JMCS 2018 Contents

Designed by Sarah Wright 2018 Signalkuppe from Margarita Hut

Alpine Trip Simon Opit

Like a lot of climbers, my summer As soon as the days start getting least) would be distinguished by a trip months inevitably get planned longer and the winter season begins to full of fun and success – not always around either one or two visits to show signs of dripping to a stand still traits traditionally associated with the Western Alps. The annual dose (and the urge for warm, functioning endeavours so dependent on long spells of: soaring snow-covered mountains, fingers becomes a medical necessity), of good weather. alpine meadow naps, glacial puzzle my thoughts become embroiled in the solving, brutal hut walks and ‘tower next ‘how, when and where?’. This And this brings me to the crux of the of babel’ linguistic diversity, becomes year was no exception but as it so matter. No sooner had the winter-long a major focal point of every year. For happens, this year was also my sixtieth angst of weather watching become me, this has been the case for more birthday. I was determined that this redundant, than I begin to scour the than 25 years. auspicious occasion (well, for me at ECMWF long-range charts and other

3 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 Kenny on the Cresta Sella Liskamm esoteric and occult sources, for signs the four-star classic Cioch Nose route of the holy grail; namely, Anticyclonic before traversing back to the car. It nirvana. So while I admit I have a bit was a glorious few days and actually of problem, it hurts no one and the took a little pressure off knowing we torment is largely private! had had some of the best Scotland can offer in summer. However the obsessive Of course, this obsessive behaviour is behaviour continued and finally, the largely irrelevant, not because of the decision made that while the general notorious inaccuracies of long range weather picture across the alps was to computer modelling but because as a be somewhat changeable and far from father of two and a reluctant full time perfect, the Italian Monta Rosa range worker, in reality, all choice is illusory. In seemed to promise the best option addition, my similarly hindered climbing with an apparent pattern of stable partner, Kenny, determined we only had mornings followed by afternoon murk. 10 days to play with, so we bought our We settled on a plan for ticking the so- air tickets to Geneva (which would at called Italian Haute Route with as many least preserve some flexibility) and set 4000ers as we could collect in the days our departure date for July 14th. at our disposal.

For preparation, Kenny and I managed At this point I will simply say that time a number of training days out - with passed and before we knew it we one particularly memorable weekend were waking up inside what felt like a coinciding with a glorious spell of concrete cell but was, in fact, a motel summer weather. Such opportunities on the outskirts of Geneva airport. are to be grasped with both hands However, a small, but potentially and that Saturday we drove to Skye significant fly was about to land in and scrambled along the Clach Glas – our alpine ointment. On waking and Blaven ridge followed by a cooling swim packing, I could not find the keys to in a burn before driving to the top of the padlock securing the large North the Bealach na Bà for a wild camp. Next Face duffle bag containing most our day, we dropped down to the bottom most important kit such our tent, stove, of Sgurr a`Chaorachain and climbed ropes and rack etc. Frantic searching

4 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 Castor “As soon as we pitched the tent and a brew was brewed and consumed, I sought out the local forecast and Lo! - the weather Gods had good news.”

and re-searching was followed by Bernard and along the Val ‘Aosta we Lo! - the weather Gods had good much self-loathing, followed again headed for the beautiful Gressoney- news. It would seem that, while not by ever more frantic searching but Saint-Jean. On arriving at the campsite wall to wall sunshine, the weather was the inevitable conclusion had to be we mentioned our predicament and very usable and we hatched a plan accepted. It would seem that I had left after we managed to convince them to spend a night in the Quintino Sella the padlock keys in my wife’s car (when that the bag was actually ours, the hut (3585m) and then next morning she dropped as off at the airport) and owner silently slipped away and climb Castor (4223m). It turned out that was that. As is usual, Kenny was returned with a giant pair of bolt to be a straightforward ascent notable the epitome of reason and positive clippers and Hey Presto! we were back for two things; one, the sheer beauty karma (one of the reasons I climb with in business. of the snow arêtes on the way to the him!) and so we set off regardless all summit, and two, the presence of the the while mentally exploring the various As soon as we pitched the tent and entire Italian army (or so it seemed). options that we had. After a wonderful a brew was brewed and consumed, Thankfully, even in our non-acclimatised drive over the Col du Grand-Saint- I sought out the local forecast and state, we were able to out run them

5 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 and get to the summit first where before Wi-Fi?) for us to decide to ‘make we were able to enjoy the very small hay while the sun shone’ and head top in peace and safety. We enjoyed back up high again the next day. And the spectacular descent to the top lift by high, I mean to almost as high as station and eventually returned to the the Western Alps can get. campsite to pitch the tent, go shopping, cook dinner (- a feast of fresh Gnocchi Our plan was to get up early and take in tasty sauce washed down with finest the various lifts from Staffal to the Lis local red wine). That night we went to Glacier and make the long approach sleep feeling great that we managed to the Margherita Hut (4554m). As to tick our first 4000’er only a day after usual the day started eventfully. Our arriving in Gressoney. otherwise very nice and reliable hire car decided at this crucial juncture As is often the case, other more to refuse to start. This immediately mundane things provided satisfaction threw our plan into jeopardy; as we too. Our cooking capacity was needed to catch the early ‘climbers somewhat limited by the fact, that special’ in order to be able to approach just prior to leaving Edinburgh, we the hut while the glacier was still were forced to rationalise our gear frozen. By some miracle (or was it the (for obvious reasons) and the second guardian angel that I was beginning to stove was one of the victims of the suspect had taken us under its wing?), cull. However, as it happens, another Kenny convinced an early-rising - but distinguishing characteristic of Kenny’s, thankfully convivial - Slovenian to is his talent for creative culinary allow us use of his jump-leads to get solutions. So he and the single 1L MSR our car on the road again. We were Windburner stove consistently delivered up and running in a few minutes and and our morale and wallets were managed to catch the lift. Once in the eternally grateful. tele-cabin, all we had to do was relax and take in the stunning scenery that With one nights sleep back down in the the southern aspect of the Monte Rosa valley, it took just a quick peek at the presents. After some strenuous via- local forecast and numerous diverse ferrata type fun, we put our crampons Liskamm summit confirmations (how did we ever manage on and roped up for the glacial slog. At

6 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 Somewhere on the East Ridge during Liskamm descent some point we stopped on the glacier the time passed in waves of panic and to cook a breakfast of Chilli Con Carne episodes of impending doom. and Chocolate pudding, which fuelled us enough to blast up to the hut. Thankfully, the following morning we managed to stuff some food down The Margherita hut is perched on the our mouths (and even more in our summit of the 4th highest mountain pockets) and we gratefully set off down in the Alps (Signalkuppe, 4554m) and the steep slopes under the hut and our arrival signalled our simultaneous traversed across to the first summit of unravelling. I immediately lost my the day – the Zumsteinspitze (4563m). glacier glasses down the vertical face, Once we descended from that top the dropping 1000m into Switzerland, and glacier was immediately enveloped in a our heads would not stop thumping. very familiar Scottish white out! Martin The loss of my glasses immediately Moran’s warning that the “featureless set off alarm bells, as I knew there glacier terrain becomes very confusing was no way we could either climb or in mist” proved to be the case but even descend the next day without we dug deep into our winter toolbox eye protection. However, another and deployed our non-alpine skill set miracle ensued, when the hut guardian (by utilising a map and compass) and managed to find a pair of rather eventually we were heading back up fetching glacier glasses left behind by and along another delightfully narrow a previous occupant. One problem had snow arête to the summit of the been solved but the effects of altitude Parrotspitze (4432m). continued to have a vice-like grip on my brain, even throughout the staggeringly Increasingly, not only did the weather impressive dinner. It was a strangely improve but our strategy of starting familiar feeling – but not from climbing high and ticking the summits off as (where I’ve always acclimatised we descended, ensured our altitude very quickly) - but from memories muffled heads cleared too. By the of hangovers from days gone by. time we reached the Corno Nero Throughout the long (but short!) night, (4321m) we both felt so good, that

