Coire Sputan Dearg: A winter attempt.

After snowfall on Tuesday and a cold night Andy and I headed out in search of the first winter route of the season yesterday. With lines like “they give good climbing after a fresh fall of powder between October and May” in the guide book, we headed for the rocky buttress of Coire Sputan Dearg. This is a high south facing Coire on the back of Ben Macdui. The only issue being the 3 and half hour walk in over the Northern Cairngorms.

The weather played ball though, and we were treated to some fantastic views on the way in. The Northern Corries looked good first thing as we scooted past. 3 hours later after crossing the top of Ben Macdui, it was pretty obvious our target for the day was far from in winter nick. Snow patches on ledges was a wintry as we were going to get. So we opted to climb Flake Buttress. In big winter boots and gloves, the crampons, and my new ice axes stayed in the sack!
Well I hated it, a slabby natured route with some big holds and big moves. Problem was I didn’t trust my feet in the stiff B4 winter boots on any of the smears and so ended up doing some really big moves from jug to jug. The ball bearing gravel ontop of sloping shelves didn’t help either. All in all after 10mts of pitch 2 I was happy to bail off, but Andy lead through and we finished the route around 2:30 as the wind switched around to the Southwest. It was like someone had turned the hairdryer on, and by the time we were back at the car much of the snow had melted. Nice to be out in winter conditions again, the long walk, big sack, and bits of micro nav have to help.

Coire Sputan Dearg.

Back to Basics

A truly wildlife bonanza this weekend. Finally got myself back on some trad routes with Stewart at Redhyte point near Portsoy. The crag itself is pretty unremarkable, but the setting is excellent. Although the routes are short you can pack a lot into the day and I thoroughly enjoyed a chilled day out on the rock, watching little boats bob about as I belayed.

We started the day with the sea level traverse of the crag, and whilst out on the seaward end we saw thousands of Mackerel topping and playing in the crystal clear waters. Despite a bit of a sandbag HVS that felt E1 to me, we had a pretty relaxing day. The grades are a bit all over the place, VS that feels vdiff and HVS that felt..well hard! The day finished with Dolphins in the Firth as the sun began to set on a long autumn evening, and hand made ice-cream at Cullen.
Sunday Becky and I stormed our way around the hills that make up the Meall a’ Bhuachaille ridge behind Glenmore Lodge. The wildlife theme continued when we saw this little fellow pop his head out to say hello.

Last weekend as we cycled around Glen Afric Bec ran over a slow worm too, poor bugger! We think it survived as it slithered away into the bushes.
Not much else to report really.

Mountain Biking and Moy

Becky Out in front, on the trail up at Abrichain.

A quick weekend dash to Abrichain meant Becky and I got lost on the mountain bike trails, after a false start or two we sorted ourselves out and cycled a couple of routes. To describe them as boggy would be an understatement, a good test of your technical uphill ability. I was sadly lacking, anyway we had a good couple of hours, and well worth a visit for a good bit of single track biking within 15minutes of town.
This evening Rich and I headed out to Moy and I climbed the new line I bolted last week, Pebble Party and about 5+ , I may have gone a bit mad with the drill as you seem to spend much of your time clipping, but still a good introduction to the type of climbing Moy has to offer. Be warned though it needs a bit more of a clean, and there is the odd pebble that may pop still. Rich onsighted the last two routes of the crag he had left. This now means he has onsighted the lot. No mean effort the last route he did tonight (the furthest right 7a+) was bloody hard, a real bouldery start, sustained in the middle and steep to finish. I flailed around for a while and dragged myself 3/4s of the way up it just to realise how strong an effort it seemed to me. Measured against onsighting the crag anyway. Despite a pebble popping on him Rich held the swing at the start to claim the fist “Man of Moy Award!”. Who’s next? awarded to anyone who onsights all the routes up there.

Rich completing the Man of Moy Challenge!!

Midge time!

