2.50 2005 £ UK Winter 40 www.thebmc.co.uk

01 cover.indd 1 16/11/05 2:02:39 pm The Issue

Glacial fragments in Breidarmerkurlon. Aka “the James Bond lagoon”, Iceland. Photo: Alex Messenger. Global Warning

Changes at the UIAA are bad news for the mountain environment

hree things happened in early November, poor agricultural society to one that is urban and pointing that maybe eight long-haul return flights which seemed closely related to me, fully industrialised. The consequences of China’s – there’s a training climb planned in Mexico T and made me appreciate just how big a rise on its own environment and ultimately our – might undo some of the great environmental disaster the resignation of Alan Blackshaw as own are already colossal and will only get worse. work she was promoting. president from the UIAA - and the dramatic lurch China currently uses 40 percent of the But then the truth is that Marianne is just of climbing’s world body in favour of competition world’s cement, a quarter of the world’s steel plugging into a world of cheap international climbing - could prove to be. and eight percent of the world’s oil. The latter travel that older climbers have enjoyed for First, Joe Simpson appeared on the front page figure can only grow, as six-lane highways snake the last decade or so. Who am I to judge? All of the Independent. Not, this time, promoting out between ever-expanding cities. America is I would say is this: at the moment, the BMC his epic tale Touching the Void, but outlining the routinely cast as the world’s environmental villain, has no policy on climate change, although it changes happening in mountain ranges around but at least in the USA you can complain about is currently under discussion. You may think it the world. There was nothing new in the article, what’s happening, which can get you locked up doesn’t matter a damn what a few climbers think and I’m not a big fan of the Independent’s or worse in China. in the face of 1.3bn Chinese on a mission to go stunt front pages, but the force and position Third, and this might be seem trivial in shopping, but I beg to differ. But with the UIAA of Simpson’s article crystallised the sense that comparison, I got an email from someone now in a state of flux, where is the concerted things are pretty bad out there in the mountain called Marianne Becnel from Utah inviting me international voice proving that we’re not just environment, and we should be paying more to support her “dream”, and that of her friend a bunch of selfish, self-regarding idiots who attention. Nate, of becoming the youngest woman and can’t see further than our own entertainment? Second, the Chinese leader Hu Jintao arrived man to climb the so-called Seven Summits. Now, Alan Blackshaw passionately believed in the in London for talks with Tony Blair. Coincidentally, Marianne is only 17, so I’m not going to get too UIAA linking closely with the UN on the issue of I had just come back from a climbing trip to heavy with her, but I have to tell you that she is climate change. What will the new masters at the China, to the fringes of Western Sichuan, an doing this project to support ‘Leave No Trace’. UIAA recommend? area that was historically part of Tibet. Stays (You can find out more about what they do at in Beijing and Chengdu impressed on me, in a www.lnt.org and get a great deal on a Subaru at - Ed Douglas. way dry statistics can’t, the convulsions China is the same time, apparently.) I emailed Marianne What do you think? All feedback to experiencing as it moves from an economically and thanked her for the opportunity while [email protected]

Summit - Winter | 3

03 The issue.indd 6 16/11/05 2:03:46 pm WELCOME TO... ISSUE 40 Summit is the membership FEATURES magazine of the British Mountaineering Council. The 16 Direct Action BMC promotes the interests Just what does it take to climb 9a? of climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers and the freedom to In an exclusive interview we ask Contents enjoy their activities. The primary Rich Simpson. work of the BMC is to: » Negotiate access 22 Cold Sweat improvements and promote cliff Gary Rolfe has some tips for a and mountain conservation. world gone soft. » Promote and advise on good practice, facilities, training and 28 Circuit Training equipment. » Support events and specialist Niall Grimes hops around the programmes including youth Burbage Valley. and excellence. » Provide services and 34 It’s Cuillin Winter information for members. Skye in winter is not just for the BMC expert mountaineer, says Ben 177 - 179 Burton Road, Winston. Manchester, M20 2BB Tel: 0870 010 4878 Fax: 0161 445 4500 38 Icy Fruit offi [email protected] Scotland is nice, but Europe has www.thebmc.co.uk the ice. Jerry Gore takes a look at the Ecrin. President: Mark Vallance Chief Executive: 42 Southern Discomfort Dave Turnbull Tales from the edge of the world by Summit Editor: Tom Chamberlain. Alex Messenger [email protected] 47 Expeditions 2005 EDITORIAL Who’s gone where and done what? Contributions should be sent to the editor at the above address. Every care is taken of materials sent for publication, however these are submitted at the sender’s risk. The views expressed within are of the contributors, and not necessarily the BMC.

PUBLISHING Advertisment Manager: Sarah Cureton 01778 392047 [email protected] Classifi ed Sales: Charles McKenna 01778 392054 [email protected] Production Co-ordinator: Emma Robertson 01778 391173 [email protected] Graphic Design: Chris White

PUBLISHED & PRINTED BY Warners Group Publications plc, West Street, Bourne, Lincs. PE10 9PH Tel: 01778 391117

Neither the BMC nor Warners Group Publications plc accept responsibility for information supplied in adverts. Readers are advised to take reasonable care when responding to adverts.

RISK & RESPONSIBILITY Readers of Summit are reminded that climbing, hill walking and mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and involvement.

4 | Summit - Winter

04-05 Contents.indd 4 16/11/05 2:04:46 pm Walking Out Foreword recently had bits of my backbone screwed together. Handy, you might Isay, for running the BMC and while recovering in hospital my thoughts turned to my final six months as President. You might think there wouldn’t be anything left to do, but you’d be very wrong. As the American writer Elbert Hubbard once said about life, “it’s just one damned thing after another.” I got discharged home to discover that we’d lost the battle of Singapore. Alan Blackshaw’s tenure as President of the UIAA had been abruptly curtailed. The details are murky and the argument was highly political, focusing on how the world’s representative body for mountaineering is controlled. It involved the International Competition Committee (ICC), that part of the UIAA that oversees competition climbing, becoming increasingly frustrated with what they felt as half-hearted recognition by some member federations. Personally, I find it difficult to see how important competitions will eventually prove in the world of mountaineering. The two branches, mainstream and competitive do not always fit well together. What’s more, competitions absorb resources and that is resented by other climbing activities. I can’t help concluding that the forced resignation of our Patron, Alan Blackshaw, is particularly ominous. Alan, who has done so much for mountaineering, particularly in the recognition of climbing as an Olympic sport, finds himself the first mountaineer to be kicked out of the nest by the fledgling, competition cuckoo. Over the last year I’ve not been able to walk any distance, though I’m pleased to report that thanks to my operation I’m now up to five miles a day. This enforced restriction has resulted in the development of the British Mountain Map project. Printed on plastic, these maps are totally waterproof, virtually indestructible and have been designed specifically for mountaineers. This morning the very first one, to the Lake District, landed on my doormat. Prior to publication we did quite a lot of market research. I was surprised that several well-respected climbers and even some of my friends questioned the BMC’s involvement in this project, but to me it seems like a perfect match. (And, to quote Elbert Hubbard again, “enthusiasm is the great hill-climber.”) Pure hill walkers account for 16 percent of our membership, we’re encouraging more to join, and this is our first product to specifically help them. So it seems like an easy choice to me. My bet is that not only will the maps make a reasonable profit, which will be ploughed back into access and other useful programmes, they will also reflect well on the BMC as a whole. So if you¹ll forgive the plug why not get yourself one for Christmas.

Mark Vallance Mark Vallance BMC President REGULARS 3 The Issue, 6 News, 10 Access News, 11 Holwick Scar Access Special, 12 Letters, 13 Frontline, 52 Hill Skills, 54 Climb Skills, 56 Area Noticeboard, 57 On the Ground, 58 Events, 66 Last Thoughts SPECIAL OFFERS 14 Stuff Your chance to win: Rab Neutrino Jacket, Techtrail Axis alti-watch, Keith Sharples Calendar, Bouldering Mousemat, Mont Blanc Massif - The Hundred Finest Routes.

ON THE COVER: High on Beinn Dearg Mhor, with Glamaig and the Sound of Raasay behind. Photo: Ben Winston.

CONTENTS SPREAD: Taking the brand new BMC British Mountain Map: The Lake District out for a spin. Photo: Alex Messenger.

Summit - Winter | 5

04-05 Contents.indd 5 16/11/05 2:05:03 pm Dee de Mengel gets to grips with the Huntsman’s rubbish. Photo: BMC.

News News Leap of Faith BMC clean up forlorn Zawn

Local climbers recently abseiled into The local Council, the MoD, and the Huntsman’s Leap to begin removing National Park Authority are aware of some of the huge pile of rubbish the issue, but it appears the cost of that’s been lingering there. In May cleaning up the mess is subject to a container ship spilled some of an insurance claim by the shipping its load overboard during a storm, company – which could take months and a container and large number to fi nalise. of washing machines were forced So, frustrated by the lack of through the narrow seaward entrance progress the BMC stepped in. Local of the Leap. access representative Dee de Mengel Rusting metal, washing machine organised a team of volunteers to their promise to help the climbing though, so keep your eyes peeled. drums, insulating foam, and fridges begin hauling the smaller pieces community and the environment Many thanks go to Dee and are all jammed into the back of the out, and after a day’s hard graft the by tackling the removal of the large Pippa de Mengel, Alun Richardson, zawn, detracting from the experience pile has reduced in size. Now it’s up pieces. The BMC will probably be Steve Quinton, Craig Folder, and Ian of climbing in this very special place. to the authorities to make good on organising another clean-up day soon Meopham for all their hard work. Alpine Antics We’ve got the Come along to the new BMC Alpine Meet Lakes covered Innovative BMC map Don’t miss the BMC alpine meet. Photo: Rob Jarvis. In an exciting new initiative wins award kickstarted by member demand, we’re organising an alpine meet based in Saas Grund, the Valais Alps, The BMC’s innovative Switzerland. The meet runs from new map to the Lake the 5-20th August, so come along District has just won the to have fun, go mountaineering Outdoor Writers’ Guild and make contact with fellow BMC Derryck Draper Award. members. And for those wanting This annual award is made formal instruction, a range of courses by the Guild in recognition will be provided by Alpine Guides. of UK innovation in the Saas Grund in the Saas Tal is a major outdoor world, and Peter climbing area of the Valais Alps with a Lumley, co-ordinating high concentration of 4000m peaks, Chairman of the judging and a perfect venue for people of all panel said: “it’s thin, light, abilities. There are public transport durable, easily folded, and links from Zurich, Geneva and Turin it even means you can to Visp, and buses from Visp to Saas dispense with your map Grund. Excellent camping facilities case. In short it is an outdoor innovation that really are available at the Mischabel deserves wide recognition.” BMC President Mark campsite, where the meet will be Vallance, who conceived the map design, accepted based. There will be a registration fee the award on behalf of the BMC at the OWG Annual for all those participating in the meet Dinner in Lancaster last month. doing courses or reserving campsite So fi nd out what all the fuss is about, and get one spaces. Details and registration forms for yourself now. It’s priced just £9.95 to members, and are available from the offi ce or £12.95 to non-members (plus p&p), and available from website. See you in Saas Grund! www.thebmc.co.uk.

6 | Summit - Winter

06-09 News.indd 6 16/11/05 3:32:45 pm In Short

The first wave of the 60 or so News protestors. Photo: BMC. New Guidebook Out this month is the latest Tor Torment BMC definitive guidebook to gritstone climbing in the Continues Peak - Burbage, Millstone & Beyond. Using the same Vixen Tor trio charged with offences popular and successful format as last year’s Three people have been charged with offences relating to Roaches guide, this guide the incident at Dartmoor’s Vixen Tor in September, when is sure to bring a smile to two climbers were reportedly assaulted and their ropes cut your face - see page 28 for with the leader some distance up a route. Robert Alford full details. was charged with actual bodily harm, and has elected jury trial. He will appear before the Crown Court on the Staff Changes 15th December. Francis Yeo was charged with criminal It’s all change at BMC HQ. damage. Mary Alford also faces an allegation of common Graham Lynch is leaving assault. Both were scheduled to appear at a Pre-trial after four years of Review in Plymouth Magistrates’ Court on 25th November. dedication to the world of The BMC has appointed a lawyer to assist the climbers. access and conservation. He’s off to the Pyrenees to drink wine and get a tan. Ian Hey meanwhile is Getting Schooled ditching the technical world and escaping to Alun Pugh attends BMC Student Safety and Good Practice Seminar exotic North Wales to join the Plas y Brenin team. We

Over 100 students came together for Alan Pugh. Photo: Paul Smith. DVD Winter Essentials. Alun said of the wish them both all the We’ve got the the annual BMC Student Safety and film, “As an experienced mountaineer, I best. Look out for full Good Practice Seminar at Plas y Brenin in can’t emphasise enough the importance details of their lucky(?) Lakes covered early October. This weekend of practical of being fully prepared for all weather replacements in the next workshops and seminars was delivered conditions in the mountains, especially issue, together with who’s by volunteers and Plas y Brenin staff, during the winter. Weather conditions bagged the new Press and and is an important weapon in the battle can change from hour to hour and PR Officer job. against University authorities, who may can make a day out enjoyable and not understand the nature of climbing and memorable or potentially dangerous. This Guideline Time hill walking. DVD should be essential watching for MLTUK have just published Alun Pugh, Welsh Assembly Minister mountaineers.” their new “National for Culture, Welsh Language and Sport, The film was a co-production between Guidelines for Climbing attended the weekend’s opening. the BMC, the MCofS, and Mountain and Walking Leaders”, Speaking about his own experiences in Leader Training England, with financial aimed at anyone with a the mountains, he highlighted how he had learnt through his support from The Jonathan Conville Memorial Trust. responsibility for own adventures. Being a committed mountaineer himself, Next year’s Student Safety and Good Practice Seminar organising or delivering Alun has a long-standing interest in mountain safety, and has is being held at Plas y Brenin on 7th – 8th October 2006. mountain related activities. ensured that mountain users have access to a free mountain It’s open to all university student clubs and is dependent on If you’re an instructor this weather service for Wales. volunteer instructors. If you would like to attend or volunteer is essential reading. Priced The weekend also saw the launch of the mountain safety please contact the office. just £5, see www.mltuk.org for details.

