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Pete Macpherson on the first ascent of Suspended Animation (VIII,9), a new four-pitch long mixed route on Suspense Wall in Coire na Feola on Beinn Bhan. (Photo Martin Moran)

“After a four-week layoff due to cold and chest infection,” Pete Macpherson writes, “I ventured out (on January 16) with Mr Moran in the hope of a relatively easy day. Big objectives were out of the question due to my lack of fitness and chronic cough so we headed to Suspense Wall on Beinn Bhan, which has a nice short (two hour) approach and is an easily accessible crag.

The wall is extremely steep to say the least, and we struggled to find a realistic on sightable, and for that matter survivable line to try. Sometimes you just have to get in amongst it and hope that you find a weakness, such is the nature of on sighting on primitive untouched sandstone.

Four pitches of pokey and really technical climbing with a bizzare and thought provoking crux (which the Moran machine solved), got us to the easy finishing slopes. Delighted! Beinn Bhan gives pure adventure once again. Suspended Animation. We gave it VIII,9 but as Martin said at the time ‘it’s an intense passage.’ So much for an easy day!”

Martin Moran on the third winter ascent of Steeple (IX,9) on the Shelter Stone. This landmark route was first climbed in a 24-hour push by Alan Mullin and Steve Paget in November 1999. It set a new standard for Scottish routes of such sustained difficulty, and by deliberately climbing through the night, they redefined the approach to climbing long Scottish winter routes. (Photo Pete Macpherson)

The Shelter Stone has been in good conditions over the past few days with ascents of the classic mixed routes Sticil Face (V,6) and Postern (VI,6). Big news however is the third winter ascent of the summer E2 Steeple on December 12 by Pete Macpherson and Martin Moran. This pair are no strangers to high standard routes on the Shelter Stone. Two seasons ago Pete made the first ascent of Stone Temple Pilots (X,9) with Guy Robertson, and last December Martin made a winter ascent of The Needle (VIII,8).

“Martin and I had an incredible day yesterday on The Steeple’” Pete told me yesterday. “Rather than begin up Postern we started via the summer line, and apart from missing the 5c crux which was black (we did The Needle crux instead) we followed the true line throughout. Really sustained route from beginning to end. Martin led the corner in style, which was nails to say the least. I was so knackered seconding it with a sack that I only just managed to lead the final pitch in the dark, which was super strenuous before my hands arms and legs started to cramp up. Absolutely shattered today. I’m in college now studying to become a nurse. I think my fellow students thought a zombie had walked into the classroom this morning!

Martin Moran on the third pitch of Rudolf (VIII,8/9) on Beinn Eighe. Martin considers that the first winter ascent of this summer E2 up the centre of the Far East Wall is the most difficult winter route he has climbed on the mountain to date. (Photo Martin Moran Collection)

Murdo Jamieson and Martin Moran had a great day on Beinn Eighe on Monday January 23 with the first winter ascent of Rudolf (VIII,8/9) on the Far East Wall.

“Conditions were just right after three days of humid cool weather,” Martin told me. “It was well worth the wait after a long fallow period since Christmas. We reckon the route was near the top end of Grade VIII but not quite Grade IX, very comparable to but slightly more sustained than The Needle. I think the game will have to move on to the E3s to get a definite winter IX on Beinn Eighe; the protection on quartzite is just too good! Murdo thought it a full grade harder than Pic’n Mix which he’d done in friendly conditions the previous week.

Having done a few routes now on Beinn Eighe my graded list would be:

Rudolf   VIII,8/9

Pale Rider   VIII,9

King of the Swingers  VIII,10

Feast of the East  VIII,9

Sundance  VIII,8

Hydroponicum  VIII,8

Blood, Sweat and Frozen Tears  VII,8

It may seem strange that an VIII,8 should be harder than an VIII,10 but that’s how the grading system should work with the real challenge given by the first number!”

Shelter Stone Crag in the Loch Avon Basin, Cairngorms. Citadel (VII,8) takes a line just left of the right edge. The V-corner alternative exit (useful when the upper exit cracks are rimed over) can be seen above a small diamond-shaped snow field just below the plateau and left of the crest. (Photo Simon Richardson)

The 250m-high Shelter Stone Crag in the Loch Avon Basin has been in superb mixed condition over the last couple of weeks. ‘The Stone’ is one of Scotlands’s greatest cliffs and is home to a series of winter routes that have all been at the forefront of the development of the sport – Sticil Face (V,6 1954), Citadel (VII,8 1980), The Needle (VIII,8, 1985) , The Steeple (IX,9 1999) and Stone Temple Pilots (X,9 2011).