7 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 we abandoned the rope and sacks Our route took us up some steep After so many days and soloed up the perfect neve and ground up and eventually over the Ill “ little rocky top to finish our traverse. Nasso, to then immediately make a climbing snow, it felt We had completed all five of the steep descent to an incredibly exposed 4000m peaks and could now enjoy col North of that summit. This was great to be pulling on glorious sunshine and the stunning now the beginning of the South ridge. views south, across to the sweeping After so many days climbing snow, it rock and negotiating Milanese plains and the Po Basin. felt great to be pulling on rock and negotiating tight mixed chimneys. tight mixed chimneys” Our return to the valley neatly Eventually the ridge became a steep coincided with the only storm we narrow fluting of neve. A wild exposed encountered during our trip, so we pitch led up to the precipitous East welcomed the two-day hiatus and made ridge, giving incredible views back It was a superb end to our trip and plans for our grand finale. The object down into Switzerland, far, far below. overall could not have been bettered of our desires was a ‘given’ really, as for the amount of time we managed whenever we were back in the valley, A quick scamper along the ridge to spend high in this amazing our eyes were unavoidably drawn to the took us to the summit, but mindful environment. I felt my weather hulking mass of Liskamm (4527m). of the deteriorating snow conditions, obsessing paid off and the trip’s agenda we compressed our congratulatory of maximising the number of summits We settled on climbing the Cresta Sella satisfaction and started the long nervy with the maximum amount of fun was up to the East summit (the highest) descent down the East Ridge. For completely achieved. However, our with a descent down the worryingly much of the way down Kenny and I Guardian Angel seemed to desert us on narrow East Ridge. After a night at the more or less moved side by side with our trip home but suffice to say, by this lowly (in more ways than one!) Gnifetti each other - one of us on the Italian point we’d had so much success in the hut, we ascended the now familiar Lis side and the other on the Swiss side of glorious Monte Rosa that we were able Glacier but once we branched off west, the ridge. As soon as it was practical, to cope with the nightmarish logistics we were alone and the big mountain we dropped off the south side of the that began to unfold. atmosphere of the SE face of Liskamm ridge. We made our way back down weighed on our minds, as the more the Lis Glacier, towards the Gnifetti (Editor’s note, by way of explanation serious nature of what we were now Hut and eventually the lifts down to – they missed their flight home from attempting was unmistakable. the valley. Geneva!)

8 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 Glenshee from Broad Cairn. Glas Maol is on the top left, cliffs of Creag An Dubh Loch on the right.

Broad Cairn on Skis Stuart Buchanan

Back in the mists of time of the last lacking was daylight and someone to millennium, David and Alasdair Buchanan share it with. Nordic skied from Glenshee over to Broad Cairn and back, a classic tour of some I slipped on my old leather boots, “I zig-zagged up 17 miles across the entire width of the clipped on similarly antiquated “misery an eroded skinning plateau. Through rose-tinted spectacles sticks” as Charlie calls them, picked they described langlaufing on perfect up my leather basket Swix poles and track to the side of spring snow, taking advantage of cover skinned up from the Glenshee ski that lasted well into the longer days of centre just as the morning light was the ski runs, warming March and April. brushing the hills with gold. The plan was to ascend Glas Maol and then up with the exercise Having missed out on this excellent take advantage of the height to make adventure the first time around, I was a long descending traverse round the while my lungs got keen to do it myself. January brought flanks of Cairn of Claise and Tolmount an alignment of suitable weather, to arrive at a neck between Glen Clova used to the cold air.” snow-cover and childcare. What was and Glen Callater. From there, a short

9 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 descent would be followed by steep grace, even after the first few fearful to Tolmount. The wind that had skinning to the summit of Broad Cairn. turns. However, with skis rattling previously given me a help of my way over the sastrugi I managed a rapid was now in my face, and was biting I zig-zagged up an eroded skinning pace cutting a line and maintaining cold. I plodded up the slopes towards track to the side of the ski runs, momentum over the humps and Carn an Tuirc. After the exhilaration warming up with the exercise while bumps towards Cairn of Claise, then of covering ground rapidly on light feet my lungs got used to the cold air. on down towards Tolmount. After an on the way out this was slow and hard Soon I passed the last ski lift and the exhilarating 10 minutes at speed, the work, now in my down jacket to keep summit of Glas Maol lay ahead, an angle eased and the terrain became warm. Finally, I reached the shoulder upturned pudding bowl. The steep rough, my isolation enlivened by white of Cairn an Tuirc from where there icy slopes overcame the adhesion mountain hares scattering left and is one of my favourite descents - a of my skins, so it was time to kick right for company. broad gully line that curves around and steps until the angle eased and down onto a wide easy angled slope, I could skin once again. An odd Broad Cairn’s ramparts rose from the eventually reaching a river a mile or so sense of dislocation assailed me – edge of the plateau. They looked from the road. This is a lovely descent the unbroken curve of the summit steep. I descended to the base of that curves round from the north forming the horizon, and the blue the slopes, put my skins back on and following a broad stream line. sky above providing no reference for started up. Fortunately, the slopes scale, felt like the curvature of a tiny weren’t as sheer as they appeared, Unfortunately this time the cover was planet. When I finally spotted the and I climbed steadily up to a cleft and a bit limited, and the line narrow. My summit cairn it was far off to my left. then to the rocky summit itself. For legs were too tired to properly enjoy I stopped for a hot drink and some the first time I turned around and saw it or ski it in style, and a couple of extra layers – the wind had picked the entirety of the plateau, extending impromptu snow profiles resulted. I up from the west and was bitter. Off not just back West to Glenshee, but reached the river and then, later, the came the skins and the first descent South to Mayar in Glen Clova. road feeling knackered, and somewhat of the day began. bruised and blistered. However, that After a quick lunch it was time to part of the journey will fade just as A combination of very variable snow head back. Rather than descend the the bruises, leaving golden memories – from windslab to icy and back again steep slopes I’d climbed, I headed of the joy of covering ground fast – skinny skis and rather floppy boots North to Cairn Bannoch and down on Nordic skis. It was just as fine meant few marks were awarded for the whaleback ridge of Fafernie a tour as Alasdair and David had.

10 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 Claire and Gemma on the walk out

Canadian Rock Ruairidh Finlayson

So after getting thoroughly spanked The plan was to fly into Vancouver Skaha: in Yosemite last year, but very much in late August and head straight Skaha is known for its vast number of enjoying the process all the same, to a lesser known sport climbing largely single pitch gneiss sport climbs heading off on another North American area called Skaha for a warm up, on a collection of bluffs outside the trip so soon may have seemed a little before heading to the granite capital town of Penticton, about 4.5 hours rash. However, after talking to Alan of Canada, Squamish. There were east of Vancouver, near the US border. Carne in Verdon about Squamish in originally four of us on the trip but It’s famous for its lakes, fruit and particular, “it’s like sport climbing unfortunately Phil had to pull out as excellent wine. Rainfall is low here and with gear (and) it’s probably the best his dad fell ill. Locals would kindly it’s technically a desert - yes a desert granite climbing venue in the world”, I join to make up the numbers on the in Canada - which is weird but seems felt somewhat reassured. harder routes… to work just fine, particularly for the

11 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 Claire belaying Gemma on Lliad (5.9) in Skaha climbing and the vines. Overall, we found the climbing here quite hard. Steep and crimpy was the “The climbing is order of the day, which we normally can cope with, but we found that wonderful and the French grades don’t translate that well (or perhaps Kalymnos is just super atmosphere chilled, soft!) I only got up 5.11d on-sight here so it’s well worth which apparently translates to about 7a on most tables, despite on-sighting ignoring the grades 7b in Kalymnos earlier in the year without too much trouble. and enjoying the On our favourite climbs (e.g. routes.” Brilliant Pebbles 5.10c/6a+) we found ourselves moving slowly up technical, near vertical rock, between crimps using little rails for a week, which you probably wouldn’t feet. This was against a stunning because Squamish is there and draws setting - rolling tree-lined hills in a you with some force to the west. sub-alpine environment. Further up the grades, perhaps crossing over at Squamish: around 5.11b/6c, it becomes steeper Feeling thoroughly destroyed, though and changes style to overhangs and mostly in the fingers, we headed to thuggishness. Squamish, which consists of some of the finest cracks, slabs and bridging The climbing is wonderful and the (or ‘stemming’) anywhere in the world, atmosphere chilled, so it’s well worth usually with straight forward gear and ignoring the grades and enjoying the bolted anchors (hence “sport climbing routes. There is some trad here but with gear”). Ease of access is another frankly there’s so much high quality bonus, with the local town only sport that you probably wouldn’t bother, minutes away from the beautiful crags unless you were staying for well over and big walls alike.