Nick Estcourt Summit is Ten Archive of Looks like Summit’s starting to grow up, making it to the heady heights of issue Ascent Award 40 - a whole ten years old. To celebrate, we’re beefing up issue 41, throwing in A recent funding Nick Estcourt was killed in an avalanche on a few more pages, and tweaking the design - stay tuned for details. application for the K2 whilst taking part in the 1978 attempt Mountain Heritage Trust to climb the West Ridge. The Nick Estcourt Expeditions Online made to the Northern Rock award was established to commemorate his Each year, as covered in this issue, BMC/MEF expeditions shoot off Foundation has been climbing achievements and to encourage future round the world to climb impressive things. And as part of the deal, successful. This will enable generations of expedition mountaineers. The they have to send a report into the BMC Office afterwards. For too the Trust’s archivist, Maxine deadline for 2006 grants is 31st December 2005. long these reports have simply been stuffed into box files in the Willett, to contact all Further details, including online application forms, office, but now we’ve scanned the whole lot, and they’ll soon be climbing clubs to discover are available at www.nickestcourtaward.org. available online as pdfs - check the BMC website for details. what historical artefacts

Summit - Winter | 7

06-09 News.indd 7 16/11/05 3:33:05 pm International Madness In Short they hold. An element of Can you handle the 2006 Summer International Meet? the project will also involve

News visiting some of the clubs Winter may be here, but it’s time to start dreaming of to help compile a The 2004 Meet. Photo: BMC sun kissed North Wales cragging adventures. And descriptive list and offer the 2006 BMC Summer International Meet will take advice on preservation place from 7-14th May at Plas y Brenin. The 2004 issues. Working with the summer meet saw a full mix of climbing experiences: clubs now will ensure that novice Nepalese climbers on their first multi-pitch their history is preserved routes, Czech mountaineers onsighting E6 on the and available to be used in slate, impromptu deep water solos at Rhoscolyn, and centenary celebrations classic routes cruised and fallen off all over the area. and beyond. For more So if you’re a competent trad climber with a good information on this project, knowledge of the area, why not consider being a and other work of the host and come and experience a wonderful weeks Trust, email climbing and socialising with great company. Why let maxine@mountain- the same old faces have all the fun when you could heritage.org. be part of it too? Contact [email protected] to find out more. Padarn Discount The Padarn Lake Hotel, located at the foothills of Time to ACT Snowdon, is now offering a special rate to BMC What has the Access and Conservation Trust been up to? members of £35 per room per night. As well as As the year comes to a close, it’s time for a festive summary rejuvenate BMC-owned Craig Bwlch y Moch at Tremadog comfortable rooms, freshly of what ACT has been up to over the past 12 months. The and the replacement of old belay anchors at High Rocks on prepared meals, and an flagship for this year is the GO Wall Restoration Project at the Southern Sandstone. enthusiastic staff, they also Wintour’s Leap. This is a major project to remove vegetation None of these projects are possible without your support. feature the all-important and loose rock, and to replace degraded fixed gear and Many individuals donate to the Trust, and other organisations drying room! A function belays on GO Wall and so restore this magnificent cliff to its also contribute: The Climbers’ Club, The Yorkshire room is also available for full potential. The work is being carried out by Martin Crocker, Mountaineering Club, BMC Guidebooks and RockFax are all club events - contact fresh from his Cheddar Gorge experiences, with additional regular contributors. The Castle Climbing Centre has given Davina Eagles on 01286 funding from the Climbers’ Club and help from local climbers, outstanding support to ACT in recent years, raising nearly 870260 to arrange your Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, English Nature and Libby £4000 - much of this coming from their keenly attended next club night. Houston. bouldering ladder. They have also just held their “Best of Other projects may not have been so ambitious in Kendal Film Festival” and once again proceeds from this will Hut Facts scale, but are equally as important in their own way. ACT go to the Trust. Big thanks to the Castle, their staff and all of The first in a series of has helped produce publications - the Access Focus and you who support their events. BMC/MCofS huts fact Yorkshire Dales Green Climbing Guide leaflets, helped ACT is a charitable trust, established by the British sheets has just been train local Access Representatives, funded fencing at the Mountaineering Council, the Mountaineering Council of released covering the Roaches, bird restriction notices in the Lake District and Scotland (MCofS) and the Mountaineering Council of Ireland Community Amateur tree clearance at Hen Cloud. More is to come too with the (MCofI). It was formed in late 2001, and has grown out of Sports Clubs Scheme - a well-publicised project to address ground erosion at the the BMC’s successful Access Fund. ACT allows tax efficient Government initiative to ever (too) popular Stanage Plantation boulders, efforts to donations for more expensive projects in the UK and Ireland. provide tax benefits for sports clubs. And even if London Secretary your club doesn’t run Local projects for mountain huts, it could be local people Wanted worth looking into - Last year, the BMC carried out two unique projects in Langdale and The London & South East area is looking download it from www. Snowdonia aimed at fostering climber-resident relationships. It was for a new Secretary for the next year. The thebmc.co.uk. These fact hoped that through promoting local products and services in club huts main responsibilities of this post is the sheets are a result of and online, the local area would benefit more from climbers and hill taking and distribution of minutes and demand from the recent walkers visits. But 12 months on, what effect have we had? Well, 18% being the first port of contact for enquiries Hut Seminar, and will spent more in Langdale as a result, but although Snowdonia hut users in the area. The post also welcomes cover a range of issues thought it was a good idea, there was no increase in spending. The initiative to help improve communication such as disability rights general message is that people are interested in value for money, and with BMC clubs and members in the area. legislation, septic tanks, will not buy expensive goods just because they are local. Overall, there For more information contact fire and building had been a positive response, but a sustained effort is needed to make [email protected]. regulations and housing a lasting difference. law.

8 | Summit - Winter

06-09 News.indd 8 16/11/05 3:33:16 pm 10-11 AccessNews.indd 10 Access 10 Access News

deterioration of the face is accelerating. climbing there. This project should help us to fi ndunstable out if andthe climbers should bear this in mind when such as Jean Jeanie and Cracked Actor, has always been over the coming winter. The face, which holds classics Manchester universities to monitor the stability of this area up with the property managers and geologists based at Trowbarrow Quarry. As a result the BMC has teamed This Trowbarrow Dallam Estate offi ce. Please see RAD for details. negotiated an informal access arrangement with the Following Fairy NOR into action to remove the big bits before the onset of winter.rubbish from the Leap. Let’s hope this spurs the authoritiesstart removing some of the large accumulation of marine recently organised a team of dedicated local climbers to The Huntsman’s in the coming weeks. been produced by local area BMC contacts. Work will start encroaching vegetation and confusing access paths has Following Tremadog Countryside Council for Wales, and the landowners. Access Tremadog WALES

crag has already experienced a rise in popularity. involved for their hard work. Rumours suggest that the Needlesports for the equipment, and to the activists steep routes. Many thanks to the local BMC team, complete - so that’s one less excuse for bottling those The Chapel replace the fi xed gear. issue, but in the meantime climbers are asked not to the 25th November will be devoted to thrashing out this of the BMC Area Committee. The next area meeting on continues after the bolts were chopped against the wishes The Sergeant LAKES | Summit- Winter BMC’s Pembroke Access Rep. Dee de Mengel year has seen at least two rockfalls on Main Wall at Chapel Head Scar bolt replacement project is now saga of the Sergeant Crag Slab abseil station TH Steps discussions continue between the BMC, the

Head Scar a recent access dispute here, the BMC has WEST a site meeting, a course of action to address Crag - Bwlch y Moch - Pant Ifan Quarry Leap LONDON High Now Harrison’s and others for all their hard work. been replaced. Many thanks to Tim Skinner, Chris Tullis The guide to future integrity! you climb it, and remember that past solidity is no it is still an old quarry. Evaluate each climb for risks beforeJust remember that even if it is now owned by the BMC, As Horseshoe the situation with a view to testing stabilisation measures. “hold sculpture” on popular problems. We are monitoring from a combination of excessive use, wire brushing, and Bouldering Newstones, Big thanks to all involved so far. ground level back up with gritstone hardcore and re-seed. Pebble. The plan is to sort out the drainage, build the particular the Green Traverse, Business boulder and the to address erosion issues at the Plantation boulders, in Work is now well underway by Peak based volunteers Stanage reconsidered proposals to enforce a pay parking scheme. foreseeable future. The Peak Park Authority has now parking around the gritstone edges will continue for the It Gritstone PEAK appears that the voluntary payment system for covered in Summit 39, Horseshoe is open for business. faulty belay bolts on the top of Hut Boulder have now in BMC ownership. Hooray - one more crag in the bag. Rocks Plantation Parking at these popular locations continues to suffer & SOUTH EAST Rocks Quarry Doxey’s Pool, Ramshaw See WWW.THEBMC.CO.UK See: guidebook - it could be out of date. Database on the BMC website. Don’t rely on your For Grammar School! caused by a geology fi eld study group from Bradford to Leeds and Bradford. Wall at Shipley Glen, the popular bouldering crag near A Shipley negotiation. Climb away! Recent Foredale YORKSHIRE the resulting sand spilling down the crag. fresh chips stretching right along this section of crag and our members who witnessed the vandalism, he found Conservation Offi cer, visited following a call from one of important new arrangement. See opposite to fi nd out all you need to know about thisThe Holwick NORTH the case was heard in Plymouth magistratesthe court police on 20arrested the landowner and her accomplices,assaulted at thisand controversial crag. FollowingAs the assault, Vixen Restoration Project are accessible. buttresses restored in phase one of the Cheddar The Cheddar - over 30 routes so far. fi xed equipment as part of the GO Wall Restoration MartinProject Wye SOUTH Forum on www.ukclimbing.com to add your name.and a petition organised by Haggis Harris. peacefulSee the BMCmass trespass was organised by SteveOctober. Findlay, To demonstrate local opinion, a well attended and recent bout of chipping has devastated the Kia-Ora well publicised by now, two climbers were seriously full details on any crag, see the Regional Access trial managed access regime is now in operation. winter access regime is now in full effect, and the BMC website www.thebmc.co.uk/rad/rad.asp. Valley Tor Crocker is now well on with replacing the aging access disputes have been resolved through Glen WEST EAST Scar Quarry / Beggar’s Stile

When Graham Lynch, BMC Access &

This is reported to have been 16/11/05 2:12:32 pm th

Holwick Scar. Access HOLWICK Photo: Guy Keating. SCAR

The BMC has worked in partnership with the Countryside Agency and English Nature to initiate a managed access trial to Holwick Scar, Upper Teesdale, a crag where climbing had previously been banned for the past 20 years.