Sticil Face has had numerous ascents already this season, Stone Temple Pilots had its first repeat by Greg Boswell and Will Sim last week, and The Needle was climbed by Martin Moran and Murdoch Jamieson on Friday December 16. Although The Needle was one of the first ever Grade VIIIs climbed, Martin’s account on his blog makes it clear that despite over 25 years since the first ascent, this route is still a very demanding expedition.

“Make no mistake The Needle is properly hard,” Martin wrote. “There are grade VIIIs and grade VIIIs; if you do a short test piece like The Secret on the Ben and imagine that you’ve mastered the grade, I respectfully urge you to think again.”

On Saturday December 17, Jim Higgins and Neil Adams made an ascent of Citadel. This route is considered to be a touchstone Grade VII and a rite of passage for aspiring Scottish winter climbers. Again, their ascent proved to be a gruelling affair, and Jim has written a gripping account on his blog. Jim and Neil ground to a halt in sea of rime above the second crux unable to find the summer exit cracks. Several other teams have encountered the same problem (Robin Clothier and I struggled here too in December 1988 before the moon came out allowing us to top out), but the best option is to take the Moonlight Finish that leads up mixed ground up and left to a large ledge near the final chimney of Sticil Face and then finish by a steep V-corner on the right. This is not described in the guidebook, but has now become the established alternative exit.

Pete Macpherson starting up the second pitch of The Blue Lamppost (VIII,8) on Meall Gorm during the first winter ascent on Wednesday. This pitch was compared to the main groove-line of Bow Direct, a VII,8 on the Fhidlheir first climbed by Macpherson and Moran with Guy Robertson two winters ago. (Photo Pete Macpherson)

Pete Macpherson and Martin Moran visited Meall Gorm in Applecross on Wednesday December 7. They thought this easily accessible, and relatively low-lying crag was the only place to go without getting blown away, but even so, Martin’s van was rocked back and forth and blasted with hail as they arrived at the bottom of the glen. But they decided to head up and have a look as Pete explains:

“There was tons of snow, and after leaving the road, the going was desperate on the short approach. We chose an HVS called The Blue Lamppost (first climbed by Gill and Andy Nisbet in September 1996) as it looked the most challenging option. Martin started with a 30m turfy groove (not great turf), which took us to the bottom of the main wall. I headed up, and climbed a cool groove to below the roof, which Martin led, taking a right-hand variation rather than the guidebook fist crack.

I led the excellent top pitch, which was sustained at technical 8. It had a desperate start up an undercut groove leading steeply up into a block-filled chimney, which felt really outrageous, but positive. Poor Martin had to second in the dark. The turf on the last two pitches was good which will give everyone an indication of conditions in the surrounding area. Overall it was a great day with lovely weather, believe it or not!

As always, the grade wasn’t easy to decide, but we settled on VIII,8.”

Martin Moran topping out after his recent new route with Pete Macpherson on Druim Shionnach. The route was graded VII,8 making it one of the most difficult climbs in the glen. (Photo Pete Macpherson)

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 is on the left side of the prominent recess half way up the big ramp in the corrie. The corner is slabby on the left side and overhanging on the right with fantastic hooks but tiny edges for feet. Martin did his usual steady lead up the crux corner before committing to the left wall to pass the massive roof at the top. The second pitch consisted of easier climbing up turfy ramps and ledges to the top. We gave it VII,8 and it made for a nice short day out!”

Pete Macpherson styling up the first winter ascent of King of the Swingers (VIII,10) on the Far East Wall of Beinn Eighe. The route is graded E3 6b in summer, and the crux section traverses left under the overlap below the huge capping roof. This technical 10 pitch is the highest technical rating ever recorded in the Northern Highlands. (Photo Martin Moran)

Top team Martin Moran and Pete Macpherson made a stunning addition to Beinn Eighe on Tuesday (January 11) when they made the first winter ascent of King of the Swingers on the Far East Wall. This E3 6b, which takes the big corners left of Vishnu, was first climbed by Brian Davison, John Lyall and Andy Nisbet in June 1992. It sports a ferociously thin crux which traverses left under a huge roof, although this section can be circumvented by a pendulum which reduces the overall grade to E1.