12 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 The beautiful Howe Sound near Squamish

This set up is not lost on the North there (early September). (5.8), Wonderland (5.9) and Popeye Americans, nor foreigners, and it and the Raven (5.10d) - VS to E2/E3 would be hard to describe the place It looked as though we would have and all ***. as quiet - but it doesn’t feel rammed 5 days of glorious sunshine before it either. There’s a lot of high quality crapped out, as it often does on the We continued on a similar theme the climbing packed into a relatively small West Coast of Canada, so we pushed next day at Murrin Park: e.g. The area; but there’s also enough trees it hard to max-out the climbing while World’s Toughest Milkman (5.9), Mr and secluded spots that you can climb we could. We started on Smoke Bluffs O’clock (5.10d) and Horrors of Ivan ‘top 100 classics’ all day without seeing near Squamish itself, on classics such (5.11c) - all ***. Unlike the sport many people, at least when we were as Laughing Crack (5.7), Quarryman routes, the trad grades seem to

13 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 Claire and Gemma on Deirdre (5.8) on The Chief Squamish translate pretty well - Horrors of Ivan felt solid E4 6a/+ which it apparently translates to. Pretty much destroyed my left bicep on that - not totally ideal with several days’ hard climbing to go...

The next day was a slab-tastic multipitch on The Chief called Deirdre (5.8). The Chief is the main show in town, visible from everywhere, a bit like a small Half Dome but with substantially more high quality free climbing. This is the classic that every man and his dog wants to do - and you can see why - nice line, great views, reasonable grade. Reminded me of a big version of Spartan Slabs/ Hammer.

We had been scared into getting up at the crack of dawn for this one to avoid the crowds, and because we were climbing as a three. As it turned out we were the only ones on the route for several hours, which was rather nice and took all the pressure off. This also meant we would be off the route fairly early, could have a second breakfast in town and chill out for the rest of the day.

14 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 Me on Wonderland (5.9) in Squamish

Next was a full day’s climbing on The Grand Wall: was utterly solid at the grade. the Chief with Alanna, a super-cool The next day was the big one, The Vancouver lass we knew through Grand Wall (9 pitches, 5.11a or E3/ This was to be attempted with another a mate of a mate. We started on a E4), oft quoted as THE route in lass called Ro (short for Roberta) who four pitch classic called Bullethead Squamish. All the exposure, epic I thought was another mate of a mate East (5.10c) followed by one and two pitches and all achievable in a day. but turned out was a random I’d met pitch classics Exasperator (5.10c) and This was also THE route for Ru, as I’d on the Squamish facebook group. Rutabaga (5.11a or E3/E4). My ‘large been eyeing this up and ‘training’ for it Thankfully she was very nice indeed finger locks’ technique definitely took all year by throwing myself at E4s with and utterly competent. She had been a step up that day - Regents Street at varying degrees of success (formerly out of it with a nasty injury for a while Millstone has felt much easier since. not much, latterly lots) to make sure I so didn’t want to lead many of the

15 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 Me on Exasperator (5.10c) with The Grand Wall above pitches and certainly not the harder layback, jam. The next pitch, The ones. This suited fine. Sword (5.11a), is said to be the crux. Big dynamic moves on a thin layback. Anyway, Ru and Ro (couldn’t make Actually felt cruisy(ish) compared to it up!) started pretty damn early to Rutabaga the day before. make sure we were first on the route. Of course we weren’t. A frankly rude Then comes a second pumpy bolt Italian-French couple led another route ladder and rope to wrangle with (A0) to get to the true start, as we scrambled both of which detract slightly from the up the easy way, and led right through free climbing classiness of the route us as we stood there pretty much all - but not overly so given how quickly geared up, all without saying a word they can be despatched with and the other than lightly cursing in one of their quality of the rest. Then comes the respective Latin languages. other crux for many, Perry’s Layback (5.11a), which is a thankfully fully Of course it turned out they were bolted, feet-on-slab, mega-pumpy super competent, cruising ahead of overhanging layback traverse. Superb. us after a few pitches, and really nice, More classic and often sustained 5.10 offering to send a photo they took climbing gets you to the well-named of me on the super-classic Split Pillar Bellygood Ledge, before the safety pitch. Chances are I’ll probably never of the forest track down to the base. see them again…or that epic photo… I think we were up and down in less damn. Interestingly they also said that than 6 hours so decent time made. the conversion from French grades is a total nonsense - agreed! The rain came as expected the next day but we were able to squeeze I actually found the Split Pillar in another half day’s climbing at pitch the hardest on the route but Cheakamus Canyon and I got my 5.12a is supposedly only 5.10b (E1/E2). on-sight sport tick (7a+ apparently). Presumably the first ascensionists had hands the size of Thor and could Conclusion: jam the whole way - I had to jam, The old man often says ‘you make

16 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 by obscenely good luck on so many “The old man often levels. We missed the smoke from nearby forest fires by a few days, we says ‘you make your had superb weather when it mattered and we met some excellent partners. own luck’ - however, Part of this was down to some damn good planning, if I may say so myself, anybody who’s read and some was genuine blind luck, all anything decent on of which made for a wonderful holiday. the subject of luck, FAQs: Would I do it again? In a heartbeat. Easier climbing than will happily tell you Yosemite? Not necessarily, just more accessible and more across the grades. this is a complete Best granite climbing venue in the world? Yes. Was the trip an anti-climax nonsense.” after all that prep? Na it was great - was good to crush something after five days of hard climbing that was beyond me 12 months ago, and the UK trad your own luck’ - however, anybody prep was awesome fun. who’s read anything decent on the subject of luck, will happily tell you Tips: early September is the perfect this is a complete nonsense. You can’t time to go, make sure to train on ‘make your own luck’ as that’s against cracks and slabs in the UK (Peaks, its very definition. However, I do Llanberis, Etive), join the Squamish believe in enhancing the possibility of facebook group, single 60m rope is things working out quite well - and I fine for the majority of routes, take suspect this is what he really means. several sets of cams (2+) or meet partners with more there, take lots of After some severely bad luck with slingdraws but less quickdraws if you Phil pulling out, we were blessed have cams with slings. Enjoy! Looking straight down The Grand Wall (5.11a)

17 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 Typical birch forest on the way to Daltinden Ski Touring in the Lyngen Alps Stuart Buchanan

At short notice, Davy More invited me guiding another group. The original onto a ski touring trip with David Wilson plan was that we’d be completely (who some of you may have met) to independent from them, but as there the Lyngen Alps in the very far North wasn’t enough space in the other of Norway (69.5 degrees North), after group’s hire car for Max, we ended up Mary-Lucy was unable to make the trip skiing with Max each day and so getting due to injury. guided for free.

It was quite incongruous to leave The food was superb, with smoked Edinburgh at a reasonable time of day salmon and porridge in the morning and after two relatively short flights and big stews of elk, lamb, or arrive in Tromso, well north of the reindeer in the evening. One thing Arctic circle. The irony that skiing there to avoid is Rutten salmon, which is becoming more and more popular looked like smoked salmon but tasted as global warming affects ski touring as the name suggests! I’m sure it’s further south was not lost on me. an acquired taste, one which I don’t intend to acquire. We stayed at the fantastic FabLab, remembered! near Lyngseidet in the centre of the The logistics of the skiing was/were peninsula. FabLab is an outreach very relaxed. There was no need to program from MIT run by Haakon, a get up early, the snow was down to huge Viking with lots of interesting the road (at sea-level) and most of stories to tell about the history of the the touring was within 30 minutes’ region. The hub of FabLab consists of drive of the FabLab. So we typically a traditional Viking longhouse where we set out about 9am and returned by ate like Jarls, surround by comfortable 4pm for showers and pre-dinner chalets sleeping 5-6. We were sharing beers. Very civilized indeed compared accommodation with Steve Jones and with crack of dawn starts in crowded his aspirant guide Max Cole, who were huts further south.