Q. WHERE IS IT? A. Holwick Scar forms part of the Whin Sill escarpment in the remote and beautiful Upper Teesdale valley of the Northern Pennines. The crag forms part of the Upper Teesdale Site of Special Scientifi c Interest and supports a rich diversity of nationally rare species and Q. WHO ACTUALLY MANAGES THE the routes, and that climbers must avoid the relic arctic-alpine plants. The site (including SITE? obvious large plant covered ledges. Local the Whin Sill crags) is also of European A. Local area BMC volunteers Peter Hay BMC volunteers will be involved in monitoring importance, as recognised by designations and Alan Dougherty will be working with CA the scar using a series of photographs taken of Special Area for Conservation and Special and EN staff to monitor activity and potential throughout the year to assess potential impacts Protection Area. impacts on the crag during the trial period. This to vegetation. work will also involve liaison with the Strathmore Q. WHICH MEANS? Estates and the local community. Q. ANYTHING ELSE? A. The area has a high level of legal protection, A. If quantifi able damage occurs to plants and anyone caught damaging conservation Q. HOW WILL THIS WORK AT THE during or after the trial period, the access and interests can potentially be open to a hefty fi ne CRAG? conservation bodies have made it clear they (up to £20,000) and/or imprisonment. A. The BMC hope that all climbers visiting will apply to the Local Access Forum for a Holwick will adhere to the following negotiated permanent access restriction. If successful this Q. SO WHY CAN WE CLIMB THERE guidelines, which will be widely distributed will mean the indefi nite loss of climbing. AGAIN? through the local BMC network, and also So, look after the place and we’ll be able to A. In three words, the CRoW Act. Climbing available as a photo leafl et at the main crag enjoy the crag’s great routes, fantastic location was historically banned by the Earl of access point. and slake our “after-crankin” thirst in a great Strathmore sometime in the mid 1980’s for • Do not damage or remove any vegetation local pub for many years to come! But if we reasons lost in the mists of time, but the area – this is a statutory (and punishable) illegal don’t take care, then there’s no-one else to has been mapped as ‘Open Access’ land offence under the Wildlife and Countryside blame... n to which the public have a statutory right of and CRoW Acts. access. The BMC spotted this and began • Avoid climbing onto the large vegetated FURTHER INFORMATION lobbying local conservation bodies to restore ledges – they are valued havens of The six-month fact fi nding ban ends on public access. Initially both the Countryside biodiversity. 22/11/05, and the BMC anticipate access will Agency (CA) and English Nature (EN) were • Do not abseil from the trees. be restored from this date. hesitant to do this, and placed a temporary • Climbing is currently only permitted on the For more information on the CRoW Act and restriction on the crag for six months to gather buttresses identifi ed as 1 to 5. for details of access land in your area visit more information and satisfy themselves • Descend from buttresses 1 to 3 down the www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk that the BMC and climbers can deliver the back, and when topping-out from buttresses 4 proposed “managed access regime”. and 5 go down the obvious large grassy gully ALWAYS FOLLOW THE on the right-hand side. COUNTRYSIDE CODE Q. WHAT IS THE “MANAGED • When moving around underneath the Access information and guidelines are ACCESS REGIME”? buttresses stay on the obvious sheep track. available from www.thebmc.co.uk and www. A. It’s a monitored 12-month trial period • Do not walk on any of the scree slopes. climbonline.co.uk during which climbing is permitted on certain buttresses. Access comes with a number of Q. CAN CLIMBERS CLEAN THE LOCAL AREA CONTACTS concessionary guidelines negotiated by the CRAG? Peter Hay: [email protected] BMC to ensure climbing does not damage the A. No. Both the CA and EN have stated that Alan Dougherty: [email protected] nature interests. plant material should not be removed from

Summit - Winter | 11

10-11 Access News.indd 11 16/11/05 2:15:46 pm Got an opinion? Then let us know! Orr write to us at: Letters Email: [email protected] BMC, 177-179 Burton Road, toto get something off your chest. Manchester, M20 2BB

Letters Letters

Underground sport LETTER OF THE ISSUE If you think climbers have a bad time in terms of media coverage, then spare a moment Bear faced cheek yes, a few of us got to the top. It was only for cavers! The fact that Alan Hinkes had I am writing to congratulate you on your “Fame” when I got back to Kathmandu did someone so little recent media coverage is a travesty article in the last issue, and must admit that it tell me that I was the youngest person ever to but at least climbing does get into the press struck a personal note with me, since in ‘95, I summit via any route other than the South Col. on occasions. Like British climbers, British climbed Everest via the North Ridge. I went to Who cares about that I told them? How wrong cavers have led the world for decades. Our Everest because I wanted to climb mountains, I was to be. If it was records that they were explorations in Europe, Central Asia, China, to experience the wilderness and to see how after then I was more impressed that I was Malaysia and Australasia have mapped and far my body and mind could go. Nothing new probably the fi rst person to take a sombrero photographed the biggest, most spectacular there I suppose. I was young, being 21 at the to the summit or the fi rst person to wear Daffy systems on earth. We’ve worked with time (22 when I reached the top), and although Duck underwear but like Al Hinkes on Cho Oyu scientists to amass data on climate change I believed I could do anything, I was certainly I didn’t get a picture of either so you’ll just have and with engineers to help host countries naive about the agendas of others. to take my word on it! manage their water resources and develop When I arrived at Everest I was amazed by The above story is relevant since although their tourist infrastructure. Media coverage? the circus present. The camps quickly fell into I climbed as an Australian I also hold a New Zero. When we discovered Sarawak Chamber three distinct groups. The famous “superhero” Zealand and British passport. Yes, I was born in in 1980, the world’s biggest underground climbers who had already summited, the Britain, educated here, work here, married here chamber, it was front-page news across “wannabes” who were climbing to gain further and have had children here. So, if it is statistics SE Asia but didn’t receive a single line in recognition and sponsorship and the “others” people want then my climb consequently made the British press. The only time cavers get who were just there because they wanted to me the youngest Briton to climb Everest until mentioned is when there’s an accident or climb big mountains. Unfortunately the more Jake Meyer this year. Since I didn’t climb for someone gets lost. This might simply be I got to know the superheroes or wannabes, this I have never really made a fuss in the press irritating if it wasn’t serious. This media bias the more I was either amazed at their lack of over it but yes it did bug me that people like reinforces the popular stereotype of caves skills or their motivation to climb. I guess it was Bear Grylls could get away with it for so long. and cavers and trivialises our sport. This is the fi rst time for me to see competition and Interestingly enough his PR agent was the reflected in Government grant aid. Whilst the jealousy amongst climbers rather than just pure same one who represented the lady who falsely UK pours millions into competitive sports at enjoyment of being in the outdoors. claimed to walk unassisted around the world. which we persistently fail to excel, 30 years of Anyway to cut a long story short our The saying “never let the truth get in the way of fantastic caving achievements are rewarded expedition - led by Jon Tinker - was a success. a good story” springs to mind. with a staggering 6p per caver per year! No one died, we mostly stayed as a team and James Allen, Ilkely Dick Willis, Bristol lead should go more smoothly than normal. The all the arguments and more crucially gave Collecting karma letter was to John Bishop of the Peak National precise information of where my comments It’s been a good week, I’ve repatriated a Park on the subject of Pay and Display car should be addressed to. So, well done BMC pair of lost walking poles with their owner, parks, and I was helped throughout the for both listening to grassroots advice, and and more importantly written my first protest process by the informative making protesting easier. More please! letter on the subject of climbing. So I feel I’ve news item published in the David Sarkar, Leeds banked some karma points and that my next last Summit. This laid out Getting a dig in WIN A BERGHAUS It was just a little ironic to read in DUEL CLIMBING SAC Summit 39 that JCB sponsor Annabelle WORTH £60! Bond as a climber. Would this be the A problem shared is a problem halved, so don’t get all worked up about a climbing, same JCB who consistently refuse walking, or mountaineering issue. Let off your steam with a letter to Summit access to Wootton Lodge Crags instead, and get it out in the open. We can’t guarantee you’ll feel any better, but (BMC Staffordshire Guide) on their you will stand a chance of winning the brand new Slimline Duel climbing sac land and have done so since the from Berghaus. early 70’s, who adamantly decline to New for this winter, the Duel is designed to hold everything you need with the even meet with us at the BMC to talk minimum of fuss. Made from highly abrasion resistant Ardura 600 RS, with a durable about it, and who employ private security Ballistic front and base, it’s built to take anything you can throw at it. A built-in front pocket gives it a slim, compact exterior, allowing you excellent freedom of movement in tight situations, combined with the technical guards to escort you off if you so much as Fusion Pro back system so it fi ts and moves naturally with the body’s form. dare appear? Thought you might like to know With a 35-litre capacity, refl ective lighthouse feature, compression straps, gear loops, ice axe holders, this before you buy a JCB to improve your internal pocket and bladder pouch the Duel can be used as a great all-round daysac or a technical companion climbing. for your winter adventures. Dave Bishop, Crewe For further information visit www.berghaus.com or call 0191 516 5700. BMC Western Grit Access Rep

12 | Summit - Autumn

12 letters.indd 12 16/11/05 2:16:59 pm Photo: Dave Turnbull. Folkard Henry Folkard, BMC Peak Access Rep goes gardening. Just not cricket The date, 9th September 2005, wasn’t particularly significant - unless you wanted to listen to the cricket. We did, but couldn’t. “We” was the BMC team, led by CEO Dave Turnbull and Access and Conservation Group Chair Bill Renshaw. We were firmly ensconced in the offices of the Countryside Agency along with regional and national staff from English Nature. As it happened, the outcome of the day’s play was entirely satisfactory, assuming you weren’t Australian. The outcome of our meeting was pretty positive too - but unlike the cricket was anyone the wiser? Often BMC work is very much behind the scenes, and the membership is unaware of our good deeds. So let me take you inside this meeting, and show you how the game is played for once. The background to the day was both general and specific. The general bit was ongoing dialogue between three national bodies about, for example, monitoring the impact of new access to SSSIs (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) like Bamford Edge. The specific was what we might euphemistically call “a little local difficulty” at places like Mirk Cove, Chapel Head Scar and Holwick Scar. Gardening (removing vegetation from routes) was the big issue. And if there’s any resurgence of interest in Peak limestone, then gardening could become a big problem. Repeating existing trad routes may be less problematic. But doing anything new, anything involving bolts and lower off chains, particularly in a SSSI, has potential for significant conflicts of interest. Both aesthetically and ethically. The approach was to try to understand the problem from different points of view. Conservationists may have impressions about climbing but lack any detailed understanding. Climbers generally care about the environment and biodiversity, but concentrated focus on a new project can be very absorbing, and a perception that minimal damage to vegetation or a line of bolts is not actually a huge problem in the scheme of things may not be shared by everyone. And if you look at the impact of overgrazing, atmospheric pollution and agri chemicals it is hardly significant - except that climbers and a rich and very specialist flora use the same habitat. And there’s not much of this habitat. Also it’s increasingly precious because of the drastic impact of all the mega forces. Biodiversity only survives in the SSSI’s, so even a little damage can have a disproportionately large impact on scarce and rare species. And as English Nature might point out, they have a statutory duty to protect what is left. The actual legal wording is stronger than that - “enhance and protect”. Again, there is no getting round the statute law, which provides draconian penalties for damage - fines of up to £20,000 plus a criminal record. But no one wants to go down that road - not the BMC, not English Nature, and not the Countryside Agency. Which brings us back to the purpose of the meeting, to get a handle on the problem. We need to understand each other’s concerns, raise levels of knowledge and awareness, broaden potential for fuller appreciation of SSSIs and, if things do go wrong sort out some sane sort of process for putting them right without going apeshit. Since that would hardly be cricket. Which is why a meeting between English Nature, the National Trust and Derbyshire Wildlife Trust has been proposed in the White Peak and why you should be able to meet English Nature face to face before the BMC’s AGM in April 2006. All pretty sound in my book. And a sound reaction from conservationists merits a reasonable response from climbers. Henry Folkard

Summit - Autumn | 13

13 Folkard.indd 13 16/11/05 11:18:09 am Rab Neutrino jacket, £200 Stuff Stuff Avoid shivering misery this winter by slipping into some of the fi nest down jackets around. The Rab Neutrino Endurance jacket combines the best Polish Goose down BMC Insurance (fi ll power 750+) with top-notch down proof fabrics to Always great value! create the ideal down companion for lightweight If you’re planning a winter break then don’t forget mountaineering and backpacking. to pack some BMC insurance. As used by many The Neutrino Endurance jacket is the leading mountaineers, BMC insurance guarantees garment of choice for top Brit alpinists you peace of mind, and has an enviable reputation such as Rich Cross and Al Powell, for quality. And that’s not all - there were no and has been used on many premium increases for 2005. Yes, that’s right, all our cutting edge ascents over the policies are exactly the same price as last year. Get last fi ve years. So it should see an instant quote and cover with our new, improved you OK in the Peak District. online system, or And brand new for this season simply call the offi ce is the women’s Neutrino on 0870 010 4878. Endurance, as pictured. The Plus all profi ts from the jackets are available from all scheme go towards good retailers, and fi nd out working for climbers, more at www.rab.uk.com. hill walkers, and mountaineers, so the Essential only one to benefi t stats: is you. Weight: 630g Colours: Red / Blue / Black Outer fabric: Pertex Quantum Endurance Inner fabric: Pertex Quantum Fill: 225g of premier Polish goose down (fi ll power 750+)

Win a Rab Neutrino jacket We’ve smuggled two of these snuggly jackets worth£200 out of Rab, one for the guys, and one for the girls. Just tell us:

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Climbing: 06 - The Keith Sharples Calendar Win one of £12.99 fi ve calendars

It’s nearly Christmas, so that means it’s calendar time again. Time to rip that old one off the wall and replace with Climbing: To help you get ready for next year 0 6, the new offering from Keith Sharples Photography. Climbing: 0 6 has a 13 month layout, each with a great trad, sport, we’ve got ten calendars to dish out. or bouldering image from around the world. It’s all wrapped up in a nicely contemporary design and once you’ve Just tell us: registered online atwww.keithsharplesphotography.co m you can access a free online monthly mini article giving you essential beta on the featured climbs. And if that’s not Q. What enough, there’s also an A2 wall chart/planner featuring Steve McClure’s trilogy of mega- brand of routes, to help you get organised and inspired for the year ahead. Keith is once again camera kindly donating a share of the proceeds to the Access and Conservation Trust (ACT). Last gear years donation has been earmarked for conservation work in the Peak District does Climbing:0 6is available from your local climbing shop or climbing wall, online at www. Keith thebmc.co.uk or direct fromwww.keithsharplesphotography.co m. prefer?

