Posts in Rock and Ridges
A Covid summer 2020

With the global pandemic taking hold across the world we have all taken the opportunity to discover aspects of our lives which we may give little or no attention. Lockdown’s aplenty have meant our ‘normal’ has been disrupted, sometimes for good and sometime for a depressing out look.

My previous post was in March as I took the opportunity to branch away from the confinement of my computer and enjoy the lockdown restrictions as well as I could. With a few months off work I was still eager to get out into the hills, climb and explore so when the ‘green lights’ were given we did exactly that. I think I recreated my child hood! For two months we lived quietly and simply, volunteered in the village, bike rides and swimming. The most painful task was cancelling and refunding all the upcoming booked work. Fortunately as the pandemic too its toll, restrictions were lifted and I was able to return to work where I made use of the local hills and crags. I had guided trips into the Cairngorm, Ben Nevis, the North West Highlands and the Cairngorms. Several guests we concerned about their fitness from the break they have had, however slowly and surely, confidence grew and everyone forgets about their fitness worries. They are not alone, I’m sure we have all been concerned about our fitness but rest assured, we can still have really good day in the mountains whatever fitness you may be. We just maybe have to build back up to that ‘big’ objective.

My alpine summer was dramatically ‘thinned out’ as many were unable to travel so I had only 2 weeks of very nice work. Firstly I climbed with the every enthusiastic Alan Watson who specifically wished to rock climb with only short approaches. Being based in Chamonix we climbed so many amazing routes up to 6a standard. These were mostly bolted routes but we have agreed that we will come back for more trad route this coming summer. Following on from Alan I teamed up with Anthony. Also very keen and very objectively driven by the Matterhorn. We had the hut booked and embarked on our training climbs in the Aiguille Rouge above Chamonix and one night from the Torino hut traversing some of the granite ridges. All perfect preparation for the Matterhorn however it was looking clear that the Matterhorn may be a little ambitious for Anthony on this trip. We would need perfect conditions. As Anthony was so driven by this mountain, maybe a little too driven, we pressed on and unfortunately we didn’t have the perfect conditions. We made it too the Solvay hut but had to return just below the shoulder due too high winds and Anthony’s condition deteriorating. The only option was to turn back. I believe this was a very eye opening experience for Anthony and the mountain told him a lot about himself despite his guide telling him before hand.

After these 3 weeks in the Alps I returned back to Scotland to a reduced work load however I guided and climbed personally on Isle of Skye, Isle of Lewis and Harris, the Cairngorms and on the East coast sea cliffs. Again the confinements of Covid started to take hold which brought more cancellations and the unknowns of the future but fortunately we had the task of moving to the Alps to keep us occupied.

Moving to the Alps in November was fairly stressful, moving to France in the middle of the pandemic and on the eve of Brexit caused a major headache (and still is) but now we are settled here. Regretfully none of my clients have been able to travel to the Alps so I have been working at St Georges International School leading the holiday camps. The boarding students who cannot return home because of Covid spend their holidays doing a whole host of activities such as skiing, ice skating, paragliding, go-carting, rock climbing, sledding to name a few. A different pace of life but great to share these experiences with young people and see them develop.

Our new home

Our new home

I have a very busy summer booked and I really hope we can all enjoy it together.

Stay safe and see you all soon!

Hard Rock - 4th edition
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“Hard Rock is the best of British Climbing”

This evolution is the 4th edition on the Hard Rock series. An outstanding collection of British rock climbs that Ken Wilson has deemed as an important library of routes. The collection spawned from when the first edition was published in 1974, over 5 decades of evolution.  If you are not familiar with the previous editions then you will be informed in the opening pages as to where the vision and fantasy came from. 

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How many have you climbed?