18 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 We were there in mid-April and • 21st April – Rundfjallet (1483m). the weather and snow conditions Very flattering easy slopes on the We had a fantastic were unusually poor with cloud and descent that just ran for miles. “ rising temperatures. On seeing the • 22nd April – Fastalstinden (1275m). week and I’d highly photographs afterwards, Mary-Lucy Spent most of the day in cloud. described it as looking rather Scottish! Told it was spectacular when clear! recommend the The snow was not freezing overnight • 23rd April – Daltinden, (1533m). at sea level, which made for some very Classic of the area with a great area for the quality soft descents at the end of the day. north face with 30 degree section. However, there was generally very Very fine descent. of touring, FabLab good cover and the snow higher up • 24th April – Storgarton (1250m). A was good. peak right at the northernmost end for food and of the peninsula, and the furthest Most of the peaks were 1200-1400m in we drove all week. Views would accommodation, and altitude, typically starting from sea- have been fantastic had the cloud level, and non-glaciated, so made for lifted. Max as a guide.” very reasonable day-tours. It was • 25th April – Rornestinden (1040m). possible to go deeper into the peninsula A cirque of peaks around a very and climb more serious glaciated peaks, nice hut for lunch. With a little but we didn’t. more enthusiasm earlier in the week drove to a hotel just at the edge of the one could easily ski an extra peak peninsula where I enjoyed a reindeer The geography is very Scandinavian, after lunch. stroganoff. with steep silver birch forests up to a tree-line at around 400m, where We had a fantastic week and I’d Friday 20th April - Rundtinden the angle typically eased off before highly recommend the area for the Woke up to rain. Had breakfast, steepening again to the summit. quality of touring, FabLab for food and bought provisions and then drove to Descents were generally broad and not accommodation, and Max as a guide. I Lyngseidet to meet Steve and Max at too steep. wonder if I can go next year…. the “FabLab”. By the time we got there the rain had stopped and the cloud A very short summary of the peaks we Here is a fuller diary of the trip - was lifting so we decided to go up climbed gives a flavour: Rundtinden, an 800m peak just to the • 20th April – Runtinden (800m). Thursday 19th April north of the village. As you’d expect, Short half day tour after it stopped Arrived Tromsø 1910 via Oslo. David the snow was a bit soggy but we were raining. Wilson met us with a hire car and we able to ski from the car up tracks

19 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 FabLab, with one of the chalets on the right.

through the steep birch forest. Above tree line the snow was heavy and soft long table in high backed chairs each the tree line the slope relented slightly and deep if you made the mistake of inscribed with the name and height of a at a lovely circular hut with a fireplace leaving the snowmobile tracks that local peak with the top cut to represent in the middle. We joined Steve and his formed an impromptu piste. However their profile. With dogs at our feet and party in the hut for some lunch then we all descended safely if not elegantly drink in our hands we told sagas of headed on and up into the clouds. An back to the car by 3:30pm in time for adventures like true Viking Jarls! hour or so of skinning mellow slopes tea and cake. brought us to the summit, with views Saturday 21st April - Rundfjallet into the fjords on either side of the Our accommodation was one of five Thanks to a combination of a hot peninsula on the way up. chalets surrounding a Viking longhouse, chalet, sunrise around 4am and the each with characteristic peaks carved lingering effects of dehydration I was The descent started with a very as horses. In the evening we repaired up early. The weather was a bit cloudy flattering layer of fresh snow on a firm to the longhouse for an enjoyable but showed signs of clearing. Over a base but by the time we reached the meal of lamb and elk seated around a breakfast of porridge, smoked salmon

20 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 and Norwegian fudgy cheese Max and the surrounding peaks, some The descent down from the bealach proposed we “stretch our legs” and ski partially obscured by a veil of cloud was steeper, on snow baked soft by the up Rundfjallet, a 1483m peak 5 minutes before heading onwards and upwards. low sun. Our lines became less elegant up the road. Like skiing up Ben Nevis, Our peak was similarly hidden, but but still continuous. Below, the cloud we thought. as we ascended the cloud shifted enveloped us in its cool embrace but and we beheld the rocky East face of the snow improved, protected by the After a leisurely start we left the car Rundfjallet, riven with the debris of cloud and NE aspect. Soon enough we just before 9am, following a track many avalanches that had thundered left the cloud and once more beheld the by the side of a ravine. Big clawed down the imposing crags. wide gentle slopes leading us down to footprints has us guessing if there the steep birch forests, the ravine and might be wolves about, though we later We traversed below the face and the sea. decided it was probably just a big dog climbed through the cloud to a bealach being taken for walkies! and a partial inversion. Where before The snow flattered our skill as we the had been a cold breeze the air carved broad turns down untracked The track ended at a picturesque hut, was now still, and the sun gently fried slopes, savouring each one as we from where we descended to the us as we ascended the final slopes got ever closer to the trees we knew stream bed and up the other side. to the summit, the snow balling up flagged bottomless sugary snow bog. This low, the snow was soft and on our skins. The summit was busy deep with plenty of air pockets to with several other parties and a drone Max hit it first, his skis sinking out collapse and bury our skies in a foot incongruously zipping around like and of sight but kept his footing. We or more of sugary mush. Max broke angry wasp spoiling the otherwise traversed to the firebreak, hoping for trail through the silver birch forest tranquil peace. To the south and west better conditions from the passing of while we toiled behind him. His route similarly size peaks thrust through others. We found steep, soft snow, finding was excellent and before too the cloud, all oddly truncated and flat liable at any point to collapse under long we reached a firebreak that had topped from a glacial ice sheet. We the skier, leaving them with their skis seen some traffic and where the snow removed our saturated skins, had a a foot or more below the unreliable was more packed down. Up this we bite to eat and tightened our boots surface and often their pole sunk up to zigzagged steeply before breaking for the nearly 1500m of descent back the grip. out above the tree line to the sunlit to the dark blue waters of the Lyngen open slopes, less steep and with more Fjord. Max led off down the shallow Where once we carved great parabolas consolidated snow. summit slopes and we followed, in the snow, now the aim became to adding our flowing lines to the bright descend without injury by whatever We had a break, admiring the fjord white paper. means necessary. Side slips, kick turns

21 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 “Where once we carved great parabolas in the snow, now the aim became to descend without injury by whatever means necessary..” Max skiing from the summit of Rundfjallet. Daltinden, showing the face we skied a couple of days later is in the background.

and snow plows part of the repertoire chalet we discovered that there was a from dinner to discover all the hot as we struggled downwards then water cut affecting the whole village! water had run out. Terry from the ISM traversed out to take us out of the As compensation, when we turned up arrived and surprisingly recognised ravine and back to the car. to dinner salt-encrusted and thirsty, me given he’d last seen me ten years our hosts had provided free wine and ago. Cloud was obscuring the tops but We eventually received respite in soft drinks. These failed to offset what Steve and Max were confident it would the form of ski-do tracks which we was an excessively salty meal of whale clear in the afternoon. Therefore we gratefully followed to the ice covered carpaccio (somewhat reminiscent of headed past the village to the foot river, a wide highway providing easy liver) salt cod and salty sausages. of Fastalstinden, a 1275m glaciated flat skinning back to the car. This we Fortunately the water came back on in peak with 30 degree slopes and the reached just before 5pm, having had a time for showers before bed. significant advantage of starting at longer day than expected though with 130m altitude and a well graded track 1100m of superb skiing. Sunday 22nd April - Fastalstinden through the birch forest. As a result we Steve’s group were a little grumpy quickly reached a picnic bench at the Our thoughts turned to rehydration, tea at breakfast. Having left the taps on edge of a lake above the tree line for and showers but on returning to the when the water went off they returned our first break. We caught glimpses of

22 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 Caption the upper slopes between the cloud. Max Cole, David Wilson, Davy More and Stuart Buchanan on the Steve’s group caught up with us just summit of Rornestinden. before we set off around and across the frozen lake to the steeper upper slopes. We reached the cloud base and continued higher, conditions feeling very like a claggy day on Cairngorm.

Max navigated by GPS to the summit where we had lunch and shivered hoping for the cloud to lift. Steve’s group joined us and eventually our patience ran out and we headed down as a single group of 9, Max leading following the GPS breadcrumbs lacking any visual references. Sadly we were in the cloud almost all the way to the lake, short-swinging close to each other on snow that started nice but became poor chopped up hard snow intermixed with soft deep slab.

The bottom slopes were better with spring snow but by this time I was tired and did a couple of snow profiles by face planting up to my elbows. We were back to the car by 4pm.

Not having had enough exercise, Max took David Wilson and I to the end of the peninsula where I found bits of coral on the beach, evidence of the reefs that apparently exist in the fjords.