14 | Summit - Winter

14-15 Stuff.indd 14 16/11/05 2:18:18 pm Techtrail Axis alti-watch £120 Win one of three watches Stuff Stay ahead of the game with this new offering from Other features: Techtrail. The new Axis alti-watch keeps you up to Digital compass Never be caught out in the rain again - we’ve got speed with all the features you’ve come to expect Altitude measured in 1 metre increments three of these clever companions to give away. Just from a wrist-top gadget; digital compass, altimeter, Altimeter range of -700 to 9000m fi nd out: thermometer, barometer, stopwatch and alarm. But Temperature range of -20˚c to +70˚c that’s not all - it claims to be able to predict the weather. Water resistant to 30m Q. Who started At the heart of the watch is a “Swiss Sensor”, a Two-year guarantee TTechtrail?echtrail? sensitive electronic chip that is very perceptible to And of course, it also tells the time. The changes in air pressure, temperature and altitude. Little Axis alti-watch is available from all good icons appear on the display (sunshine, cloud, rain, etc) outdoor retailers, or call 0116 234 4644 for keeping you up to speed on what the heavens will be your nearest stockist. doing in six hours time. See www.techtrail.com.

Bouldering mouse mat £4.50 members/ £5 non-members

At last it’s here! What every self-respecting boulderer needs for Christmas. The perfect stocking-fi ller and at a reasonable price. Yes, it’s the new BMC Bouldering Ten Commandments Mouse Mat! Now you can surf the web looking for those hard to fi nd esoteric bouldering sites safe in the knowledge that you’re doing your bit to raise awareness of the need to protect our fragile climbing resources. The sensible part of the mat is the Ten Commandments themselves that set out good practice and encourage boulderers to think about what they are doing to help reduce the impact on the environment. Issue 39 winners Thankfully they are mainly common sense guidelines and are easy to follow with a little thought and Many thanks to all those who entered last issue, consideration. But the overwhelming feel of the mat is one of fun. This and well done to the winners. Get entering these is well captured in Ray Eckermann’s eye-catching illustration of a pair competitions and it could be you showered with tentatively working an exciting and tricky looking problem. free goodies next time. The mat is available from the BMC website or selected retailers. Petzl Tikka XP: Anna Griffi th, Mel Kesteven, Dave John. Win one of ten mats Petzl Myolite 3: Ben Aston, Mat Galvin, Jon We’ve got ten of these to give away. Just let us know: Zigmond. Petzl Duobelt 14: Laurie Dowell. Q. Whose original “Bouldering Ten Navuku Hoodies: Peter Byron, Margaret Commandments” is the mat based on? Vaughan, Fraser M Birnie, Gordon Goodwin, Mike Lynch. Winter Essentials DVD: Chris Proffi tt, Andrew The Mont Blanc Massif: Whittaker, Nicola Colclough, Tony Wayte, Rajal The Hundred Finest Routes Upadhyaya. By Gaston Rébuffat, £25 The Wall: Alun Davidson, Will Wykes, Dave Pinches, Richard Barnes, J Rickards. Wondering what to get the alpine afi cionado in your life for Christmas? Your search could well be over with the Depthcharge DVD: Amanda Murphy, Ivan launch of a revised edition of this classic title. Gaston Rebuffat’s book has launched a thousand alpine careers Holroyd, Margaret Vaughan, Susanne Grigsby, with its presentation of the 100 fi nest climbs combined with a shrewd yet inspiring commentary. Owen Wynne-Griffi th. It suggests introductory climbs and scenic itineraries on the lower peaks, gives valuable advice for those seeking the heights of the fi nest mountain range in Europe, and offers tactical How to enter the know-how for alpinists targeting the classic grandes courses before they move competitions on to greater ranges and the world’s highest peaks. The book remains essentially Email [email protected] the same (Rebuffat’s advice is as wise and useful as ever) but with various tweaks with your answers, or if to bring it up to date. There’s new technical advice to refl ect equipment changes you’re a technophobe, a and the increase in fi xed abseil descents, and the effects of global warming on traditional post card tied some of the routes is covered with suitable new advice. to a carrier pigeon will do The Hundred Finest Routes is published by Baton Wicks (ISBN 1-898573- the job, sent to: Summit, 64), and is available from all good retailers. BMC, 177-179 Burton Road, Manchester, M20 Win one of fi ve books 2BB. Don’t forget to state We’ve got fi ve of these alpine bibles to inspire you over the festive season. Just let us know: your name, address, and which competition(s) you’re Q. Which one of the original “Hundred Finest” entering. Good luck! routes has actually fallen down? Closing date is 01/02/06

Summit - Winter | 15

14-15 Stuff.indd 15 16/11/05 2:18:37 pm sport climbing

Rich Simpson becomes the 6th person in the world to climb the finger-wrecking Action Directe in Germany’s Frankenjura. All photos: Alex Messenger / Moon Climbing unless credited. Action Man

"I'm ready to set my own level now, to make the first ascent of a 9a+ or a 9b."

16 | Summit - Winter

16-21 Simp.indd 16 16/11/05 2:46:37 pm sport climbing Action Man

inking into a leather seat world to get the magical grade of French In October Rich Simpson became with a coffee at 9a. Over the years, it has resisted attention the first Briton to climb a 9a on SDüsseldorf’s spotless from many famous suitors, including our airport, three thoughts flit own Ben Moon. It was first climbed by the foreign soil with his repeat of Action across my mind. First, I’ve original über-cranker Wolfgang Güllich in Directe. But he isn’t satisfied yet. In never been to Germany before. 1991. Who, I suddenly recall, met his end Second, that it all looks – how in a car crash at the zenith of his power in his first full-length interview, he tells shall I say? – neat and efficient. 1992. Alex Messenger about his brutal Third, and most crucially, what Now, fourteen years on, is 9a really that the hell am I doing here? hard anymore? With Simpson, Action training regime, why British climbing Directe had already seen six repeats and is too complacent, how the climbing A few hours later, wedged into the back of a that would rise to eight before the week bright blue MG ZR 160 with Germany was out. But if the headline was that it’s the press is too narrow-minded — and blurring past me at warp speed, this third only 9a to have been climbed by a Brit on what it takes to be Britain’s best thought occurs to me again. But if I’m foreign soil, then the back-story was gripped, the driver of this finely tuned piece simpler. As a climber, I’d grown up on tales sport climber. of defunct British engineering seems of this route and wanted to see it in its An unusual side view of Action Directe shows delighted. My co-passenger in the back seat stony flesh. Despite its eight ascents, Action the steepness of the one-fingered challenge. clocks my pale expression. “I used to find Directe is still regarded as perhaps the his driving pretty scary,” he says, “then I hardest short power route in the world. just accepted we were going to crash. Now And the roll call is truly international: I’ve found peace, it’s all a lot easier.” The Wolfgang Gullich (1991), Alexander Adler driver hears this and reacts in the way any (1995), Iker Pou (2000), Dave Graham 22 year-old lad awash with adrenaline (2001) Christian Bindhammer (2003), and would. He just laughs, and cranks the now separated by mere days, Rich stereo, right foot pressing down as he slides Simpson, Dai Koyamada, and Markus into the next corner. Bock. So what exactly am I doing? Rich It starts with a finger-wrecking campus Simpson, driver of the howling MG, has board move, immortalised by the old just repeated Action Directe and I wanted posters of Wolfgang cutting loose, hair to meet him. Located in the German flopping, face frozen in pain. Imagine limestone paradise that is the Frankenjura, hanging off your door lintel. Now let your Action Directe was the first route in the fingers slip slightly, so you’re hanging off half of your first finger joints. That’s not so bad is it? Now take all your fingers off save the middle finger on each hand. Still with us? Now pull up, snatch one hand off, and try and touch the ceiling. Welcome to the starting moves. And it doesn’t get any easier. These days, 9a is the level you need to be climbing as a male sports climber to be taken seriously. And the women are close behind. Spaniard Josune Bereziartu recently became the first woman in the world to hop onto the previously all-male ninth-level playing field with her tick of Bain de Sang in Switzerland. But you need to be selective, you need to pick a route suited to your current form, your style. Steve McClure, the only other Simpson models himself. British climber to be operating at this level,

Summit - Winter | 17

16-21 Simp.indd 17 16/11/05 2:47:30 pm sport climbing

After the initial dyno hasn’t climbed a 9a outside the UK. were significant repeats for Simpson, but British, we often have more empathy for there’s no respite Simpson hasn’t climbed one inside. So it’s only as stepping stones along the way. To the plucky loser than the ruthless, - Wolfgang Gullich chose the name since hardly surprising their views often differ. get anywhere near this level you need to consummate winner. Simpson wants to be climbing the route was This is, after all, the very top end of the train, he says, adding that natural talent many things, but plucky loser isn’t one of like a “terrorist attack grading scale. Most people will never will only take you so far – suggesting 8b. them. on your fingers.” He originally graded it experience it, and their fingers will thank Simpson’s training schedule is “Britain is the only country where it’s “8c+/9a?”, but over them for it. 9a+ exists, 9b might and the legendary, ferocious, and controversial. seen as a bad thing to want to be good at time the question has potential is there for 9b+, but 9a is still, Legendary in that he’s even had a short climbing, to want to work really hard. You been answered. well, rock hard. If you want to translate 9a film made about him – ‘Pinky Perky’ – go to the crags, and hear people whinge, ‘I to E-numbers – which many dream of featuring him repeating some of the could do it if I trained.’ Well mate, do it doing – then you’ll topple off the top of the hardest cellar problems in existence at the then, or shut up. The hardest part of UK grading table. Neil Bentley’s technical School, Sheffield’s mythical elite training anything is working hard. It’s not come balancing act Equilibrium at Burbage gets facility. Ferocious, because he does two easily to me, I’ve worked so f***ing hard. E10, but is a mere 8b+. E14 anyone? sessions a day, six days a week. That’s 35 The last three years of my life have been We’ve all been on holiday and got lucky hours of intense climbing per week, not working towards Action Directe. I’ve put on a route harder than we normally including the time it takes to warm up and so much to one side. But for me to have manage, and boast about it in the pub that down, stretch, and run. By Simpson’s own done it, knowing I had to push so hard is night. But up in the grading stratosphere, admission, this doesn’t give him much free brilliant.” you aren’t on holiday at all. These climbs, time and he’s usually too exhausted to do There are few climbers in the UK, especially ones away from home turf, much apart from sleep. probably only Simpson and the Scottish demand months, years even, of focussed And controversial? Because Simpson is boulderer Malcolm Smith, who are known dedication. Simpson is happy to admit, a true professional in a British climbing for following such a rigorous and that he’s had his eye on this route for scene that still has a soft spot for demanding training programme. He several years. Other routes, like Liquid amateurism. Training specifically for a concedes that he is lucky. His body type – Amber, Jerry Moffat’s 8c at Pen Trwyn, specific climb? Goodness me old chap – think wiry pitbull – and stubborn attitude and Hubble, Ben Moon’s 8c+ at Raven Tor, that’s a bit unsporting isn’t it? Typically mean that he adapts to training very well. That breeds complacency in his "Most people just can't find the contemporaries. “Simpson has done that? Well, he does train doesn’t he? You’d motivation to train that people expect him to.” He puts it down to sour grapes. “Most like me and Malcolm have. They people just can’t find the motivation to train that people like me and Malcolm know it, and they're bitter." have. They know it, and they’re bitter.” He

