Tag Archives: Mike Lates

New Winter Season Kicks Off In Style

Posted on October 30, 2018 by Simon Richardson

Mike Lates and Stephan Wrede gave the new winter season a flying start on October 28 with a new route on The Cuillin. Tour de Force (VI,6) is situated on the Great Stone Shoot Face on Sgurr Thearlaich. The three-pitch … Continue reading →

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Skye Winter Festival Report

Posted on February 3, 2017 by Simon Richardson

The seventh Skye Winter Festival was another great success. A short bout of winter at the beginning of the two-week event saw five new routes before the meet resorted to more traditional Cuillin games for the next ten days. Local … Continue reading →

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Silver Fox

Posted on December 23, 2016 by Simon Richardson

On November 19, Mike Lates and Sophie Grace Chappell made an excellent early season addition to Coire Lagan in the Cuillin with the first ascent of the 235m-long Silver Fox (V,5). “The long curving fault line from the corrie floor … Continue reading →

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Skye Winter Festival 2016

Posted on March 12, 2016 by Simon Richardson

The Skye Winter Festival is the brainchild of local guide Mike Lates and has become a regular fixture on the winter climbing calendar. The meet is based at the Carbost Inn and has done a huge amount to bring the … Continue reading →

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On The Breadline

Posted on November 25, 2015 by Simon Richardson

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 … Continue reading →

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Skye Winter Climbing Festival

Posted on February 28, 2015 by Simon Richardson

Several folks have commented that I left a bit of a teaser about the Skye Winter Climbing Festival following my post about Here Today, Gone Tomorrow. The festival was an outstanding success with over 20 new routes and only one … Continue reading →

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Winter Finally Begins

Posted on December 6, 2014 by Simon Richardson

After a very warm November, the winter season season finally got underway in the first week of December as westerly winds brought snow to the higher tops. As usual, The Northern Corries were the most popular venue and there were … Continue reading →

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New Line in Coire na Banachdaich

Posted on January 5, 2014 by Simon Richardson

It’s interesting how different days have yielded better conditions in different parts of the country throughout this prolonged series of storms. On Skye for example, New Year’s Day was the only one with easterly winds forecast, so Mike Lates and … Continue reading →

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The Smear – Repeated at Last!

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Simon Richardson

Mike Lates and Andy Huntington rounded off an exceptional 2013 winter season on Skye with the second ascent of The Smear (V) on the North Face of Sgurr a’Mhadaidh. “Mick Fowler once told me that he’d only ever seen it … Continue reading →

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2013 Skye Winter Meet

Posted on January 26, 2013 by Simon Richardson

Skye guide and guidebook author Mike Lates organised a highly successful winter meet based at the BMC Hut in Glen Brittle from January 18-21. Conditions were close to perfect, and Mike’s highly informative blog covers the activity on the meet. … Continue reading →

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