23 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 a couple of huge cirques with ridges After some 700m we reached the West rising for 1000m. shoulder of the slope and continued “We zigzagged up, into the cloud that had developed over We could see most of the foreshortened the morning and now capped most of following earlier face frowning above us with the dots the peaks. The wind at this altitude of another party zigzagging their was biting and here and there stones tracks that cut into way up. We turned off the valley and poked out of the snow, creating a very worked our way through the steep Cairngorms feel that was only enhanced the top layer of soft birch forest and soft snow. Above by Max having to use his GPS to locate the snow firmed, the views opened the cairn on the summit plateau. snow like a scalpel..” up and the gradient reduced before steepening onto the face proper. We Once there we shook hands formally, a stopped for a break on a little patch habit that David Wilson had introduced of ground hugging heather and rocks some years previously and a symptom Monday 23rd April - Daltinden clear of snow. Amazingly given the of his naturalisation as a Swiss. We The day dawned cold with blue skies. snow was only just melting, some of then dived into our duvet jackets and Max and Steve decided we’d all go up the heather only a centimetre proud stripped frozen skins from skis as we Daltinden, a 1533m classic with a great of the ground had already produced awaited Steve’s party who were a few north face with 30 degree sections we’d berries, and as we walked back on minutes behind us. seen from the summit of Rundfjallet. to the snow our footprints left little We were keen to make the most of the red spots on the ground from walking The summit achieved it was time to good weather and by going high hoped in the berries as if our feet were descend. As the day before, Max led to have good snow as well. bleeding. off and I went behind on the basis that it would allow me the opportunity to After another fine breakfast we piled The slopes became steeper and the stop and rest half way down the section into the car and drove south for 15 others put on their couteau. Ahead, an without holding up the group. minutes through a huge 3.5km tunnel earlier party of hardcore skiers from and a car park at the start of a deep Chamonix had found themselves on Fortunately the snow conditions were valley leading into the interior of the particularly steep slopes and resorted good. In keeping with the Cairngorms Lyngen peninsula. to kicking steps up the slope. We theme there was soft windslab on a zigzagged up, following earlier tracks hard base on the first steep section. We skinned up the flat valley for 4km. that cut into the top layer of soft snow After this, despite Max’s best efforts Ahead the snout of a low glacier and like a scalpel. the going became somewhat icy,

24 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 On the descent from Rornestinden with the village of Lyngseidet and the Lyngenfjord below. “After a break in the sun and shelter from the wind on a heather island we continued down, the spring snow lower down providing very easy skiing.”

particularly on the steep 30 degrees vertical metres from the valley floor casserole was quite nice. slope and gully. It was still OK to ski but before we started sinking, and a not as easy as we might have hoped. traverse line without any turns brought Tuesday 24th April - Storgarton us to a track that led down the valley We woke to the forecast low cloud After a break in the sun and shelter which took us with kick-and-glide, but uncertainty in how the day might from the wind on a heather island herringbone, double poling and taking- develop. The weather looked better we continued down, the spring snow skis-off-and-walking back to the car. A looking up the fjord so we decided to lower down providing very easy skiing. very fine 8 hour day. head north and ski Storgarton, a 1250m Ever present on our minds was when peak almost at the tip of the peninsula. this would turn soft and our skis drip Back at FabLab our culinary odyssey through the crust and into the soupy continued with Rutten salmon, which We spent an hour driving sedately on snow below. looked like smoked salmon but tasted sometimes bumpy roads to which the rotten. The reindeer liver and heart passengers in the back complained. Amazingly, due to careful consideration casserole was palatable in comparison The road and houses hugged the side of slope aspect, we were only 100 and I was informed that the elk of the fjord.

25 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 On the way up to Daltinden.

Finally we parked at the mouth of a if I slid at the critical moment with skis before one Toulousain dryly noted he small river that rose in a steep coire pointed different directions. hadn’t packed cassoulet either. high above us. It had been cloudy overnight so the snow had not frozen On the shoulder we caught up with a Skins removed, helmets on and and was distressingly soft. As we started group of French tourers with a guide we started our descent back down to skin upwards I was already concerned who were staying on a boat and the shoulder. Despite the warm about the final descent, which had been traversing the mountain. Despite the temperatures the snow quality was problematic on earlier days. low cloud visibility was good we could quite good, soft slab with some look out on a host of islands and jagged sastrugi. I still managed to fall flat on The river curved right and the coire peninsulas all around us. my face, failing to spot a small drop- opened out infront of us, the last off in poor contrast light. After this scattered birch trees just poking From the shoulder the ascent was once we traversed onto the face and found through the deep snow. We stopped more reminiscent of the Cairngorms - superb consistent spring snow for for a quick drink after the regulation cloud, sastrugi, windslab and rocks. 600m to the bottom of the coire. This one hour of skinning and then we thoroughly enjoyed, with Max and continued up the steepening face, We reached the summit an hour later, the two David’s beautifully carving zigzagging before breaking left to reach the cloud base at the same time. It their turns. Sadly I couldn’t quite get a shoulder. Max was slightly concerned was surprisingly still and warm in my skis to carve and compounded my with my kick-turn technique which was comparison with the day before and failure by falling just as David Wilson limited both by my telemark equipment quite pleasant. The French party were was videoing me. and my own flexibility and stood below somewhat disappointed I didn’t have me on the steeper turns to arrest me any whisky to share on the summit, While the snow now became sticky it

26 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 parked beside a firing range at the one of their members and exchanged foot of Rornestibden, a 1040m peak. photo taking. We waited for a gap in “We had a fantastic We hummed-and-hahhed about the clouds to start our descent and whether we might be better off enjoyed 500m of good quality snow, week and I’d highly catching the ferry as the other side from a small amount of powder on a recommend the of the fjord looked brighter but David firmer base up high, to easy spring More provided some moral backbone snow lower down. area for the quality and we set off into the cloud through the ubiquitous birches. Above the tree We returned to the hut to find it of touring, FabLab line we worked our way on the bank occupied by a large party so had a of a river that flowed from a large second lunch on the balcony, enjoying for food and cirque ringed with peaks of various the view of the opposite peak which steepness. had a north facing couloir Max accommodation, and suggested for our next visit. As one of the many forecasts Max as a guide.” predicted, the cloud lifted as we The interior occupants emerged ascended, though it didn’t dissipate. and turned out to be a group from We reached a very nice hut at the Switzerland, one of whom was a friend edge of the cirque and had an early of David Wilson. A small world indeed. didn’t collapse in the way that it had lunch, joined inside by a guided party on previous days, and we were able from France. After our second lunch we headed to ski to the car without resorting to down, following the right bank of the “survival mode”. An hour and a bit of steep skinning up river and keeping to north aspect the face and then a final rocky ridge slopes where the snow was firmer. We returned to a dinner of poached and we reached the summit. We got salmon followed by lamb but glimpses through the clouds of the Despite careful route finding the snow fortunately no Rutten fish. sea, surrounding peaks and our first inevitably softened and even Max peak of a week ago just across the fell, having found a particularly deep Wednesday 25th April - Rornestinden valley. patch. From then on it was survival Our final day of touring dawned to low skiing to reach the car, which we all cloud and a little drizzle. Undeterred On the summit we were joined by the did without any drama. A fine tour to we drove into Lyngenseidet and French party, sang happy birthday to end a fine weeks skiing.

27 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 Ainshval and Askival

My friend Humphrey or a Rum Cuillin Traverse Thomas Beutenmuller

On a rather overcast day in late The bus emptied as it was travelling Ireland, who had come to Edinburgh summer of 2003 I was commuting along Lanark Road, but the suit for an interview for the post of a Child to my work in Balerno. I sat upstairs remained on the bus and only exited Care Worker. I quickly found out a in a No 44 bus, probably reading a at the last stop in Mansfield Road, few key facts about Humphrey: 1. book or looking out of the window, which was where I also got off. To my His Irish brogue was at times very daydreaming. At Haymarket a chap surprise the guy walked into Harmeny hard to understand (he hails from in a brown suit entered the bus and School. I remember finding it odd County Cork). 2. He said he was a also came upstairs. For some reason I that a hoover sales rep who wanted keen hillwalker. At least that is what I paid this person more attention than to sell equipment to the domestics at thought he said, as I was sure I could the other people on the bus, because my work travelled there by bus and hear words like ‘Cairngorms’, ‘Isle of something caught my attention: Was it did not show up in a fancy car with a Skye’ and ‘Bidean nam Bian’ in his that the suit did not fit his wiry frame, boot full of the latest models of suction sermon. 3. Humphrey also is one of or did I think I knew this guy from devices, but these are strange times the fittest people I have ever met: He somewhere? I thought he looked like we are living in ….. used to run from the city centre to a hoover sales rep, and I wondered Balerno in the morning, and back in where he would get off? Maybe at the As I found out a few weeks later, this the afternoon. He finished the 2004 Corn Exchange? Or at Juniper Green? guy was Humphrey Twomey from London Marathon in the time of 2