18 | Summit - Winter

16-21 Simp.indd 18 16/11/05 2:47:46 pm sport climbing

probably does himself no favours with his that Ben trained there, and I wanted to see uncompromising attitude but Simpson is just how good he was. I remember sitting not going to pretend to be impressed with and watching him and Malcolm Smith for you – unless you’re putting the effort in. an hour, and thinking, man, these guys are “It’s easy to be a could-have-been, to say so good. The way they moved, they looked that you could climb 9a+ but you’ll settle for weightless.” 8c+ and have an easier life. For me that’s a Spying on the top guys at the wall is shame. Why not go for what you could do? something many climbers can relate to but Aim high. Admit you want that 9b. You most of us dismiss them as naturally might not make it, but hell, you’ll still do a talented. We could never climb like that, 9a+. I don’t know where I can get in could we? Simpson, on the other hand, climbing, and where my hard work will motivated beyond belief, returned to take me. But I will find out.” Birmingham and did what he did best. “I Be all you can be is the message. But went home and trained like an absolute does he have any tips for the weaker bastard. And a year later, I returned to the weekend warriors amongst us? The F7a Foundry. And you know what? I was thrasher, the HVS struggler, people who almost cutting it with him. That blew me find Severes severe? Do you have to be away.” talented to climb well, or is it all down to Training was obviously working and all pure, hard graft? “I was a very average he needed now was time to find his limit. climber. Anyone can get good but you’ve “To be the best, you have to accept the got to really want it. There’s no special possibility of failure. And the closer you get secret, climbing has to become your life. to the line between success and failure, the Decide what you want to be good at, and more you’ll get from yourself. I’m not afraid focus.” of finding this line, or going over it. I’m not Average? Maybe. He acknowledges that afraid of putting a lot of hard work in and it helps to be genetically gifted, after all, failing on a route. If that happens, it he’s only been climbing for five years. The happens.” start of his climbing is a familiar tale, a lost Not tempted by the softer grades of youth with an excess of energy, bored of venues such as the Gorges du Tarn, flirting with the dodgier activities. A science Simpson has walked a very particular road: teacher took him to Birmingham’s Rock Agincourt, Liquid Amber, Hubble. A Face climbing wall one day and within a climbing stalker, he’s tried to repeat year and a half he’d done his first 8a, at everything that Ben has climbed. Now he’s Siurana in Spain. After two, it was 8b and gone one step further. “I’m ready to set my Typical - you wait years for a repeat, Font 8a boulder problems every weekend. own level now, to make the first ascent of a then three come along at once. (From L - R) The winners club of Dai Koyamada He was hooked, and his parents could 9a+ or a 9b. And I’ll know that the grade is (Japan), Markus Bock (Germany) and breath a sigh of relief, if not understanding. right, because of doing these classic Rich Simpson (UK) beneath the route. “They don’t get climbing, they have real benchmark routes.” Photo: Simpson collection. difficulty with the height thing. I don’t There are some gaps in his CV. He has think they’ll be too impressed with Action never climbed a 9a on home ground. to be honest - it doesn’t look very tall. But as Simpson has tried Rainshadow, Steve long as I’m happy, they’re proud.” McClure’s 9a at Malham, but finding it One person who is impressed is Ben lacked history, claims he just couldn’t get Moon. Ben knows just what is involved in excited about it. Inspiration is important he the route, having tried it once before explains, to do anything well. It’s also why, damaging his finger. And it was Ben that despite being in a better position than most, broke the news on the web after Simpson he’s just not interested in competitions. chose to text Moon. “It’s no longer a dream. “It’s not about being better than other Thanks.” people. It’s about getting the best from Speak to Rich for more than five yourself, setting goals and working towards minutes, and it’s clear that Moon is a major them. Not about being better on one day inspiration, he even brought some old than another guy – that’s not what climbing magazine articles out to Germany featuring is about. I do compete, not with other Ben in his heyday. After Simpson climbed climbers, but against the rock. Action Moon’s route Agincourt, a classic 8c at Directe set the challenge, and I accepted the Buoux, Moon tracked him down to say well competition that it gave me. There are so done and offer him a sponsorship deal with many natural challenges, why would I his small clothing company, Moon sacrifice time for something artificial?” Climbing. But it wasn’t long ago that to Ben, The challenge of Action Directe is hard and the world, he was just another strong to miss. A striking line of shallow pockets lad at the wall. and branded quickdraws marking the way “I got the train up from Birmingham one up this severely overhanging lump, shaded day specifically to visit the Foundry. I knew by the Bavarian woods. Yet strangely, it

Summit - Winter | 19

16-21 Simp.indd 19 16/11/05 2:50:53 pm sport climbing

on the tendons. You almost need to be stronger than the route because you’re pulling a lot on one-finger pockets. You could end your career on it.” The rain starts. A grey drizzle, setting in for days. It’s time for a retreat to the car, and the now familiar white-knuckle ride back to base. Like Ben, like Jerry, like Johnny Dawes he shares a love for speed. A car magazine sits next to Wolfgang’s biography and Ben’s articles in the apartment. He admits that without climbing this passion for cars would probably have landed him in prison. Several of his old friends are now making a good living driving performance cars at Simpson on Unplugged (9a), Frankenjura - 2nd ascent. Photo: Keith Bradbury. track days, and there is obviously a slight sense of dissatisfaction that being good at looks, well, almost climbable. The historic climbing doesn’t, and will never pay well. "I've got a lot more pictures of Wolfgang gave it a more “It’s sad in a way. I’ll never reach my full featureless appearance, but close up, every potential. There’s a limited pot of money, Actions in me. That inch is covered in ripples, pockets and and sometimes it goes to the wrong was the first route small edges. All useless to most of course, people. I don’t need much, I don’t want it since it’s so overhanging, but this is no to drink beer and party, I just want it to I've really worked sheet of glass. And each successful climber fund my training and three trips around has used a different sequence, different the world to climb the hardest routes.” hard for, and I've holds. He talks enviously of his Japanese With the late autumn rain coming in for counterpart, Dai Koyamada. Dai brought learnt a lot." the day, and clouds building, Rich looked with him a cameraman, photographer, tired. But playing the sponsored game, he physio, a manager and he’s a millionaire chalks up and hops on for pictures. It’s through climbing. Lack of cash in climbing damp, his fingers are cold, and he’s is hardly a surprise though, and when unwilling to commit to the moves. I feel a pressed he acknowledges that he never sudden stab of frustration; what if I’ve expected to get rich. Make enough to put travelled all this way for nothing? It’s a himself through university in a year or two petty, selfish thought. But imagine coming perhaps, but that’s it. Still he seems a little THE TICKLIST SO FAR all this way, after a year of training, to try taken aback by a lack of even basic 2005 the route. Now that’s pressure. support, both by the media and some Action Directe 9a Frankenjura “I knew that I possibly had the goods, so sponsors. Unplugged 9a Frankenjura (2nd ascent) I booked two trips, one for summer, one “Sponsors are only happy with the guys Staminband/Pump up the Power 8c+/9a Raven Tor (2nd ascent) for autumn. It’d be too hot in summer, but who pose on easy routes. I don’t have the Vanquish 8c+ Frankenjura (2nd ascent) I wanted to check it out and identify any time to climb E1s for the camera in the Infinity 8c+ Frankenjura weaknesses to work on. I spent two days sun. I’d lose out, my training wouldn’t be a on it on the first trip, and came away 100 percent.” Hubble 8c+ Raven Tor knowing that my training was paying off, It’s clear there’s no love lost with the Bastard 8c Frankenjura but a few things needed changing. Then it climbing press, especially with what he Showdown 8c Frankenjura was back out this September. At first the regards as their misplaced obsession with Wallstreet 8c Frankenjura conditions were against me, it was raining gritstone. Their pages are full of trilling Raubritter 8c Frankenjura for the first three weeks, but this was a when some young gun from abroad strays Intercooler 8c Frankenjura blessing in disguise. By the time it came onto our island and demolishes some hard Armstrong 8c Frankenjura into condition, I knew the moves. And to grit. But should we be that surprised? He’s be honest, it felt easy. But to have gone not. Ronin 8c Frankenjura home without the route would have been “Hard grit? You don’t really need to be Evolution 8c Raven Tor very hard – I might have never climbed it.” that good, you just need to have a bit of a Subway 8b Frankenjura (Onsight) Watching a strong climber on a route, it mad day and be able to climb French 8a, Plan B 8b Frankenjura (Flash) can be hard to gauge exactly how tricky it that’s all. Some Spanish guys climb 9b and 2004 is. Strong people make things look easy. onsight 8c. Are you really telling me they Agincourt 8c Buoux And with Simpson being stronger than couldn’t cruise a grit E8, just because it’s a Le Minimum 8c Buoux most, it was easy to get complacent different style? Dream on. They’re watching him stick his fingers into the amazing climbers. Technically and in Maginot Line 8c Buoux monos. From the sanctuary of an ab rope, every way they just do not have a fault. But Chiqquete Du Gral 8c Buoux he simply didn’t make it look hard. But he they’re also very uneducated about British Liquid Amber 8c Pen Trywn was under no illusions. trad climbing. Our grading scale and Ursus 8c Monstant “It’s a very dangerous route, really bad magazines hype it up. They think that

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16-21 Simp.indd 20 16/11/05 2:51:16 pm sport climbing

people over here are climbing 8c+ sport in the British Team, then they don’t care routes in death positions.” about their level. That’s the wrong attitude. It was Simpson that encouraged the You can never be a truly good climber if all Australian Toby Benham over a year or so ago you’re interested in is burning your mates off. to rip it up in the Peak. There’s also the They are talented, but it’s a question of mental suspicion that he’s done a lot more on grit attitude. For me it doesn’t seem to be there. I that he’s letting on. He’s coy about this – he hope there are young climbers out there that claims it’s not relevant. More likely it stems will come and prove me wrong, I really hope from feeling alienated by certain magazines. there are.” He also worries that Britain no longer It’s a lot of effort to climb a route at this comprehends what it takes to produce a truly level, and he’s reluctant to specifically identify world class climber. That we’re lagging future projects. Things like Big Bang (9a), the behind and nobody wants to know. unrepeated Neil Carson route at Pen Trywn “I’m the only one who seems interested in are mentioned, as is Realisation (9a+), Chris cutting it with the best. The rest of Britain Sharma’s mega-line at Ceuse in France. isn’t interested in working as hard as you “I’ve got a lot more Actions in me. That have to work. In ten years time we’re going to was the first route I’ve really worked hard for, be so far behind, it’s going to be demoralising. and I’ve learnt a lot. I’m stronger now as a I’m lucky. I’ve got Moon and Moffat to look person, and I’ll be able to get more from up to. But what’s going to happen in ten myself. I was always physically capable, but years? Where are the Moons now? Where are was I clever enough, did I have the mental the Moffats? There aren’t any. You need to goods to deliver? But when you get a feeling have someone to look at, someone that was as strong as climbing Action, for sure, I want so good at their sport, to think I want to be as that again. I want that a lot.” good as him, I want to climb the routes he But first things first. Right now it’s time for climbed.” a new car, the MG met its end on a slippery He thinks we can still keep up, but that it Bavarian bend. He knows what he wants. “A will take a change of ideas, a change of Porsche GT2, I drove one at Brands Hatch, it attitude. “I’ve never been impressed by a was amazing - so much more fun than young climber’s ability in Britain. It seems as climbing.” However, just this once, it looks long as they’re better than the other five or so like he’ll have to set his sights a little lower. n Simpson warming up in the Frankenjura.

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16-21 Simp.indd 21 16/11/05 2:51:43 pm gary rolfe

“Wildlife eating people alive is nothing new in the Canadian Arctic.”

Sledge dog Saxon sings at the return of the sun after a long Arctic winter. All photos: Gary Rolfe.