Busy few days. Went up to Pinnacle crag with Becky and did a few routes in the evening sunshine on Thursday, we had a go at the Davy Moy chop route, The Brazilian E35c, the gear and landing is unthinkable and due to a healthy dose of cowardness I opted for the top rope. Managed the onsight (that is I managed to onsight the moves, obviously not a proper onsight as on the top rope!) and the climbing is good, but in no hurry to lead this one, a fall is simply not an option. We were forced to run back to the car in the end thanks to the midges, I forgot just how bad they can be.
Saturday we went for a walk in the Cairngorms up through the Challamain gap and onto Lurchers crag, a nice little walk without the weight of a winter pack. Would be keen to get back in there this winter and do a couple of the routes that seem to form quite readily.
Today went upto the Tom Riach Boulder until I ran out of skin! Which was'nt very long, that boulder has some very sharp holds! Bit like the teeth of the midges that drove me mad and home in the end!

Done and Dusted.

Well that was a quick four weeks.

26 Days
30 degrees plus everyday
55 miles of hiking
4 4000mt peaks
27000 ft of ascent
25 climbs
17 burgers
1 bear attack (artistic licence)
Elks, Chipmunks, Eagles, Marmot.
The worlds worst thunderstorm
100+ mosquito bites
2673 miles of driving
23 miles and 4000ft of ascent on the mountain bike trails
1 traffic violation (Maybe?)

We had a fantastic time, have put all the pictures up on the Pisca gallery.

Road Trip: Colorado

Off in search of some Sun, Mountains, Lakes, Buzz-worms, and Bears, oh and er... hot rock too. The countdown to our month long road trip is almost over. A couple of days to endure the pleasures of Heathrow, and away to the outdoor capital of the USA. Cant Wait.

Moy: Loch Tollaidh: Grass Crag

Busy couple of days. Spurred on by Rich’s comments that I would do alright up at a Moy (Thanks Rich). Stewart and I headed up there on Thursday and much to my surprise it wasn’t too bad. My first attempt on Little Teaser at 6C possibly 6b+ saw me within two feet of the lower off. With the sequence sorted it fell next go!. The 6a possibly 6a+made for a fun sustained route too. I hope to meet Andy up there one evening this week and have a look at bolting a few otherlines. I spied a nice arete and a couple of slabs which looked nice. As the camera was left at home I have borrowed this image of Andy on Little Teaser from Rich.

Yesterday saw Jamie and I head up to Loch Tollaidh in the morning, with wall to wall sunshine forecast all day we were in no hurry, and a good job really as we pulled over to change a puncture just outside Kinlochewe. To add a little spice to the rest of the journey the puncture was a result of some serious tracking/suspension issues with Jamie’s transport. As a result the other “good” tyre was down to the canvas, and offering a nice body shake if we went over 61mph. Still we arrived safe and sound.
Loch Tollaidh had been recommended to Jamie as possibly containing a good first E6 for him, it did all look a bit bold and hard to me but I wasn’t going on the sharp end so it didn’t matter. Anyway I warmed up on the lovely Rough Slab of Gairloch Wall, VS4c and 5 bits of gear on the 30mt route, so not one to do if you don’t like run out slabs. Which I don’t! After the turmoil of the morning we changed our minds completely and went for a some sport at the nearby Grass Crag.
With some words of encouragement from Jamie (not to be underestimated, as I would'nt have got on this without them)(Thanks Jamie). I managed my first 6c flash. All the Arts only 12mts but top fun. A powerful boulder start to a side pull and eventually a jug and awkward rest, from there a steady wall to a final awkward mantle and the lower off. So that’s this years target of flashing a 6c done!
The 7a’s felt a good deal more than a grade harder and indeed one was so thin that both Jamie(who can climb 7a) and I thought it perhaps has never been climbed because it was so stupidly thin. A great day out, in the lovely sunshine of the West Coast, if only more days could be like this.
Right time to start pushing the grade a bit and actually look for some 7a routes rather than avoid them!


Almost forgot but I climbed Duntelchaigs newest route on Monday with Davy, A slab he has cleaned to the right of Excavator. He has called it The Bonzai Slab, E3 5c. Sustained at 5b with a big run out past a sky hook to a good wire and final 5c move. Well done Davy.