28 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 First view of Rum “Getting up at three or four in the morning and driving miles for one good shot of a spectacular sunrise is something Humphrey calls a red letter day.”

hours 45 minutes, which made him Northumberland to the Northwest for it, so we firmed up plans for the 300th out of 30 000 participants! 4. Highlands. beginning of July. As I had started Humphrey is a keen photographer. my hillwalking holiday already and Not the ‘point and shoot’ person like It was with some sadness when I was in the Arrochar Alps, I picked up most people I know, more like, Colin saw Humphrey move back to Ireland Humphrey in one of those modern Prior-keen: Getting up at three or in 2010 due to starting his family coffee places in Dumbarton. After four in the morning and driving miles circumstances. We have stayed a rather large Cappuccino we drove for one good shot of a spectacular in touch and he continues to visit to Mallaig where we had booked sunrise is something Humphrey calls a Scotland regularly, so we have ourselves into a bunkhouse. red letter day. 5. And one more thing: been able to intermittently continue Humphrey usually never wears a suit, to explore the Scottish Highlands The ferry was leaving for Rum at and he also likes to leave the task of together. 10:15 the next morning. I had a bit of hoovering to others… an unorganised hour prior to leaving: Since we first met we always have I could not find the battery for my And that was it, the beginning of a talked about going for a trip to the camera, the car park at the harbour was successful Iro/German hillwalking Isle of Rum together, and this summer full so I had to park at the far end and partnership over the next seven there must have been an equinox of found myself running to the pier with years, with a string of great mountain time and opportunity, as a real chance boots dangling off my hastily packed days across the Scottish hills, from occurred that we actually could go rucksack and my jackets pockets full of

29 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 bit and pieces I had randomly grabbed islands, I always need a little time together out of the boot of my car. to overcome my fear of being cut off “The sea was steel blue Whilst repacking the bag in the queue from the rest of the world, or may on the pier my karimat rolled towards even have a similar experience as and the clouds were the water and all sorts of embarrassing Sergeant Neil Howie in the cult movie scenarios occurred before we safely The Wickerman… hanging low in the sky.” boarded the vessel. The new hostel is only a ten minute The weather was very overcast and walk from the pier. This is a brand- Dibidil chilly on our way to Rum. The sea new building that replaces the hostel was steel blue and the clouds were in Kinloch Castle, which has fallen hanging low in the sky. However, after in disuse due to decay of that tract the hot and sunny weather we had of the castle. The warden, a guy in had in recent weeks I was confident his twenties called Jed, was very that this was only a short break in the welcoming and conveyed an aura of heatwave, and the forecast assured relaxed friendliness. He showed us our us that the outlook would improve room and the facilities and encouraged again the following day. Due to this I us to get on with whatever we wanted had changed the booking in the Rum to do. I did not want to overly stretch bunkhouse: Instead of heading up in his hospitality and/or nerves but could the hills straight from the boat we now not stop myself from using one of had a day to acclimatise and would the guitars that were hanging on the start the Rum traverse the following wall and blast out a few songs whilst morning and planned to stay in Dibidil Humphrey made us a cup of tea and Bothy at the southern end of the island. sandwiches.

After a two hour crossing we landed In the afternoon we went for a guided on Rum. It appeared that most of tour of Kinloch Castle. This was a the community had gathered at the very interesting building with a lot of pier to see who had come on the history attached to it. I mean, if you ferry, pick up goods or direct the few have the cash, go ahead and build workmen who had brought their vans yourself a huge castle in the middle of over. Although I love going to remote nowhere in the Northern Atlantic, and

30 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 Another fact I learned on this tour was space of one afternoon I was ready for that everybody I asked where they another cup of tea and singsong in the “It was also nice to came from were keen to state that Hostel, but the next thing I knew was they are from Rum, although quite that Humphrey had hired a bike and learn that the locals a few of them sounded distinctively was pedalling towards the beach of Glaswegian. I understood this as Kilmory, in the north of the island. He see tourism as a follows: In the not so distant past, only came back at ten o’clock and ate when the island was run like a feudal his dinner I had kept for him without means of sustaining fiefdom, people were employed to any complaints…. work there, and given accommodation the community on by the estate. Once they left their Now to the main event, the traverse of employment they also had to give up the Rum Cuillin: We left the bunkhouse the island, and we felt their home and return to the mainland. late morning, and Jed the warden had let us leave our excess baggage everybody made us This meant that nobody really was in a store room. We saw two other developing roots on the island. But walkers with whom we had spoken very welcome. ” since the foundation of the Rum the night before. They said that they Community Trust it appears easier to too planned to do the traverse, but raise a family and treat Rum as your without a bothy stay. As they had not permanent home if you choose to do brought enough food they were in the so, and it was good to see the odd process of sourcing an evening meal why not, ship in the building materials kid cycling past us, or seeing a baby from somewhere before setting off. from as far away as Ayrshire…. Have strapped to her hippie mother in the wild parties and force anybody who Community Centre. It was also nice We walked up Coire Dubh past a dam dares to land ashore at gunpoint to to learn that the locals see tourism as that provides the hydropower for the turn around to never return. In the a means of sustaining the community castle and turned east towards the end of the tour, especially after I heard on the island, and we felt everybody first peak of the ridge, Hallival. There the Orchestrion blare out a tune from made us very welcome. Still, with was some scrambling involved, both on a well-known British comedy show I a population of 22 souls it has not the way up and down. The hills were came to the conclusion that the Isle of exactly re-reached the high levels of still clad in mist, but there was no Rum during the reign of the landowner inhabitants it had in the 18th century wind and we still believed the forecast Mr John Bullough would not have been when there were over 300 people that promised an improvement in the like The Wickerman, but may have living on the island. afternoon. From the bealach between had more elements of Monty Python’s Hallival and Askival we got a great Flying Circus…. After learning so many facts in the view of the Isle of Eigg. We felt quite

31 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 Humphrey enjoying the view

isolated so far away from any other Just below the summit we saw two when we finally got to the summit of fellow humans, but this was what we familiar looking walkers descending Ainshval. had come for. We also felt all the birds towards us. It was the same guys had abandoned us, including the fabled we had spoken to in the morning. In By now the improvement in the Manx Shearwaters, whose burrows we fact, it was the only humans we had weather promised by the MET Office had passed quite frequently, but we seen since we left Kinloch! They had had happened and we had fantastic assumed they also would have gone done the traverse in reverse and still views all across Rum, and over to Eigg, down to the sea foraging. had to climb Askival. They explained Skye, Muck, and even could see islands that the lady in the shop had offered that I could not find on the map! We played it safe with the ascent of to cook them some venison for their Askival: Instead of looking for the dinner and if they were back late they The continuation to Sgurr nan Gillean pinnacle in the mist we just stuck to should just knock on her living room was a much gentler undertaking, the faint footpath and arrived safely at window…..Since I am a Vegetarian although I felt tired by now. We the trig point. The next reference point and by now was closer to Dibidil than encountered the first wildlife, which was Bealach an Oir. We could have they were to Kinloch I much preferred was a small herd of feral goats. The also climbed Trollval, a Graham, but to carry on and cook my own pasta descent to Dibidil took longer than decided to walk around it, towards the at the bothy…I have to admit, I felt a expected: We had to veer left and had second Corbett of the day, Ainshval, little fatigued by now and was relieved to do some scrambling through broken

32 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 annoying us a bit, but I suppose that is the price you have to pay for a heatwave.

Back at the hostel in Kinloch we were allowed to have a shower and use the kitchen even though we had checked out the morning before and also had time to go for a cup of coffee in the community centre. It then was time to return to the hostel, say goodbye to Jed the custodian and jog to the pier with all our luggage. We met the two The Bunkhouse walkers again and had a nice chat with them during the crossing.

rock before we reached a gap in the cat, but it did not show up that night. After three days on this lovely island hills before we could see Dibidil as a Mallaig seemed a very busy place. We small dot in the distance. Humphrey was The next morning started with more got ourselves a pizza, drove inland a good bit ahead of me. However, I was water sports: One member of the a bit and camped next to the road quite a bit surprised when he walked party had another swim in the sea, near Lochailort. The next morning we past the bothy and the Dibidil river: and one not quite so brave member, had a quick walk up Sgurr an Utha Instead of getting water and put on the who explains his fear of open water near Glenfinnan before I had to drop stove for the pasta he went for a swim by having been born in a rather Humphrey off in Fort William as he in the sea…..what can I say? It would be landlocked part of Europe, was cooling was returning to Ireland the next day. his turn to do the dishes again…. down in a paddling pool in the river. The only pressure we had to leave this As with most places in the Scottish Dibidil is a great bothy, situated in a divine sun-kissed spot was that the Highlands and Island I visit the lovely corner of Rum, with fantastic ferry was leaving Rum at four o’clock, following happens: My wife gives me a views over to Eigg and Muck. The and we were booked on that ferry. ‘pass’, to go there and ‘get it out of my evening sun was shining and there The walk back along the coastal path system’, as she calls it, but I usually were no midges, so we were even was very scenic, fairly level and we return with a longer list of places I able to sit outside. The bothy book were able to look up the steep hillside would like to visit in the future than I mentioned that previous visitors had on the left and retrace our steps from set out with: What I am trying to say; seen a rather large rat, the size of a yesterday. Only the odd cleg was I am sure I will return to Rum one day!