Winter - time to curl up in front of the TV and hibernate? Wrong. Here, back in Summit by popular demand is Gary Rolfe with some ColdSweat tips for a world gone soft. he last thing I want to reminds me there’s no excuse two training schedules: my own and my do is get out of bed and worthy of letting myself down, dogs’. Trun. It’s always the now, or ever. I get moving. I During winter journeys my dogs don’t same. A choice. Doze or get up. sometimes train three times a carry me on a sled. On ice I ski beside my A futile debate follows. The day - I won’t fool you, it never sled or break trail through waist deep business starts when I ask gets any easier. snow with snowshoes. During myself a question, “Are you summertime we move the way ancient going to let yourself down?” It Why bother? Inuit travelled throughout Arctic never fails. Up, dressed and In a world gone soft it’s easy to say, “Why summers - my pack contains supplies and out the door I go. Waking up bother?” If I’m not on an expedition I the dogs carry their own food in special in a tent at 40-below-zero and train. I like being fit. Fitness is the dog packs. I train to carry more than half preparing to rouse is always foundation to everything I do. My life my body weight. We all thrive on training grotty, and can conjure up revolves around dogs and year round and routine. pathetic excuses. This process there’s a lot to do and every single task is I rarely rest for more than a day after tends to happen every morning mine, either in kennels or on a journey. I trips lasting a month or more, and begin before the inward bastard give it my all and train hard maintaining the drag of learning how to run again. It

22 | Summit - Winter

22-26 Cold Sweat.indd 22 16/11/05 2:32:22 pm gary rolfe

always feels very strange and slow but after four airport. The remaining 450 miles is dust, dirt or weeks of gradual intensity build-up there’s snow, and Inuvik’s only overland crossing improvement. Fitness for us all never stays the connection to the rest of the world. Built in the same. You get fitter or become less fit. My routine 1970’s, this road passes through the Ogilvie includes a strong emphasis on endurance Mountains, over the Peel and Mackenzie Rivers running, plus weight training to beef up specific and down into the Yukon gold fields back and arm muscles that simulate lifting hefty surrounding Dawson City. It’s an incredible boisterous dogs or pushing sled bulk. My winters journey and includes everything to do with are long and difficult, summers short and wilderness and spectacular untainted terrain difficult. lacking humans. I’ve driven it several times. There’s so much wildlife it’s like driving through Spring a zoo. Here migratory birds fly towards breeding grounds. I recognise the eagles. To me other birds The Lost Patrol flit around all fussy and exotic. The main Who was Dempster? Way back in 1910 the attraction is the sun not setting for 56 days of 24- RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) hour daylight, and the abundance of food. The patrolled the north by dog team. One such ground is permanently frozen so there are no detachment left Fort McPherson and headed worms, but a thousand fly species thrive during south for Dawson City. In the depths of winter Arctic summers. Bugs can be so thick in the air the team became hopelessly lost and failed to that they make inhaling difficult. Lips, eyebrows make their destination. Frostbitten and and the insides of my ears are all favourite bug hypothermic their situation became desperate. biting venues. And on the tundra there’s no They ate all their dogs, compounding getting away from bugs, they’re oppressive. complications. Dog livers contain toxic levels of Driven insane, caribou sometimes make for the vitamin D. All the cops were found dead by a Mr. coast and walk off the cliff tops for peace. W.J.D. Dempster, and dubbed The Lost Patrol. My summer running is done on the Dempster This year we’ve had five bears shot in the Highway, basically a dirt road strewn with large middle of the community. They eat dogs off bayonet-sharp stone chips. Tarmac only makes chains. Sometimes a vehicle slows down and the up eight miles of the shuttle road from Inuvik’s driver warns me they’ve just seen a meat eater. I “My eyelids go gluey like

Gary Rolfe glad to be back after a run at forty-below-zero. sticky clotting wounds”

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22-26 Cold Sweat.indd 23 16/11/05 2:32:36 pm gary rolfe

River. The ice road from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk is the longest in the world - 74 miles where vehicles weighing up to five tons can drive safely over ice. In November, before the ice road is officially opened the dare is on to see which community drives it first. These early vehicles usually have no driver’s cab roof or at least the doors are missing, just in case a fast exit is required. The RCMP doesn’t think a lot to this tradition - last year they tried to charge the victorious driver with some trivial breach in the law. The sun sets for the last time in December. It’s always dark at Christmas. Gary combines two training For six weeks I run in perpetual winter schedules, his own and his dogs’. polar dark, sometimes under a performance of northern lights or through “For six weeks I run in perpetual winter huge bumping snowflakes. The volume of stars captures my attention, they’re polar dark, sometimes under a always so close and bright. Meteors shoot across and fizzle into black. The light of a performance of northern lights or head torch enables me to be sure of my footing. Running in such conditions can through huge bumping snowflakes.“ feel cruel - my eyelids go gluey like sticky clotting wounds and are always in danger always run with an Outdoor Designs the winter. Now is also the time to of freezing together. hydration pack carrying a wicked bear accumulate strength through weight Schizophrenic rabid mammals like repellent spray, bug spray and asthma training. I don’t find weight training easy, slippery wolf packs, or psychotic inhaler. In May and June the pollen puffs I’m not naturally big. My arms always adolescent bears not smart enough to up into eye itching clouds from the resemble knots in cotton. Yet despite lack pack on the necessary lard for hibernation tundra. It has a crippling effect on my of visible progress I get stronger, and are attracted to the community. I run with asthma and bothers me greatly for a few that’s what counts. Managing eight a dog experienced with furry attacks, I weeks. This time of year I run in Rab repetitions per exercise in sets of four, I deal with the human aspects. Idiots on Vapour-Rise tops and Ron Hill sprint consider 80% of my maximum enough to snowmobiles tend to be drunk or high tights. Both I’ve found to be bug proof. benefit without injury. I increase after shots of aftershave or drinking Wildlife eating people alive is nothing repetitions to twelve before slapping on mouthwash. Sometimes I see dead new in the Canadian Arctic or other more poundage to the weights bar. animals, frozen solid. Bullet holes are provinces. Cougars and bears killing to Drinking PowerBar’s Protein Plus helps opened into cavity pits by ravens gorge on hikers or moving target runners my recovery process. chiselling away with their persistent make the headlines every year. Don’t beaks. They’ll eat anything. consider it alarming - the human element Winter On the river it’s always several degrees bothers me more. Last time I ran in Winter is spent running 150 days, 100 colder. I like running in the cold but I London it was a night-time gangland “are miles per week on the Mackenzie River don’t like being cold. It takes 10 lbs of you tough enough” initiation requirement ice. That equates to slugging out 2,000 running gear to protect me like fur does to drive the streets without headlights on. miles. Most of the time it’s forty below for my dogs at 40-below-zero. A trapper First car to flash the mobsters was zero, and dark. Training in the cold puts style hat with earflaps keeps my tabs pursued, the guns came out and fired into colossal strain on my lungs and heart. warm. I wear two, sometimes three, Rab the flasher. Nice. On two separate Even standing still the heart works over Vapour – Rise smocks with hoods and occasions my training run went into time to keep the body warm. Load it with Trail Pant bottoms. The first layer is a streets where armed cops were screaming exercise and sometimes it’s a job to eat smaller size than the outer. Three pairs of at me to hit the floor. enough to fuel the body. Operating in the Horizon socks, liners and wool blend Summer is my dogs’ rest haven, except cold, the fitter I am the less work my body varieties, keep my feet blister free and for daily tundra walks and dunks in the has to do to function. healthy. Like Russian dolls, larger sizes fit Mackenzie. By June Mackenzie River ice By the second week in December the over the other. Outdoor Designs Summit breaks up bringing warmer water from maze of waterways that makes up the mittens with two pairs of Krakatua liners the interior. Come July I swim in the river intricate Mackenzie Delta freezes, along keep my paws warm. I wear trainers a size and walk dogs. I wash outside. I don’t with every lake and river for thousands of bigger in winter to make room for layering have running water but swim in the river, miles, so too the Arctic Ocean. Between socks. My trainer soles go a little stiff in lakes or douse myself from a bucket. the three communities of Aklavik, Inuvik the cold but don’t crack. Some makes do, Come winter water would freeze to my and Tuktoyaktuk snow is cleared to create disastrously. I tape over trainer breathing hands and face. I tend to wash less during an ice road system on the Mackenzie mesh and wear quality overbooties, the

24 | Summit - Winter

22-26 Cold Sweat.indd 24 16/11/05 2:32:54 pm gary rolfe “Drunks try revving from one type cyclists use in wet conditions. I was vehicles. The dogs I ice floe to the next. Fine until the prone to stress fractures in my feet, now I run with hurry from line my trainers with Sorbothane shock one piece to the next. floe flips. They die too. Water stopper insoles to avoid injury. Sometimes they try eating what they find - during spring break-up is cold Asthma in the cold cultural things like The lack of humidity in the Arctic cold can condoms. By May the enough to render a man set off an asthma related hacking cough, Mackenzie isn’t safe to feeling like I’ve swallowed broken glass. I run on, but unconscious in seconds.” was diagnosed asthmatic as a five year snowmobilers try to old. It frightened me, especially knowing prove otherwise. Rifles slung over the their payload. Each dog is capable of my grandfather died from an attack. backs of hunters act as barbs and they die pulling at least twice its own body weight. Treatment progress has meant I’ve never unable to pull themselves from holes in My best sessions? I have topped off thirty- been held back, thank God. Wearing the ice. Drunks try revving from one ice mile runs, winter or summer, just in time Arktis Merino wool face-warmers over my floe to the next. Fine until the floe flips. to finish with an hour’s weight training. gob and nose stops the cough. Breathing They die too. Water during spring break- Mostly, twice daily hour-long runs through wool doesn’t freeze up like fleece. up is cold enough to render a man precede long weekend runs with weights I make outsized ones and wear them over unconscious in seconds. on alternate days. I rest on the seventh or

the top of a tighter fitting one creating a Early wintertime training of my adult tenth day the same as on a long-haul Walkies! In the land of the wedge of warm humidified air. This dogs saturates up to four hours a day. By polar journey. midnight sun, Gary walks method hinders facial frostbite too. the end of January this doubles, so too Large weekly mileages could reduce his dogs in the early hours of the morning. Running with me my dogs just amble along, oblivious to the cold. Back indoors warm and safe I steam like a race horse. I smear Bag Balm on my face before and after running. This protective gel doesn’t contain water that would otherwise freeze to my face.

The return of the sun Out running in January the sun appears again and I notice Arctic fox, lynx, snowshoe hare and wolf tracks in the snow. Sunshine makes the tundra floor spangle as if crafted from cut diamonds. Avoiding hypothermia while gulping huge intakes of oxygen to perform immense physical output is only managed by being in good shape. Cold (I consider minus 35ºC or less cold) air hitting the lungs hard must be humidified else I’m in trouble and that means making sure I drink enough. I drink PowerBar Performance Sports Drink after each run. The taste livens up water and contains valuable vitamins and minerals. I swig an extra litre of water daily to humidify inhaled freezing air. Evaporation burns more energy. Ignoring water intake would lead to dehydration, hypothermia and complications, like death. Pissing into snow is no indication of my hydration condition. Urine always turns snow yellow, it’s best to watch the flow for true state of hydration. By February the forty-ton vehicle weight limit increases traffic on the ice road, it’s predominantly monster oil and gas exploration trucks hauling buildings out on skids to tundra locations. The ice is usually 16 foot thick. I don’t thank the cretins who throw litter out of their

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22-26 Cold Sweat.indd 25 16/11/05 2:33:15 pm gary rolfe

Above left: Just going shopping - heading into flexibility so I improve muscle length and time for the money thing, energy and looking out and down on myself. Some town on a grocery run. range of motion by consistently stretching nagging doubts, because you’ll be on training sessions leave me void of Above right: Piston enjoys a pre-training major leg muscle groups such as my your way. Sacrifices have to be made but memory. Really bad days out on the ice do stretch. hamstrings and hip flexors, and massage you won’t care about that either. I’m not the same. It’s like the very worst times are calves after each run. The idea isn’t new. for the fancy house, fast car scenario. Just forgotten and the best keep us going. I’m It reduces injury and strengthens already as well because I can’t get ten dogs in a glad for that. economical slow-twitch leg muscles to car. Conditioning mind and body parts maintain my efficient skiing style too. through training isn’t meant to be easy. I Training coax myself with little mantras, nothing Motivation I train with purpose and determine embarrassing, just a word or phrase to At school it was enough to drive myself weaknesses to define what I want to keep going. By practising and facing up to for the sense of well-being generated achieve and improve upon while out it on a daily basis my point is to have a from training, before it propelled into alone with my dogs. Fear is powerful and better experience when I’m faced with it something more like lifestyle and reinforces training motivation for me. I’ve again for real. I train alone. It’s the best expedition fitness. Got a dream and mind pictures of fretful past journey way. With others, sessions always reach a you’ve got incentive, your motivation. I predicaments that never ever go away. point where training partners feel it hold this close to my heart and treasure it. Brutal cold mornings harnessing up, necessary to direct comments my way I visualize it and plan, always telling my frantic to get dogs going or lifting them with, “you’re an animal, “ or “you are not feet where to go. You can do it too, your sodden out of water installs an urgency to normal”. That established I think dog ultimate I mean. Don’t live to regret lift those training weights and improve. I circumstances and drive harder. They not trying and don’t ever let anyone tell don’t know where the willpower comes overlook that training is just as you your dream is too big because some from, but an ever-progressive training unpleasant for me. Apart from that it’s people will try. Identifiable as under- schedule bolsters confidence, self-reliance just normal running - and the hardest achieving jealous loser types, they and efficiency. I suppose it goes back to part is always getting out of the door. n warrant a stiff middle finger. Don’t be hunger for improvement. told you’re selfish or ruthless. Resist Achieving daily mileage on a journey Gary Rolfe has clocked up over 10,000 stepping on toes, pay your dues, do the can be easy. Most of the time it’s not. Arctic miles alone with dog teams. Based right thing and people around you will Training runs are for those times. The in Canada’s Arctic community of Inuvik benefit from sharing your enthusiasm, staple result is performance endurance he owns ten purebred Canadian Eskimo your passion. under mind-bending fatigue. No matter dogs. Only 300 exist. Arctic temperatures Dreams come true. They also cost. But how long a run is I have good and bad range from 28ºc summers with perpetual you won’t care about the sweat, tears, sections. I expect them and live with it. 24-hour sun and 48ºc-below-zero polar Expedition days are dark winters. As you’d expect, he’s serious “Some training sessions leave the same. At worst I about training. Stay tuned for part two of visualise myself this article in issue 41, on food for me void of memory. Really bad completing the task, performance.

days out on the ice do the same. Further information www.garyrolfe.com - Gary’s website It’s like the very worst times are www.rab.uk.com - Vapour-Rise clothing www.horizonsocks.co.uk - Socks for all outdoor pursuits forgotten and the best keep us www.asthma.org.uk - Asthma support and information going. I’m glad for that. “ www.outdoordesigns.co.uk - Hydration packs and gloves

26 | Summit - Winter

22-26 Cold Sweat.indd 26 16/11/05 2:33:40 pm BULGING WITH CLIMBING GEAR Many shops claim to be climbing specialists. At Rock On we sell Climbing/Mountaineering equipment & Books and absolutely nothing else. NOTHING ELSE. Now that’s specialist.