Unfortunately Pete and Martin just missed out on the on-sight as Pete needed to take a rest point after completing the crux traverse free on his third attempt. “It was a bold lead,” Martin told me, ” because Pete elected not to go up to the high runner placement in the roof [as for the pendulum]. That would have been very awkward and would have required a three-metre downclimb of tech 8 moves. So the crux was tackled with runners way out right at waist height and the threat of a nasty swing back into the corner had he come off. Thankfully he had just got a cam clipped in the main crack when he pinged off on the first crucial attempt!”

The crack was hands-width and very strenuous to climb, with five or six moves of tech 8 one after the other.

“We reckoned VIII,10 as a proper grade because the summer 6b traverse was super-thin,” Martin explained. “The upper 50 metres were fantastic sustained VII,7!”

Congratulations to Pete and Martin for another outstanding addition and for pushing the technical envelope in the far-flung North-West.

The awe-inspiring Hayfork Wall of An Teallach. Haystack (VI,7) climbs the chimney in the centre and breaks left to finish. The Wailing Wall (IX,9) runs up the left side of the smooth wall to its right. (Photo Martin Moran)

Martin Moran and Murdo Jamieson climbed an exceptional new route on An Teallach on December 23 . Martin told me afterwards that this route “is definitely one of the best I’ve done.”

The Wailing Wall (IX,9) takes the left-hand side of the upper Hayfork wall which presents a superb fissured face 70 metres high on the left side of the classic Hayfork Gully in A’Ghlas Thuill. “The Hayfork wall is potentially one of the finest mixed climbing venues in the country,” Martin explained. “With a high altitude (900-970m) the wall gathers snow readily and is often in condition.” The 90m-long route climbs the slim corner-crack right of the modern classic Haystack (VI,7 and first climbed by Andy Nisbet and Dave McGimpsey in  January 2000), before taking an unlikely line up the wall above.

Climbed on-sight, The Wailing Wall stands as one of the most challenging winter routes in the country. “The grade is a bit tentative  because the route is quite short,” Martin told me.  “But it certainly felt ‘a step beyond’ on the on-sight lead and is quite a bit harder than The Secret.”

Martin Moran starting the second (crux) pitch on the first winter ascent of Feast of the East (VIII,9) on Beinn Eighe. This steep E1 5c on the Eastern Ramparts as first climbed in summer by Andy Nisbet and Gill Ollerhead in May 1992. (Photo Martin Moran Collection)

Martin Moran, Murdo Jamieson and Francis Blunt pulled off a magnificent route on Sunday (December 19) with the first winter ascent of Feast of the East on the Eastern Ramparts of Beinn Eighe.

In a remarkably efficient ascent, Murdo climbed the steep first pitch to the girdle traverse ledge, Martin made a superb lead of the second tech 9 crux pitch, and Francis powered up the final steep bulging 5b crack. Martin has had a superb start to the season with the first ascent of Omerta in Coire an t-Sneachda and repeats of The Secret and The God Delusion, but this time it was the pressure of leading under the full scrutiny of his more youthful companions that provided the greatest challenge.

“A double-roofed groove devoid of footholds signalled the crux,” Martin wrote on his blog. “I locked my knee against my torqued axe to place protection, and realised there would be no rests for the next 8 metres. A pair of cherubic but expectant faces gazed up from the belay stance. The pressure was on, my status as guru standing on the line. With every trick and contortion I’d ever learnt I squirmed and bridged desperately upwards. Protection could only be placed below waist level from an arched layback position. There was every chance of ending spreadeagled, upside down and inches from their eyeballs if I blew it.”

Martin Moran on the second ascent of The God Delusion (IX,9) on Beinn Bhan in Applecross. This touchstone route was first climbed by Guy Robertson and Pete Benson in December 2008 and is reckoned to be the most difficult winter undertaking in the Northern Highlands. (Photo Pete Macpherson)

Martin Moran and Pete Macpherson repeated The God Delusion (IX,9) on Beinn Bhan yesterday (December 8 ) in a 21-hour round trip. They used snow shoes for the approach and started climbing at 8am. They climbed the route in nine pitches and finished 14 hours later having negotiated the last three pitches in the dark.

“There was loads of snow and  perfect conditions,” Pete told me. “It is a magnificent, intense and insane route and definitely worth IX,9! My hat goes off to both Roberston and Benson for finding a way through such scary ground!”

Congratulations to Martin and Pete for a superb ascent. With first ascents of Apache, Omerta, Catriona, Satyr, Mammoth and now the second ascent of the hardest route in the North-West it has been a remarkable three weeks. Scottish winter climbing is humming more than ever it has before!