Saturday, March 1, 2008

Climbing Scottish style

Steve and I headed off climbing for the weekend. Because it's been quite a mild, dry winter (generally), it's almost like late spring conditions in the mountains. Consequently we climbed a rock route (on cold rock) on Saturday and found some ice high up on Ben Nevis on Sunday.

Buachaille Etive Mor is the striking mountain that grabs your attention when you turn from Rannoch Moor westwards and enter Glencoe. Like a sentry in a way - a big fat one.

It has some classic rock (and some winter) lines in gullies and on ridges. We climbed one of these classic scrambles, Crowberry Ridge, but via a technical start up a classic rock climb called Agag's Groove.


Another pair of climbers on neighbouring Curved Ridge, another classic scramble. It's a great atmosphere, since you're already a long way up by the time you start climbing proper. Very airy.

It was this big! Actually, this photo was taken beforehand, but this was about the size of the rock that Steve pulled down on himself while seconding on Crowberry Tower. We estimate it weighed several hundred kilos, it didn't do much good for his hand or his shoulder. I was a bit worried at the top - no vocal communication, just a fall on the rope and then the sounds of a mammoth rock crashing down the gully! Steve, hard man that he is, was OK.

Interesting rock formation.

Sunday - we climbed Glover's Chimney, this is the final mixed pitch. 150 m climb my arse! My rope's 60 m and we climbed well over 3 rope lengths. It was quite a busy day on the relatively small number of climbs that were "in", so we saw lots of other teams.



The descent, Number 4 Gully. Took a bit of finding (asking) in the low visibility on the summit plateau.


Our route is the obvious line in the centre.

1 comment:

steve said...

It's Glover's Chimney and Number 4 Gully. Get it right dude! It wouldn't pay to have inaccurate information out in the bloggosphere.