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sum27.indd 1 15/11/05 3:07:47 pm guidebooks Circuit TRAINING

Niall Grimes has a workout with the mighty new guide: Burbage, Millstone and Beyond.

An autumnal Ann Arran climbing the classic Neb Buttress (HVS 5a), Bamford. Photo: Alex Messenger.

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28-32 Burbage.indd 28 16/11/05 2:35:04 pm guidebooks Circuit TRAINING

’m a great fan of the all went down a treat. They fulfi ll many definitive guidebook. Well, purposes. For one, they are an attempt to I I would say that wouldn’t help readers to look at their cragging in a I? But think about it for a different way, by having themed days out, second, they are there to show or perfecting their skills in a particular where every route is, to give style of climbing. Or they are a chance for details of the great and the the guide writers to allow their special good, the small and the knowledge of an area to come across, by obscure, the weird and the pointing visitors towards what that area is unpopular. best for – good beginners’ climbs, for example. Their great advantage over select guides Also, they are an ideal opportunity to is the depth of knowledge they give to an give climbers the motivation to go to a area, a refl ection of the familiarity that the crag or an area they have not been to writers have with their patch, and, far before. This fi nal reason is one of the most from being select guides plus the not-so- important. It allows users to get the most good routes, they are bibles of detail and from a defi nitive guide, by getting away surprise joy, of the delight to be from the honey pots to the unvisited, uncovered in unexpected places, and the special areas, which not only broadens rewards that come from such, more their experience of an area, but, perhaps personal, discoveries. more importantly, takes the pressure off The new guide from the BMC, Burbage, those honey pots, saving them from the Millstone and Beyond, is a fabulous guide effects of overuse. for anyone who loves the gritstone edges. The forthcoming guide will feature A defi nitive guide in every sense, such circuits as “Routes for the Beginner”, uncovering and displaying the secret giving ideal routes and sectors where gems as well as the glittering diamonds those that are new to climbing outdoors on the more popular crags. As much work can cut their teeth; “The Advanced has gone in to lionizing the one star VS Beginner”, stepping the lessons up a little; tucked away in a forgotten quarry as has “Troglodites Corner”, a series of testing to the mighty E9 that can be seen for underground squirms in the Burbage miles, shining like a lighthouse. And one Valley, great for a wet day, or climbers way that these tucked-away beauties are that are afraid of heights; “So You Think brought to life is via the themed circuit. You Climb VS?” giving a dozen climbs to The idea of these circuits started in the test aspiring tigers in the skills of the Staffordshire Roaches guide. Things like greatest of all grades; “Boulders! Know “Ramshaw Crack School”, “Are you a Your Holds”, with twenty close-ups to see “Staffordshire Obscurist?”, “A Brown and how much attention you were paying; Whillans Day Out”, “Gus’ Slab Exams”, or “The Peg Pocketeer”, going through the “Breaking the Extreme Barrier”, and they grades of peg crack climbing in the

Summit - Winter | 29

28-32 Burbage.indd 29 16/11/05 2:35:19 pm guidebooks Visiting German loon Tobias Wolf soloing Knightsbridge (E2 5c), Millstone. Part of your “Big Day Out”? Photo: Alex Messenger.

quarries; “The Ultimate Highball List”, with over a hundred highball problems and micro- routes of all levels. Sounds interesting? Well here’s a selection of ideas to use with the forthcoming Burbage, Millstone and Beyond guide. Try a couple out, and see where it takes you...

The E2 big day out Circuits, much established in Fontainebleau, are seldom followed on grit, especially on routes. Yet by combining a good number of climbs, followed on foot, a superb fi tness testing day out can be had. Bring your sandwiches and a comfortable pair of boots, and by completing a list of routes such as the one below, you will collect a great amount of quality, and pump. Such a day out would be superb training for a holiday to Yosemite or the Alps, as both arms and legs are going to feel the experience. The climbs are generally pretty safe, allowing you to squeeze every inch of effort out of your tired body.

• Lawrencefi eld: Great Peter and Billy Whiz • Millstone: Regent Street, Knightsbridge and Commix • Higgar: The Rasp • Burbage North: The Fin • Burbage South: Midge, The Boggart, Zeus

The HVS big day out A similar idea to the circuit above, although a couple of grades lower. But beware, it won’t feel that much easier!

• Lawrencefi eld: Slippery Wall • Millstone: Bond Street and Plexity • Over Owler Tor: Skydiver • Carl Wark: Tower Wall • Higgar: The Riffl er, Surform • Burbage North: The Grogan • Burbage South: Pebble Crack, Brooks’ Crack and Nathaniel

It is worth noting that both these in-a-day circuits fi nish within crawling distance of The Fox House. This is no coincidence.

Hard routes where you don’t have to die All too often, hard routes on grit tend to be lethal, devoid of protection. However, there are safe ones out there, which are very worthwhile. Here’s a few, but it’s worth noting that what you lose in danger, you gain in desperation.

• Millstone: Mother’s Pride (E6), Toploader (E7). Both rely on oldish pegs, all the same. Higgar: Visit www.thebmc.co.uk/ Linkline and Block and Tackle. Two Neil Foster guidebooks to download FREE E6 6cs – desperate, brilliant and great taster sections of the guide. protection. Ahhhh. • Burbage South: Balance it Is and Masters of the

30 | Summit - Winter

28-32 Burbage.indd 30 16/11/05 2:35:41 pm guidebooks A young James Pearson stressing those fingers on Smoked Salmon (E8 7a), Bamford. Relax, it’s not on any circuit - yet. Photo: Alex Messenger.

Universe – a couple of E7s, first from that man Foster again, with bomber gear in a crack, the second an old one, protected by ancient bolts but backed up by an abseil rope. • Carl Wark: Lost World (E6 6c). An old John Allen delight with bouldery moves above good cams in a break • Rivelin Quarry: Earthboots (E6) and Flex (nearly E6). Two slippery desperates, the first a searing fingernail romp with small gear in some slots, the second a butch arête with a couple of good pegs. Oh the joy!

Obscure gems Far from the madding crowds, in the dark reaches of some of our local crags, live many fine routes which seldom get visited. Maybe the rock is a bit suspect, maybe the crag is too small, maybe you can’t pronounce the name. For whatever reason, some routes don’t get the attention that they deserve. Yet for this very reason, this can make an ascent the most rewarding of experiences, free from the chalk and wear and predictability of the three-star classics five minutes from the road. Here’s a few, ideally suited to those operating in the VS-E1 bracket.

• Birch Buttress, Rivelin: the wild western reach of this great crag had an isolated little outcrop with some fine severes and HVSs. • Hallam View Buttress: a lovely, isolated pinnacle near Rivelin, worth a quick visit for its short, easier routes (and an E7 if you feel limbered up). • Ladybower Quarry: a great morning crag for anyone who can handle hollow rock and a death-defying parking experience. Many powerful lines in the VS-HVS range, with The Rat being one of the finest Obscure Ticks in the area. • Back Tor: the hidden gem of the Derwent Edges, with many fine routes on steep, interesting rock. Spartan is the standout climb here – mighty roof-crack action. • Howshaw Tor: while being only 300m away, Howshaw Tor makes

One of the many high quality micro-routes at Rivelin is Shelf Wall (VS 4c). Here, Kim Leyland contemplates death-by-gorse midway through the crux move as climbers descend from the needle. Photo: John Coefield.

Summit - Winter | 31

28-32 Burbage.indd 31 16/11/05 2:35:56 pm guidebooks

Back Tor seem like Stanage. Its northerly • Wall Chimney, HVD, Burbage North Burbage, Millstone and aspect gives obscure a whole new dimension, • Thrall’s Thrutch, S, Burbage North Beyond - £18.95 (plus p&p) and should be combined with a visit to Back • Scarlett’s Crack, HS, Rivelin The essential new guidebook Tor, especially for the Eliminate and • Every Man’s Misery, VS, Burbage South from the BMC is available from Rectilinear Wall. • Kremlin Krack, HVS, Rivelin mid-December. Covering over • Rivelin Quarry: no-one ever visits this crag, • Rhodedendron Crack, E1, Rivelin Quarry 2,200 routes and 750 boulder due to an unfair reputation for being • Goliath, E5, Burbage South. Bit of a jump, problems at Burbage, Higgar Tor, overgrown. Okay, so maybe it is – but only in maybe, but it’s good to shock the system the Lawrencefi eld, Millstone, Secret parts. For the adventurous dabbler, visit the odd time. Garden, Rivelin Edge, Bamford, impressive Big Quarry for Glucose and and surrounding areas. Full- Dextrasol, and earn yourself a couple of stars. Crack masterdom colour format, with 290 beautiful • Agden Rocher: Arcadia. Bucolic Paradise. The crack, the badly bruised achilles heel of the phototopos and 120 action Hands up who’s been here? See! Only one, modern climber, should be mastered if climbers shots. At £18.95, the question is and he wrote the guide. A sunny, tree-lined want to broaden out into all sorts of traditional not can you afford it, but how many can you crag. If you liked Ladybower Quarry, you’ll climbing. The main thing with them is to get afford? Available from all good retailers and the love this! Castor and Pollux are the two over the fear. To help, here is a breakneck fast- BMC offi ce. obvious choices for the marauding obscurist, track list for the aspirant. Tick your way through with steep, pumpy crack climbing. There you these for enlightenment. Win one of fi ve copies are, you are a true adventurer. As an early Christmas present, Summit has fi ve • 20 foot Crack, S • White House Crack, S copies to give away. Just email summit@thebmc. Great wriggles and • Mutiny Crack, HS • Amazon Crack, HS co.uk with the answer to: thrutches • Obscenity, VS • The File, VS • No Zag, HVS The worst forgotten art? Hardly! Squirming is • Roof Route, HVS • Dexterity, E1 Q. What seminal climbing fi lm does one of the most enjoyable and technical forms • Easy Picking, E2 • Undercut Crack, E2 Niall Grimes appear in? of climbing, and this area boasts a grand • Gates of Mordor, E3 • Teddy Bears’ Picnic, E4 a) Touching The Void selection. • London Wall, E5 • Scritto’s Republic, E7 b) Vertical Limit c) Hard Grit • Chockstone Climb, D, Burbage North There. That wasn’t so bad was it? You can book • Lime Juice Chimney, VD, Carl Wark that fl ight to the States now. n

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32 | Summit - Winter

28-32 Burbage.indd 32 16/11/05 2:36:09 pm 700d BMC map ad 26/10/05 3:41 pm Page 1

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sum33.indd 1 15/11/05 3:13:47 pm winter walking

It’sIt Cuillin Winter ’s C ui llin W in ter

If you think winter in Skye is the sole preserve of the seasoned

Climbing to the summit of Beinn Dearg Mhor. mountaineer, it’s time to think All photos: Ben Winston. again, says Ben Winston.

34 | Summit - Winter

34-37 Skye.indd 34 16/11/05 2:40:48 pm winter walking

It’s Cuillin Winter

f you were teaching a dog to fetch, you wouldn’t cast your stick across six busy lanes of I the M1. That’s advanced stick collection. Similarly, if you were teaching a child to swim, you wouldn’t toss them into the shark-infested waters off the Cape of Good Hope and shout cheery encouragement. That’s advanced freestyle training.

Curiously, it’s not much different when it comes to Scottish winter walking: you don’t try and introduce your friends to what is at the best of times a unique and somewhat mixed pleasure by taking them to Skye. Home of the Black Cuillin, the most jagged peaks in Britain’s largely rounded mountain portfolio, this simply isn’t the place to strap newbies into crampons, hand them an axe and point enthusiastically up the hill.

