Return of Winter

It seemed like winter was back, we had been rock climbing in snow so now it was time to scour the forecasts and keep in constant contact with the Highland weather station (my parents house).  Consecutive overnight lows of -5 at 100m gave enough hope to make the trip north for a long weekend.  First picking up Kane and then Andy we made the long trip north of Inverness with a classic forecast and the hope of a new route awaiting.  Just the one oversight came to light as I realised I had forgotten any music for the 9 ½ hour drive.  All was not lost and we resolved to take all local radio stations along the way which would give us an interesting soundtrack.  We arrived at my parents at 2:00 am, straight to bed and up at 6:30 for an early start on the long approach to Alladale.  This we eased with bikes but my borrowed option would have been more suitable for a child with its diminutive frame.  Nonetheless I was glad of it on the way back.

The snowy coire at the west end of Alladale

The ground was well frozen boding well for ice conditions.  A lovely silence, the type you only get with an extended period of hard frost, filled the glen and the pink of the sunrise topped the valley sides and was cast across the snow clad back wall of the coire contrasting with the pure blue above.  Ice smears dribbled down the glacially smoothed Alladale Slabs which form the south side of the glen but as we started to see in to the gully which splits the slabs and had been our target it became clear that it had been too dry and only the top of the ice line had formed.  It would have been possible to climb the line but it would not have done justice to what should, no-doubt, be a fantastic route when it does form.   

It will form sometime

After a brief feeling of disappointment we turned our attention to the North Face of An Socach which held the intimidating Alladale Pillar and a trio of further routes named The Pimp, The Wimp and The Gimp.  As we topped the lip of the hanging coire it seemed that the Gimp was to be the best formed and so we raced up to its base and started gearing up, as usual, on ground way too steep for comfort. 

The foreshortened icefalls of The Gimp (we took the left to right slanting ramp round the arete to pass the lower thin icefall in the centre of the picture)

After arranging a turf peg belay I led out the first pitch, aiming for the base of the main ice fall.  After 40m of thin ice, steep ground and one descent runner I was in need of a belay and judging the ice above to be on the thin side of reliable I cut out left to where I found two dubious pegs and a solid placement for my one remaining turf peg.  It was then Kane’s turn to take the lead and he also decided that the lower icefall was not going to offer a route so traversed up and right to a hanging arête which had to be turned to access the upper ice fall.  Some tough out of balance moves took him round on to the ice and out of view. 

Kane trying to get axe placements on the mixed crux of The Gimp

Taking in the exposure on The Gimp

When it came to my turn to follow the technicality of the moves was eclipsed by the plunging exposure, accentuated by the off balance step round the arête allowing toes to teeter above the congregated icicles extending below.  It was then up steep ice to a solid belay.  Andy led on to the top and the desolate beauty of the plateau, equal in impact to the Cairngorms, from which the views opened up around the whole of the highlands and made descent a difficult decision to make. 

.................nothing more need said (difficult to walk down in these conditions)

A slightly smaller version of the Cairngorms, atop An Socach

With hope was the only way to view the forecast for the next day but I convinced myself that the 75mph gusts would drop in to the afternoon and that Beinn Dearg was really not in the west.  So obviously Penguin Gully was to be the target.  An interesting route for its provenance as well as its quality, with its first ascent by Tom Patey and W.H. Murray, two climbers a generation apart, and two of the most inspirational writers on Scottish winter climbing.  A good meal and an early night and we were leaving the car at 8:00 for the 10km walk up to the West Buttress of Beinn Dearg, which we had decided would be sheltered from the southerly winds.  When Andy was upended for the second time it started to become clear that the winds were quite serious.  But I still had hope and with a look in to the icy runnel of Penguin Gully I was committed.   

The lower icefall, and icy runnel above, of Penguin Gully

Andy wasn’t feeling to well so made his way back down to the Van while I led on up the first steep icefall to access the lower gully.  The predicted thaw meant quite a soaking when the gusts whipped the heavy shower of drips across the icefallwindslab meant my every last effort had to me made to kick in steps up the final few metres but over the top the wall was all I needed for a belay and with my feet braced behind it I took in the rope and revelled in exhausted reflection on the fantastic route we had just completed.