The Hard Rock ‘ticking’ bonanza had been created, now many rock climbers are aspiring to tick ‘the list of all lists’ . This is an obtainable list for many but a dream to many more. Little do many know, a ‘tick list’ was not Ken’s vision, this book was a “call to action”, an opportunity to open up a catalogue of some world class climbing on our very small island.  For this reason, you will see that some changes have been made to the original lists (which will excite the list-tickers), as some routes have fallen down and thirteen new routes have been added.  For the avid ‘ticker’, this new edition will bring some new inspiration, whether it is reading about a route you haven't done or sharing the experience of the ones you have.

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Possibly my favourite location for a rock trip

Captivating authors and photographers share their experiences on the Hard Rock routes.  A list of names which promise an absorbing story and many of my hero’s share their tales in their well known style.  The likes of Martin Moran, Hamish MacInnes, Jimmy Marshall, Ken Wilson, Nick Estcourt, Jim Perrin, Peter Crew and many others will carry you through the routes with enough detail and excitement to spark the planning juices.  To be honest, the updated photography will do just that. When can I next go to South-west England? Can I do all the remaining routes in one trip?  Will I ever complete the list? I'm sure the book will spark these same thoughts when you are able to get a copy.  

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One of my favoured authors, my mentor and friend. A treasured piece.

A brilliant book which I will keep dipping into, maybe one day I will complete the list.

Other important reading from the late Ken Wilson

Classic Rock

Extreme Rock

Cold Climbs

For your lock down reading, head to www.v-publishing.co.uk

Rock climbing in Utah

With a reasonable amount of down time between summer and winter, we decided to take 3 weeks in America to enjoy some of the brilliant rock climbing. Our plan was to share our time between Colorado and as it got cooler, head to the desert so sandstone climbing.

The desert was the highlight of the trip, this diverse and in many respects, hostile area is home to a wealth of climbing, culture and history. A beautiful place to stay, camp, socialise and relax after a good days climbing. We mostly focused our attention to the single pitch cliffs and difficult crack climbs but some days we explored the Towers, the canyons and the starlit nights.

Alpine Round up and more...

I finally have made it back to Scotland and at last I can put my feet up for a few hours! (The Scottish weather is good for something!).

It has been a great season in the Alps, a little warm and as a result some permafrost is melting away, glaciers are retreating and some parts of the mountains are falling down. So this season was mostly about careful route choice. During the first heatwave, I played it safe and focused on the mid mountain routes which proved to be a good idea.

I’m not really sure how to sum up 3 months with out turning this into a big list of routes etc.

After the Eiger prep week with the two Andrews (They didn’t summit the Eiger due to weather), I took a week off and had a lovely time climbing around Chamonix with Lou. She was keen so a mini break from Wales where she is preparing for her first Guides exam.

After Lou jumped on the plane, I went to meet my guest for the coming week. I was working for High Mountain Guides with one guest. It was aimed as a teaching week for up to a group of 3, unfortunately someone dropped out so we were slightly limited to what we can do. A trip to the Albert Premier Hut followed by the Arete du Table (AD) started proceedings and the remainder of the week was to develop the client to be self sufficient in the mountains. Which is nice for me, as I get to be led around the mountains for several days!

After this week, I was over to Switzerland to work for Frost Guiding . I did a total of 4 weeks working with various guests and racking up some good vertical meters. With several ascents of the Matterhorn, Eiger, Zinal Rothorn, Wiessmies, Lagginhorn to name a few. It really is brilliant in Switzerland. The mountains are amazing, chocolate is exceptional and the conditions were very good too.

My final week I was working for Jagged Globe on a Chamonix Climbing course. This was brilliant fun and a great finale to the season. Every day we sought out a cool route or two and over the 6 days we only did one route I have done before, the Cosmiques Arete. Everything else I had saved for guiding days and they didn’t disappoint. Beaming smiles all round at the end of this week. Then I jumped in the van and drove to North Wales…

Eiger Prep week

On the 7th July I started an Eiger Prep week for the two Andrews whilst working for Frost Guiding. This was to be the third attempt for Andrew on the Mittellegi Ridge of the EIger so I wanted to make sure they were fighting fit, acclimated and moving well over mixed terrain. With 6 days to play with, I wanted to mix things up as much as possible, a week of fantastic climbing and cross-training.

