Murdo Nicholson following the initial pitch of The Breadline (V,5) during the first ascent. This 70m route lies on the North Face of Am Basteir on Skye. (Photo Mike Lates)
Mike Lates, Mark Francis (Beads) and Murdo Nicholson found a good mixed addition in the Cuillin on November 22 when they made the first ascent of The Breadline on the North Face of Am Basteir.
“One quick blast of winter and the Cuillin were straight back into great nick for mixed climbing,” Mike told me. “An overnight pulse of warm air had stripped the previous day’s snow back to the upper reaches but clear skies and black ice on the Coire a’Bhastier footpath boded well. Our route tackled an open-book corner directly above where The Deadline (III,4) turns hard right. My pitch gave a sharp wake-up call for the new season with a wide range of tactics and plenty of fight needed to make upward progress. The continuation pitch gave Beads more quality climbing and a stunning top-out on the back of Am Basteir.”
Well done guys, looks like a nice route. I remember Deadline fondly!