spotted a potential new … Continue reading

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