A winter finale - Tower Ridge 19-2-12

Of course climbing Tower Ridge, one of the longest winter climbs in Scotland, was a great idea for the Sunday weather window before having to be back south for work at 9:00 on Monday morning in Cambridge!  Well, at least it would allow a fun evening in Aberdeen and a re-familiarisation with Beanachie before the approaching blizzards took hold and sent me south to Edinburgh to pick up Rich and make our plans for the trip west to Ben Nevis.

Opening skies as we approached the base of Tower Ridge

The guidebook recommendation of 6-10 hours was a little off-putting but with an early start and the good weather forecast we were feeling confident.  So to make the 6:30 alarm call a little more palatable we decided to head across for a park up in the north face car park.  I was looking a little doubtful that we would make it as the car park as the A9 grew narrower with fresh snow encroaching on the tarmac.  Blizzards continued to threaten our progress as we wound our way through from Dalwhinnie to Laggan but after what seemed like far longer than was reasonable we drew in to the car park and quickly crawled in to our sleeping bags, excited with what the next day was going to offer.  We weren’t to hear our alarm, being woken by the early starters sorting their climbing kit, which must have consisted entirely of hexes (cow bells) by the noise that was being made.

Our early start was no longer dependant on an alarm and we soon found ourselves striding up the steep path, in the faint light of what passed for morning, through the forested slopes towards the Allt a’Mhuilinn.  In fact, pretty soon Rich found himself striding on boldly alone as I found my hill legs somewhat lacking.  I think I covered up for this well though with the suggestion that I was just warming up and trying to avoid injury! 

The North Face appearing from behind the swirling cloud

As the north face reared in to view to our right the assembled ramparts, ridges and corries appeared and then were again shrouded in the swirling clouds.  Behind us patches of blue were allowing a blush of pink on to the snow topped hills to the north.  The weather that we had been hoping for was on it’s way.  Unfortunately so to were what now seemed like every climber in Scotland so we quickly made our way past the CIC Hut and round the imposing Douglas Boulder to the shallow gully leading up to the Douglas Gap where a short chimney leads up on to Tower Ridge.  One pair were already there but we were happy to let them carry on while we lost ourselves in the views out in to Coire na Ciste with ant like dots crawling across its floor and fluted cornices draping the coire rim.

Coire na Ciste

Climbers on Smith's Route

With the team ahead out of sight and a gaggle of French, light and fast climbers past we drew our attention back in and I took the lead up the steep chimney which led to the ridge crest.  Furnished with deep, secure holds in summer it was now time to trust these with axes in hand.  In fact wool clad hands were often a better option until near the top after some awkward moves the axes bit in to some re-assuring nevé.  To speed our ascent and to try to be nearer the 6 than 10 hours predicted by the guidebook I was just going to run out the rope once up the chimney, but time had to be taken once on the ridge proper which was now bathed in bright sunshine.  The huge gouged corries dropped away to the left and right, the walls of which hold classic climb after classic climb defined by the ribbons of blue, with occasional ragged edges of icicles hanging from shadowy overhangs.  Zero, Hadrian’s Wall, Point Five, Smith’s all with black specks clinging to their blue tiers.  The occasional shout and rattle of gear giving away their positions in the still clarity of the winter air.

Hadrian's Wall

Running out the rope on the easy ground along the ridge crest I decided Rich might want a firm belay for the initial step chimney and took a stance when the rope cam tight.  Rich made short work of the chimney despite finding it pretty tricky.  We carried on along the beautifully sinuous snow ridge which led to the second steepening and with a traverse right, then leftward trending climbing up steep, blocky but secure ground led us to the next easing in the ridge which ran up to the base of the little tower.  The climbing had offered little in the way of technical difficulty so far but the variety, building exposure and lack of secure runners made me welcome a break.  Taking a seat I happily took in the ropes and waited for Rich to appear back on the ridge crest.  Another great excuse to take in the ever opening panorama.

Rich following up the ridge to below the little tower

After a chocolate bar and a swig of water I was off upwards once more.  We were making good time but I did not want to relax with much of the difficulties forecast for the upper reaches of the ridge.  The left side of the little tower looked most attractive with a series of rocky steps and intervening snowy ledges.  First though was an awkward flake which would cause a few problems for Rich, especially with just one crampon.  I would be oblivious to the problems unravelling below until our next meeting when my nerve found the solace of a large block just below the summit of the little tower a welcome break.  The snow on the ledges had a disappointing inconsistency but added interest to the climbing, especially when combined with iced an unreceptive cracks and the increasing drag of the ropes.  Some awkward steps led up to a low angled left facing corner which thankfully held an ice smear, which unfortunately prohibited gear placements.  A step out right on to steep snow slopes and I could edge my way to the beckoning block belay out to the right.  After some time Rich arrived, shaking his head and telling of his ordeal at the difficult flake, crampon flailing loosely from his foot.  He had managed to retrieve and skilfully re-attach it, but unfortunately left my hex and sling which admittedly, I had placed high and hammered in.  Perhaps this skill with crampons was the benefit of having, so many times, donned crampons and gear far too late after the approach up the ever steepening slopes which tend to lead to winter climbs.