So on our first day we dodged the thunderstorms and made a quick ascent of the Jegihorn via Alpendurst. En exercise in rock climbing in big boots which got the guys tuned in to precise climbing. Day 2 and 3 we made our way into the Vignettes Hut for an ascent of L’Eveque (The Bishop). A brilliant AD ridge with plenty of interesting glacier to negotiate. Another brilliant peak below 4000m.

Days 4 - 6 we based ourselves at the Wiessmies hutte, brilliant location, great staff and really good food. We climbed the South Ridge of the Lagginhorn, the Fletchorn and the Jegihorn Via Ferrata.

So a satisfying week with plenty of ground covered to prep for the EIger. I said my farewells and the weather looked promising for their ascent in a few days time. Unfortunately, the weather did turn and they had to go for plan B. Maybe next time. Sometimes it doesn’t always work out.

14 day Alpine Adventure

This years 14 day Alpine Adventure was based from Saas Fee. Allowing us access to a great deal of mountains, ridges and rock climbing. We had valley based accomodation and made use of lift and mountain huts to provide a combination of day hits as well as multi-day trips.

The weather was very good to us which meant we could use the rest days evenly so after 3 or 4 days of climbing, we were able to put our feet up and enjoy the hospitality of Saas Fee and go sightseeing.

This is what we managed to climb

Day 1 - Alpendurst 4c- 14 pitch Rock climb on the Jegihorn, day hit.

Day 2 - Brandegrabe 5b - 5 Pitch rock climb above Saas Almagell

Day 3 - Allalinhorn 4027m - in poor weather

Rest day

Day 4 - Walked to Almageller Hut and climbed traversed the Dri Hornli (AD)

Day 5 - Traversed the Weissmies 4017m SE Ridge (PD)

Day 6 - South Ridge Lagginhorn 4010m (AD)

Rest day

Day 7 - Drove to the beautiful Arolla Valley and walked to Caban Tsa (beautiful hut)

Day 8 - Climbed West Ridge of Dent Du Tsallion (AD)

Rest day

Day 9 - Walked to Weissmies Hut and did the Jegihorn Via Ferrata

Day 10 - Climbed the Grande Gendarme and traversed the Jegigrat (D)

Day 11 - Climbed Panorama 5a - 12 pitch rock route on the Jegihorn and then had beers and rosti in the hut.

Cuillin Traverse in a day

Alan was hungry for another attempt. Last year we did a one day traverse, at 71 years old, is mind boggling for many to even comprehend! This year at 72 Alan wanted to go again. Last year we missed out a couple of sections to save a little bit of time or fatigue got in the way. Last year we missed out the brilliant scramble on An Stac, we missed out Collies Ledge, Bidean Druim nan Ramh and Am Basteir. We also bivied at Sgurr nan Eag and summited Gars Bheinn the evening before. So this time we bivied on Gars Bheinn and started our day from there.

At 3.50am we left the bivi and set on our way, the TD gap was bone dry and went with ease, we went along Collies (hart’s) ledge as we missed this last time and made a quick ascent of An Stac and the In Pinn by 8am. We picked up our water stash and the rest was a blur. After climbing Am Bastier, Alan was happy (and shattered) so we didn’t go up Sgurr nan Gillean (we did last year) and made our way down arriving at the Slig at 5.30. It’s amazing what one can do in their 70’s, I hope I will be able to do the same!

Mid ski rock climbing break

It’s not something I would usually do but this year I thought I’d start rock climbing nice and early in the hope that I will be a little ‘rock fit’ before the season begins. Lou and I combined this with plenty of visits to friends and family all over the south coast and Wales.

We climbed on the south west coast, a place close to Lou’s upbringing and a place I have seldom visited. We mostly climbed but also braved the seas for some surfing which was baltic! But the weather was great!