New Routes on Binnein Shuas

Binnein Shuas North-West Ridge  A. Location, Location, Location (55m III,4), A1. Location, Location, Location via Cave Man Start 55m (III,5) B. Laggan Fantasy (30m IV,5), C. Summit North-West Buttress (40m II). D. Bogle Eyed (30m, III), E. Off Yer Knees (30m, III). (Topo Martin Holland)

Binnein Shuas North-West Ridge A. Location, Location, Location (55m III,4), A1. Location, Location, Location via Cave Man Start 55m (III,5) B. Laggan Fantasy (30m IV,5), C. Summit North-West Buttress (40m II). D. Bogle Eyed (30m, III), E. Off Yer Knees (30m, III). (Topo Martin Holland)

“On March 6 Andy Clark, Rob Wright and I needed a short day with options to cut off early, so we headed for Masa and Yuki Sakano’s routes on the North-West Ridge of Binnein Shuas,” Martin Holland writes.

“We climbed an alternative start to Location, Location, Location; the cave mentioned in Masa’s description is actually a through route. Andy, Rob and I climbed this and it gave a hilarious squeeze/thrutch with rucksacks needing to be removed part way up. Like all squeezes it’s difficult to grade, but the final moves out of the cave felt hard, but with good protection, so we’re suggesting a grade of III,5 and a name of The Cave Man Start.

Higher up we climbed Bogle Eyed, which again gave a good quality, ice pitch and must form quite readily. We then aimed for what I thought was Summit North-West Buttress. We climbed what looked like the “obvious zig-zag snow line”, however, it felt somewhat nippy for a II and we popped out about 20m North of the summit rather than ‘80m West’; so not the same line, but a good pitch direct to the summit.

With the benefit of better visibility on Saturday and topping out I now know I incorrectly located Bogle Eyed relative to Laggan Fantasy when I reported it last year on scottishwinter.com. Bogle Eyed is actually roughly level with and about 100m left (East) of Laggan Fantasy.

The line we climbed on Sunday to near the summit is on what I’d guess would have to be called the Summit North or just the Summit Buttress. The Off Yer Knees name is Andy and Rob’s suggestion as it was a regular cry from Andy to Rob on the day!”

About Simon Richardson

Simon Richardson is a passionate Scottish winter climber
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3 Responses to New Routes on Binnein Shuas

  1. Sophie Grace says:

    Gosh. That makes me wonder if Ardverikie Wall might have come in this winter. Certainly when Steve Perry and I climbed it in September it was good and weepy. With good ice it would probably be about VI, 5…

    Has a WA been recorded? I can’t see one on UKC.

    • Simon Richardson says:

      No, it hasn’t had a winter ascent SG. Full icing would be extremely rare, but more importantly, there is a presumption against making winter ascents of low lying classic summer routes.

  2. Sophie Grace says:

    A presumption, yes…

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