33 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 Sue climbing at Skiadianiko Leonidio - the new Kalymnos? Bryan Rynne

Also present: James Dalgarno, facing, so it felt fairly hot -- we coped Sue Marvell, Davy Swan with this, but any earlier in the year would have been too hot for us. Having been climbing in Kalymnos on four previous occasions, I felt How to get there that it was now time to visit what Leonidio is situated on the east regularly seems to be termed ‘the new coast of the Peloponnese peninsula, Kalymnos’, viz., Leonidio. I had heard south west of Athens. Getting there several rave reviews of Leonidio from from Edinburgh is relatively easy, in like-minded sun-rock sports climbers, principle: a direct flight to Athens from so it definitely seemed time to get Edinburgh (Easyjet) and then roughly a out there. Adding to this feeling was 140 mile drive to Leonidio. About half the appearance in 2017 of a guide to of this is on motorway, starting almost sport climbing in Greece, produced on the edge of Athens airport, but the by Aris Theodoropoulos, the chap other half is along a windy, but good, who produces the Kalymnos guides, coastal road down the east side of the and which contains a large section on Peloponnese. With luck this can be Leonidio. So, this article is a sort of done in about a 3 hour drive, as we did travelogue/trip report describing some on the way back, but could easily take of my thoughts about it. longer if the traffic is bad. No ferries are required, as in getting to Kalymnos. When to go Judging by climate tables of the area, Slightly unfortunately, at present the and the information in the guides, the Easyjet flights to Athens depart at best time to go seems to be about 15.45 in the afternoon, and arrive October-April. We went mid-October at about 20.00 in the evening, and it was mostly about 20-25 degrees necessitating a night in a hotel before and mostly very sunny (we had one driving to Leonidio the next morning. day of rain in 11 days out there). Since we were going for an 11 day Almost all the crags are roughly south trip, this was not really a big deal, and

34 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 Looking down to Leonidio, and the sea, from Aresos

the corollary was that we had a fairly major sites from antiquity that my although we used the supermarket late flight back, which allowed us to limited classical education failed to regularly, so I can’t really say any more climb on the final day. notice... Slightly to my shame, we did about what it would have been like to not visit any of these sites. stay in the town. On the drive you pass many well- known classical Greek sites (to say Leonidio town In fact, having investigated the nothing of Athens itself). For example, Leonidio itself is a fairly small town in a accommodation available in Leonidio our hotel was near to Marathon, valley just inland from the Myrtoan sea, on the internet, I didn’t fancy any of and we drove past the Corinthian with a large range of crags on the north it much and decided not to stay there. canal and Mycenae, while Sparta side of the valley. It has a selection of Instead, I booked us into my preferred was not far away on the other side somewhat nondescript looking bars style of accommodation for a hard- of the peninsula (apparently a minor and restaurants and a modest sized core climbing holiday: a luxury villa! industrial town nowadays, rather than supermarket. Frankly, on the basis of a This was situated on the coast, about a classical military superpower). We damp walk around it late one afternoon, 5 miles from Leonidio, and turned out also drove through Argos, which may it does not seem to have a lot going for to be very good. As part of the desired be known for other things than being it -- apart from those crags! We did not accommodation specifications, it also the name of a mundane UK chain actually stay in Leonidio, and did not had a nearby restaurant (10 minutes store. There were probably other patronise any of the bars or restaurants, walk down to the beach) serving

35 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 Caption “The general area is very attractive. A fairly wild coastline rising straight out of the sea to rough, rocky terrain and high hills (with a narrow, windy coastal road). Sue climbing at Mad Wall ”

excellent food and copious quantities of narrow, stony beaches if you want this guide than the one we had, so the of ice-cold Greek beer (by about day to spend time sitting around by the grades may have been recalibrated 3 they seemed to start serving this as sea (we didn’t). There also seemed to in this edition. Also, the chap in the we walked in the door). Of course, this be some walking tracks dotted around, shop said there were a lot more may not quite fit the gnarly, hard-core although we did not investigate these. routes in there (old guide 900, new climbing zeitgeist, but it suited me, 1,400 guide routes) so there is more and no-one complained. What is the climbing like? to do than we knew about. This new In addition to the Theodoropoulos guide should soon be available online The general area is very attractive. A guide mentioned above, there is also at: http://tinyurl.com/yaoeynxj. The fairly wild coastline rising straight out a local guide produced by the Panjica Theodoropoulos guide is available from of the sea to rough, rocky terrain and cooperative, based in Leonidio, who Amazon and elsewhere (google it). high hills (with a narrow, windy coastal have a shop (and bolt fund) there. road). You can see why the ancient This guide contains more local crags Leonidio is surrounded by high, Greeks were into boats -- getting than in the Theodoropoulos guide, but orange limestone walls, containing around on the land would have been the gradings are somewhat ‘eccentric’. a large number of crags. We found very slow and tiresome. There are a lot There is now a more recent edition of that there were ample routes in our

36 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 James climbing at Orama grade range of about F5b-F6b for our (Davy and Sue belaying below) 11 day trip, although we would have started to run out of ideas if we had been there much longer. The climbing is somewhat similar to Kalymnos: a lot of pockets, cracks and good holds, on relatively steep walls -- very little of the blank grey slab that is such a feature of France and Spain. Personally, I am not a fan of blank grey slab, and I thought the climbing here was excellent, as did the others. Although there are a few multi-pitch routes, the climbing is almost entirely on single pitch sports routes, mostly between about 25-35 metres, although with quite a few routes up to 40 metres (I got more use out of my 80 metre rope in a week there than in the previous 3 years of owning it). The bolting is mostly pretty generous, and I found that whenever I was struggling I wasn’t far from a bolt. Walk ins were mostly between about 10 to 25 minutes, although some were longer.

One downside is that the area seems to be getting very busy, and there is a good chance of finding yourself queuing on crags having 10 minute walk ins, and being jostled out of the way by people who refuse to pull their ropes down even when not using them. I found myself muttering, repeatedly: ‘though every prospect pleases, only man is vile’, although

37 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 Leonidio from Orama

I presume the hymn did not have than there is in Kalymnos. not investigate). crowded climbing crags in mind. Of course, if you can face a 25 minute The Theodoropoulos Greece guide is So, I would happily go back, but not as walk-in, you will leave the madding about the same size as his Kalymnos often as to Kalymnos. If we did return, crowds far behind. So, if you want to guide, but it supposedly covers the we would probably end up repeating go there, go soon. entire mainland Greece, although many of the routes that we did this the Leonidio section seems to be the time. That would still be fun, but you Is this the new Kalymnos? largest individual section in the book. can spend a long time in Kalymnos We had an excellent trip, with very Of course, it won’t cover all of Greece, without repeating routes. However, if good climbing and weather (too hot but certainly most of the locations in you haven’t been, and you like sport some of the time). However, I don’t his guide are widely scattered, and climbing in hot climates with good food think that this is ‘the new Kalymnos’, would be far too far away to drive to and drink, go there! And do it soon, mainly because there is much less from Leonidio (there are a couple of before it gets completely overrun! climbing in the near vicinity of Leonidio crags an hour or so away that we did

38 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 The Grand Combin from near the Orny Hut