We walked out west following the familiar wall along the ridge before dropping back down to the forestry track before 3:00.  Unfortunately this resulted in us making it to Inverness and a pub to watch the rugby (not a great result for Scotland – when will it be realised that Dan Parks should not be playing at international level!).  It was then on to the Cairngorms for a final day of climbing before the drive south.

So, the answer to the question posed in the last paragraph came pretty quickly and lets hope Scotland fare a bit better this weekend.  Anyway, this is not a sports blog but a climbing blog!  So after the disappointment of the rugby we headed up to Aviemore and found a nice park up in the Sugar Bowl car park, just off the road up to the ski centre.  An early start saw us making the amble around to Coire an t-Sneachda just after 7:00 with our minds set on Fluted Buttress Direct.  Unfortunately we were pipped to it and after a bit of a wait we realised those in front of us were going to be there for some time and transferred with a leftward traverse in to Wavelength.

Gearing up below Fluted Buttress

Kane took the first pitch, taking a left slanting line across iced slabs and in to Twisting Gully where he found a belay.  It was then Andy to take the lead, moving back right and through several corners before halting on a large ledge with an intimidating wall rising steeply behind him.  Rope drag persuaded him that a belay was required and I realised that my position as a passenger on this climb was over and the gear was dutifully handed over to me for the next pitch.  

Andy on the second pitch of Wavelength

The first obstacle was the steep wall above the belay.  Two options could be seen; a series of fractures to the left, which Andy had looked at but only found rounded granite, and an awkwardly angled groove to the right.  It was to the right I moved, past an unappealing corner to a sloping ledge with a steep crack above.  Contemplating my next move, I eventually found a placement for a hex to ease my worry and then muttered those words I hate so much, 'watch me here' (not because I am about to do something spectacular and want an audience, but rather, I'm about to make a move I am unsure is within my ability and may follow it with a downward motion over which I will have no control).  I placed my left foot up to the left of the crack, smeared  on a rounded horizontal break in the granite.  Finding some thin turf deep in the crack I embedded my left axe as far as I could, which only gave a remote feeling of security.  Hooking my right axe in to a shallow vertical groove running down the right wall of the crack I started an awkwardly off balance rock over on to my left foot.  My left axe was now at my waist, the turf in which it was embedded looking thinner and thinner.  Wrestling to regain balance I reached up and hooked the block above, and to my joy, not only was it a good hook, there was turf!  A sharp swing and the reassuring thud brought me relief and I pulled on up to a good ledge.  As is so often the case, the joy of having made it through a crux encourages one on and it is only after another 10m that you realise that some gear would have been a good idea.  The next hard section has arrived and it is still just protected by a hex which was now a worrying distance below.  The line was now, however clear with a series of corners following a well defined groove towards the fracture line of Fluted Buttress Direct.  The lack of good snow or ice continued to frustrate feet placements but good truf was always forthcoming at just the right moments.  There was then a lovely step round an arete and in to the left branch of Fluted Buttress Direct.  A few more moves and I started to worry about how much rope was left and made for a crack to set op a belay (it turned out I did have 2m to spare!).  It had been a long pitch and I was now glad of the rest.

Worsening conditions on the belay

Above a well defined groove led up to a steepening boulder choked chimney and Kane was soon on his way up.  Once he arrived at the steeper upper section the perspective seemed to change with 'steep' being less appropriate than overhanging, and the pauses for gear placement confirmed to me it's difficulty.  Kane still made short work of it and was soon belaying just below the final ridge which led to the plateau.  True enough, approaching the upper chimney was an intimidating experience but once established, solid hooks seemed to just keep on appearing and the enclosed nature of the climbing allowed bridging and lessened the exertion.  However, with the sustained nature of the climbing we certainly agreed that the route did seem somewhat undergraded in the condition we found it.  

Andy on the final pitch of Wavelength

With blizzards closing in Andy took on the short ridge to a sheltered final belay.  Once there we quickly coiled the ropes and descended the goat track to in to the relative shelter of the coire.  Stuffing the rucksacks full of all our kit we hurried back to the van and started the long drive south.  Pulling in to Cambridge at 2:30 on Monday morning I was absolutely shattered but as always it was well worth it for three excellent climbs, and notable in their different styles and the variability in the accompanying weather.  Another great weekend and enough to encourage the next trip after a weekends rest.