Trying to find protection on the Eastern Traverse

A couple of short steps and we were on the next easing with the Great Tower now rising above us.  An added air of impregnability had drifted in with the cloud which now shrouded the summit.  However, the airy Eastern Traverse provides the path past this bastion.  Moving up to the base of the tower I found a runner at the start of the traverse and took Rich up so as he would have a grandstand view of the worrying moves that lay ahead.  Once engaged on the traverse the absorbing nature of winter climbing soon allowed the exposure to drift from my mind but in the initial steps down the short snow slope which ends abruptly, hiding the sheer drops below, it takes all my effort to push the dizzying drops from my mind.  The enjoyment increased with a couple of solid runners which sent the rope looping back to Rich.  Soon I was round the corner and making my way up the secure snow slope beneath which lay the summer through route behind a huge chock-stone which was just visible through the snow.  A further short traverse and an old peg signalled time for a direct climb.  The steep, and in places undercut, blocky steps that led upwards required some technical climbing but here the snow was consistent and good ice could dribbled over the lip of each step.   The traverse and steep climbing which followed were the highlight of the climb so far, offering such contrast on secure axe placements.  Finding a good belay was a different matter and eventually I found a reasonable pair of nuts and after resolving a few rope problems Rich joined me.  Now there was just Tower Gap to go.

The ridge narrows to about two feet with Tower Gap forming a 3m deep slot separating the ridge from the final rocky steps and sweeping snow slope which leads to the summit plateau.  Cliffs and snow slopes plunge away to either side, so after some careful steps I was glad to reach the large blocks which mark the start of the 3m down-climb in to the gap itself.  A sling round the large block gave some added confidence but luckily in this section of leading the rope is above and it is the second who, as Rich was to find out, will have to suffer if a slip occurs.  Axes placed in solid nevé at the lip of the gap, I leaned out, smearing my right foot on a snow dusted wrinkle.  Ah, there was the foothold for the left foot.  Now there was enough security to reach out right and get a balancing axe placement before lowering down on to the square cut blocks which floor the gap.  Happy with my avoidance of the congregation of old slings and cord which is often used to ease the down-climb I made the tricky moved to exit the gap directly and took up a belay below the final rocky step.

Rich approaching Tower Gap

Now it was Rich’s turn and he made his way along the narrowing ridge and tentatively peered in to the gap.  Reaching a good position with axes placed and feet on holds on the walls of the gap, with a sudden jerk, he was gone.  An axe had ripped out and he was now swinging above Glover’s Chimney.  Luckily no harm had been done but it transpired that his axe had not ripped but rather his hand had slipped out of his glove, and in turn the wrist loop of the axe, which had been thrown upwards and with lightening reactions Rich had then caught the axe as it fell past him.  Not a graceful decent, but effective.  Brushing himself down Rich quickly and with a hint of anger at the misfortune made his way up to the belay to take a rest. 

‘Well, at least you caught your axe’, consoling ourselves that things could have been worse. Placed his luckily retained axes below the belay Rich highlighted their presence and reminded me to not kick them off down in to the abyss.  A miscalculated movement and Rich set one of his own axes dancing off down the slopes.  Bugger.  Not ideal but all we had left was a small rocky step and then a final continuation of the ridge before the steepening snow slopes led to the summit.  The steepening final slopes added a final excitement to the route, on perfect and receptive snow, but I thought Rich might quite appreciate one of my axes and so sent one down on the rope, asking that he tried not to lose this one (OK, I didn’t ask this as I thought it would be far to mean – remarkable self restraint!).

Both lying on the plateau the exhaustion of our seven hours of climbing required a moments rest but was tempered by the elation of another day spent as I wish I could spend every day – among the ever changing beauty of the mountains.  The earlier blue skies and sparkling sunlight which had thrown the earlier mountain scene in to breathtaking focus, with every shimmering ice crystal perfectly sharp, had now succumbed to lowering cloud.  Looking across the plateau all that greeted us was white.  Rich took over navigation allowing me to rest a little after leading the climbing.  Soon and with fantastic skill we were following the line of cairns towards the zig-zag tourist track.  Luckily our reliance on a single torch was not tested on the climb itself as with the orange glow of Fort William casting upwards on to the darkening sky I decided it was time to excavate our single torch from my bag and set it to work in helping find the ‘path’ across the morass towards Allt a’Mhuilinn.  A brief flicker, then nothing!  However, we were soon over the river and back to the van and on the way south to Edinburgh before an all to brief sleep and a futile attempt to make it back to Cambridge for work at 9:00.  Oh well, some weekends are well worth it and this had been one of them for sure!