In The Alps With No Boots On David Small

It was the first active day of our spectacles back down in the car. There I dashed downhill to the top of the Alpine holiday in August 2018. We was nothing for it but to turn round, chairlift and then had to endure a had left our gite in Chamonix early walk out, descend to the car, pick up downward and upward trip on what in the morning and, after a drive to what I’d forgotten to bring and then must be the slowest chairlift in Europe the village of Champex, followed by a repeat the upward journey to the hut. south of Glencoe. On my return walk chairlift ride and an hour and a bit’s Our plans for some bolted climbing on to the hut I had two strokes of good walk, had arrived at the Orny Hut. the crag above the hut that afternoon luck. One was that it started to rain, I was standing in the boot room of would have to be scrapped, or at least meaning that we had lost hardly any the hut, feeling stupid and annoyed. curtailed. climbing. The other was that I heard I had contrived to leave my hill food, and then saw an ibex and a chamois my spare contact lenses and my In a lather of impatience and sweat headbutting each other. The sound

39 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 of their heads or horns clashing was The Gendarme has a fine collection of loud – at first I thought it was rockfall. four or five pitch, well bolted routes on Only when it kept repeating did I think lovely red granite, at amenable grades. “at first I thought to look up and try to see where it was coming from. Stopping to watch them It is not mentioned on UKC, but the it was rockfall. have a go at each other, despite the routes are in the “Swiss Pleasure” loud noise, it did not look a terribly guidebook and on Camp to Camp. On Only when it kept serious fight; rather, it seemed to our first afternoon we climbed Three have a degree of ritual about it, as if, Overhangs (5a). Then, the next day, repeating did I think after having observed the formalities before walking back down to the valley, of combat, each party fully intended we climbed Papa Paye and Papa Paye to look up and try to continue about their business, Encore (both 5b/5c, although with a irrespective of the outcome. I left them harder final pitch which we avoided). to see where it was to it and walked on in the drizzle. A strong thermal air current was rising nearby, taking with it a mixed group coming from.” Next morning, in fine weather, we of eagles and choughs, all wheeling headed for the classic South Arete of around enjoying the delights of the the Aiguille d’Orny (D, 3150m). This is sunny Alpine environment – just as we an ideal “first route of the trip” route; were, albeit with less rotational motion! the end of the valley and the start of safe, not hard, not long, not high and the walk in to the Dalmazzi Hut. Our with some fixed gear along the way. The forecast for the next couple of objective was an 18 pitch bolted climb I went off route, too far right, on the days was mixed, so we stayed close called Les Chamois Volants (5b, D+), penultimate pitch, but that proved to Chamonix for more bolted climbing, which finishes on one of the summits to be a fortunate deviation, as it left going to the Chesery Slabs one day of the Monts Rouges de Triolet at Bruce with a cracking final bolted 5b and into the Aiguilles Rouges the about 3300 metres. The on-line UKC pitch, part of a neighbouring route. An next. Then the weather settled down logbooks contain accounts of people abseil from the summit and a careful and, leaving Chamonix early, we went taking all day and all night to get up descent down some steep and loose, through the Mont Blanc tunnel and and down this route, so after calling but well-cairned, ground took us back turned left up the Val Ferret. in at the hut we walked to the foot of to the foot of the route. the crag to make sure we knew where This valley is one of the most beautiful the route started and to familiarise After a breather back at the hut we in the Alps and is officially closed to ourselves with the first few pitches. headed off in the other direction, motor vehicles during peak hours in across a wilderness of granite summer time, but we were there early This certainly helped us to get away boulders, to the Gendarme d’Orny. enough to drive legitimately up to to an efficient start the next day. The

40 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 Climbing on the Gendarme d’Orny

route is bolted, but in many places the The descent is rather different. It mainly overhanging terrain, only to bolts are hard to see from below and is not impossible to abseil down get close to the end of our 50m ropes there is a fair amount of climbing in the route of ascent, but it would be with no belay in sight; the route must what you think is the right direction tedious, difficult and dangerous to go have been set up for 60m ropes. I for ten metres or so, before coming down that way, owing to the angle of had to attach myself to a single bolt, across another bolt. Fortunately, after the rock, the invisibility of the belay inconveniently placed half way up a the first four pitches which are the stances from above and the amount of bulge, and wait for Bruce to come technical meat of the climb, there is loose rubbish lying around in certain down and join me. He then made a rarely anything harder than about places. The advised descent nowadays fairly short abseil to the next true V Diff and indeed in my opinion the is down the south face, which is very belay, to which I in turn descended route is probably best thought of as steep and clean and contains quite before launching off on another an interesting way of getting to a a few bolted routes. The trick is to mission of hope. At least the rock had peak among the Monts Rouge, from descend the summit ridge a little, find now eased off into the merely vertical. where one can apparently have a the top of one of these routes and superb view of the south eastern abseil down it. After some faffing, we By the time I reached the next stance parts of the Mont Blanc range (a view found the top of a route and I set off I was relying on rope stretch to get denied to us by mist). on abseil following the bolts down there, and when I released the rope

41 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 The Argentiere glacier (what’s left of it) ends they sprang five feet up the wall, and although Bruce and I strongly from the Chesery Slabs well out of reach. When Bruce came suspected that that this forecast was into view sliding down from above, I too pessimistic, neither of us could warned him in no uncertain terms not quite bring ourselves to insist that we to let go of the rope as I had done. take the risk; so we settled for the classic South Ridge instead (AD, 4+). Fortunately he took the point, the rope We had intended to get up no earlier pulled down alright, the remaining than 7a.m. for this, so we were rather abseils were less exciting and then it surprised to hear that another party only remained to try and find a way planned to have breakfast at 5a.m. (We down the complex terrain below the were even more surprised to find out South face of the mountain and back later that the first party ahead of us to our sacks at the foot of the climb. had got up at 3.30!) The hut custodian After a return to Chamonix, our next was not inclined to allow us our own trip was again through the tunnel breakfast time, so 5 a.m. it was. into Italy, this time turning right and driving up the Val Veni, heading for After the usual hasty guzzle of bread the Manzoni refuge. This hut is in and coffee we headed up the hill, a stunning location, hemmed in by seeing the lights of the 3.30 party ridges on the north side of Mont Blanc ahead of us and those of the other – the Peuterey, the Brouillard and the 5a.m. party behind. Everyone joined Innominata. The normal way up to the together in a queue at the foot of the hut is interesting enough, involving roped climbing. The pitches consisted a full on via ferrata, but there is also of fine granite slab climbing, but a ten pitch bolted slab route called inevitably there were delays between Velociraptor (mainly 4c/5a but with the each pitch. At one point we tentatively odd moves up to 6a), which is the way sought to find our own way round to we went. one side, but we were dissuaded by strongly disapproving looks from a After a night in the hut we hoped nearby French guide, with comments to climb the classic Ottoz-Hurzeler about us knocking down stones on route (TD-, 5c) on the Aiguille Croux every one else. Staying in the queue (3256m). However, Meteo France was probably a good thing, as the best was saying that there was a 100% climbing was undoubtedly where the chance of rain in the early afternoon, crowds were. So we relaxed and did

42 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 The Aiguille Croux (in shadow, L of centre) from the path to the hut

the pitches as and when we could, otherwise have embarrassed us. shot at the Ottoz-Hurzeler, but the in the interim watching the morning meteo was very definitely, unarguably light intensify and the haze in the Needless to say, the weather stayed bad and we had no choice but to valleys gradually disperse. At the top fair all morning and became positively return to Chamonix where we spend of the route the queue for climbing up warm and sunny in the afternoon; we the last few days of our trip on valley became a queue for abseiling down. could have tried the Ottoz-Hurzeler crags near Chamonix and in the after all! But, despite the queues and climbing wall at Les Houches. Near the bottom we put our rope away the modest nature of the difficulties, too early, but the friendly guide just we were quite satisfied to have done In all that we did, we never wore big behind us (not he of the disapproving the South Ridge; the Aiguille Croux is boots, and never carried crampons – looks) let us use his rope for a couple in such a superb setting that virtually light mountain trainers were (with one of more abseils, including one down any route on it will seem worthwhile. possible exception – see above) all a hard snow patch where our choice If the forecast had been ok we might that was needed. We only carried an of footwear (mountain trainers) would have stayed up at the hut for another ice axe on one climb, and only stood,

43 JMCS Newsletter - 2018 or slithered (see above), on hard snow once. Our routes were all at modest height. Such lightweight frivolity is not how I used to think of appropriate Alpine activities, and how one should be clad for them. Maybe it is down to global warming, which undoubtedly restricts the choice of routes up high in late August; maybe it is down (on my JMCS part – not Bruce’s) to advancing years.

Anyway, I still expect I will do things differently at other times, and so I will not be putting my La Sportiva Nepals up for sale on eBay quite yet; but this year we had a lot of fun in the Alps with no boots on.

2018

JMCS Newsletter - 2018