Summit - Winter | 35

34-37 Skye.indd 35 16/11/05 2:41:05 pm winter walking

Climbing to the summit of Beinn Dearg Mheadhonach.

High on Beinn Dearg Mhor, with Glamaig and the At least that’s what I thought when I already fine island. And so it turned out Sound of Raasay behind. started thinking about Skye for New Year to be: low, golden light; dramatic cliffs; a with a bunch of friends who hadn’t done lone dog on the skyline barking much winter hill walking. The island manically at the wind; a pair of sea hadn’t been our first choice, but when your eagles startled as we came over a rise. planning is good as ours (“Of course I The magic of Skye was at work on my know it’s November… What do you mean, friends, but I couldn’t keep my eyes off ‘a bit late’…?”), you don’t turn down offers the distance where the Black Cuillin on grounds of mere geographical stood brilliant in white. “Are we climbing inconvenience. That’s why I sat forlornly up those?” they asked, noticing my studying the fat tangle of contours of the abstraction. “I doubt it,” I said. Black Cuillin and thinking we weren’t With the Red Cuillin also transformed going to be doing much hill walking. by the snow, walking the following There was the Red, of course, but the tales morning was much easier than it could of big, bouldery scree and twisted ankles have been. We set off up Glamaig, an odd, were hardly inspiring. The coast? Well, it short, low hill that makes up for a lack of was better than nothing… stature with a brutally steep ascent. On When it actually came to travel to top the wind was whistling spindrift, but Skye, we were lucky to make it. The drive the air was crystalline with views across north was a long one made epic by Skye, across the Black Cuillin and across a blizzards beyond Fort William and a vast stretch of the mainland. “I never road that was quickly banking out, but knew it was as beautiful as this up here” we knew that with the Gulf Stream someone commented. “It’s not often,” I massaging the island, the weather on said, “that it is.” Skye was more likely to be wet than In line with the steady progression that frozen. We were wrong. was taking place as the days passed, the When we woke that first morning the growing confidence of the team and the hills were thick with fresh snow, willingness to tackle more hills, we set off whipped by a chill northerly but lit by a the following morning for our most brilliant winter sun. We decided on a ambitious walk yet. It started from the short walk from Talisker Bay as the ideal fabled Sligachan Hotel and swiftly way to loosen legs made stiff from travel, climbed the long, high ridge of Druim na as the place had been recommended by a Ruaige on Beinn Dearg Mheadhonach, local as one of the finest places on an leaving us free to enjoy a steady ascent

36 | Summit - Winter

34-37 Skye.indd 36 16/11/05 2:41:26 pm winter walking

and a wide panorama of winter excellence. Again the weather was holding with an Further Information uncharacteristic clarity and again my friends marvelled at Scotland. Guidebooks Maps By the time we reached the summit, The Islands, Pocket Mountains. Ordnance Survey Landranger 32 hysteria was beginning to break out, 50 Best Walks on Skye and Raasay by Ralph Storer, precipitating snowball fights, sledging, Time Warner Paperbacks. Weather drift diving and other wholly The Isle of Skye by Terry Marsh, Cicerone. The warm Gulf Stream ensures Skye gets less snow inappropriate mountain behaviour. Races than the mainland, and when it does snow it doesn’t down gentle slopes through deep snow Accomodation last as long. Good mountain forecasts are available were a favourite, frequently ending in face www.skye.co.uk from ukie.accuweather.com. But as with anywhere plants and hopeless, irrepressible laughter. www.visitscotland.com/accommodation in the UK, you never know quite what the day will We ate a long, lingering lunch while www.sligachan.co.uk throw at you! wrapped up on the summit and committed to memory and film the sort of experience that makes you wonder why The summit of Beinn Dearg Mhor catches the last rays of a winter sun. Scotland can’t be like this all the time. Then on the way down, in the long, purple dusk of that winter evening, the moon came out to light our final steps back to the pub. This, everyone realised, is why people travel so far for the mountains. This, they said, was why they’d come back again. Next morning it was back to form as Skye was on the receiving end of a massive storm. Winds to 90mph and rain as thick and heavy as mercury meant the mountains were clearly out, and I was part vindicated in my long insistence of what is normal weather in Scotland. Instead of going up we went west, to the end of the earth and the most exposed headland we could find. And once there at Neist Point we tried to walk in the wind, performed ten foot long jumps with ease and got blown over so many times that nothing much mattered any more. It was winter walking of a sort, but it brought home the fact that on Skye on the 31st December, you really don’t have to be up a mountain to have a Big Experience. A perfect winter’s day. That evening we celebrated in what some would call a royal fashion. I don’t remember much of it other than, at some time in the darkness of the morning, looking up into the sky and trying to work out if it was the northern lights that were shimmering, or my mind. I went to get a second opinion, but both that and the third and fourth were all inconclusive. But back inside for a final dram around the fire there was no debate: winter walking on Skye, we agreed, was indisputably great. n

Ben Winston is a BMC member and freelance journalist whose work regularly appears in the national press and specialist magazines. He specialises in outdoor writing and photography and has been a passionate traveller, walker and climber all his adult life. See www.benwinston.co.uk.

Summit - Winter | 37

34-37 Skye.indd 37 16/11/05 2:41:44 pm ice climbing IIIcyIIccccyyyy FFFruitFFrrrruuuuiiiitttt

Scotland is nice, but Europe has the ice. And ex-pat Jerry Gore’s getting very excited about what’s about to freeze in his local area.

Ever since climbing the route Holiday on Ice in the Ecrins Massif’s famous Ceillac Valley, I was a convert. This wasn’t the damp masochism of Scottish winter or the tingling fear of alpine mixed. No, this was something different - this was pure fun. I’d climbed throughout the world, from the wilds of Patagonia to Himalayan extremes and thought I’d seen it all, but after just one Euro ice route I was, well, hooked. Rogier van Rijn on Double Scotch (I/5), one of the Fournel Valley classics. Photo: www.rogiervanrijn.com.

38 | Summit - Winter

38-41 Ecrin Ice.indd 38 16/11/05 2:51:08 pm ice climbing

Rogier van Rijn on the 30m long cigar of Le Monde des Glace (I/5), Fournel Valley. Photo: www.rogiervanrijn.com.

Icefalls, or as the locals more range activists without doubt the place poetically call them “cascades de to start is Ceillac, located in the glace”, are a particularly euro pastime. Queyras Regional Park, about 50 And as usual, Brits were amongst the minutes drive from the Ecrins centre last to join in the fun. So keen to make of Vallouise. Access to the ice climbs is Icy Fruit up for lost time, I moved out to 2km beyond the centre of Ceillac, and Vallouise, gateway to the Ecrins and parking is right in front of the ski lifts. ideally placed to reap the icy fruit this Tool up by your car, walk ten minutes amazing area has to offer. I was not and you’ll fi nd climbs between 70m disappointed that’s for sure, but the and 250m long, with bolted belays and thing that really hit me was how the grades from 2 to 5+. Descent is either French have managed to turn a by abseil (not recommended if busy) decidedly brutal and barbaric sport or via the footpath that runs along the into a thoroughly civilized one. Ten- top of the climbs. Try Easy Rider (70m minute walk-ins from the car park, in- - II/3) to warm up on and then situ gear, bolted belays, and beautiful Holiday on Ice (250m - II+/3+) weather make up the typical day out yielding seven pitches of pure gully on Ecrins ice, all rounded off with a fun including an exciting 85-degree fi ne three-course lunch. section to provide fuel for the

evening’s banter. t A brief history of ice The whole pure ice thing is in fact very Fournel Valley new, even here in the Ecrins Massif The Fournel Valley has arguably the

where local climbers have been active greatest concentration of quality ice i for centuries and the region’s highest routes in the Ecrins. Since 1981 peak, The Barre Des Ecrins (4,102m) climbers have been developing its rich was fi rst climbed as far back as 1864. pickings and this 10km long valley The offi cial start of Ecrins Ice started now boasts over 100 routes of all in 1984 with the publication of grades, and from 30m to 700m in Godefroy Perroux’s “Cascades de verticality! Access is easy from Glaces” covering ice climbs above L’Argentiere-la-Besse where it is well u Bourg d’Oisans. Since these early days sign-posted, and it takes only fi ve the local talent such as the Troussier minutes by car from the town’s centre brothers (Stephane climbed 8a this to gain entrance to the fi rst sector year aged 50!), Pschitt Perrier and “Hiroshima” or “Secteur Du Bas”. r Christophe Moulin began opening up Above this it just depends on how icefalls on their doorstep. Ceillac much snow has fallen and how far the Valley was the fi rst to fall with its fi ve- road has been cleared. In a normal minute approaches, bolted belays and season you can drive (with snow easy footpath descents. Then the boys chains) right to the car park at the far

moved up into the Fournel Valley end, just past the Basse Salce chalets. F above L’Argentiere-la-Bessee and the At the beginning of January, the road creation of France’s ice mecca was is almost always cleared up to these FRENCH ICE GRADES begun. The launch in 1991 of Europe’s chalets for the annual international ice Climbs in the Ecrins use the usual largest ice climbing meet “ICE” (now festival ICE (Ice Climbing Ecrins) in classic WI (Water Ice) grading system in its 16th year) together with the L’Argentiere. To fi nd out about road for icefalls. The grade is split into two brilliant website www.ice-fall.com conditions phone the Mairie (Mayor) sections, a Roman numeral grade and a detailing the condition of local climbs of L’Argentiere on +33 492 23 10 03. numerical grade. The Roman numerals throughout the season, were the other Incidentally the next ICE festival is on refer to the overall diffi culty including two vital ingredients that have the 4th-8th January 2006. Where length, approach, how sustained it is, y resulted in making the Ecrins Massif amongst other things they have hot the descent, and objective hazards like the numero uno ice destination across spiced wine waiting for you on avalanches. The numerical grade gives Europe. descent! To fi nd out about ICE 2006 the technical grade of the hardest pitch, visit www.ice-fall.com. and takes into account the angle, the Ceillac Valley Routes to do include Sexy Gully complexity of the moves, and the usual

Out of the 20 different ice crags and (180m - II/4), Capitaine Courageux quality of the ice. Very roughly add one c cliffs in the Massif, the three principal (200m - III/4), Hiroshima (150m - to the French numerical grade to get the valleys are Ceillac, Fournel and III/5), La vision de Marco (100m - Scottish equivalent, i.e. WI 2 = Scottish Freissinieres. For beginners and mid- II/3), Colosses de Rhodes (700m - III and so on.

Summit - Winter | 39 Icy I

38-41 Ecrin Ice.indd 39 16/11/05 2:53:19 pm ice climbing

Eric Frankemolen on Sombre Heros (I/5), Ceillac. Photo www.rogiervanrijn.com.

V/4+), Iznogood (60m - II/3), Double beginner with an easy walk-off, Scotch (80m - III/5), and Davidoff Fracastorus (200m - II/3+), Paulo (200m - II/4+). Folie (180m - III/3), Torrent de Naval (450m - III/3), Happy Together Freissinieres Valley (120m - III/4), Cascade des Violins Freissinieres Valley is a magical (150m - III/6), and Geronimo (550m place with well over 100 pure ice, - IV/5) - one of the longest on the mixed and dry tooling climbs at Tete and a real classic with a cigar on literally every grade up to WI 7 and the penultimate pitch. M10. There is even an “Ecole De So forget that long slog up north Dry” for the dry debutante. this season, come down and Freissinieres is the next valley over experience a slice of ice - Euro style. from Fournel, running parallel to it, But remember wherever you’re and only 15 minutes drive from climbing, always treat this fragile L’Argentiere. To access the valley medium with the respect it deserves. take the main road towards Gap When ice breaks it takes no (RN94) and just before La Roche De prisoners. Always seek local advice, Rame look for a small turning on talk to guides and fellow climbers your right (D38) sign posted to about the current conditions, and Freissinieres. Shortly after passing find out what has been happening to the main village of Freissinieres the area recently. Unlike mixed you’ll see the first ice climb of the climbing in the UK, where fickle valley, the classic Fracastorus, on conditions can often make you your left. charge onto the first thing you see, The routes extend all the way on with Euro icefalls you can afford to both sides right up to the car park at start slow and build your grade up Dormillouse at the head of the gradually during your stay. And valley. finally, don’t forget, sharp tools are The narrow approach road is essential on pure ice, so make sure almost always kept open as people you pack your file. Have fun and live year-round at Dormillouse, a hopefully see you out here. n tiny alpine hamlet which feels more Nepalese than French. Be warned Jerry Gore (44) moved to the Ecrins though, snow chains are normally Massif two years ago, where he runs essential if you want to get right to his company AlpBase.com offering the end. This is a worthwhile bespoke mountaineering courses on excursion though, because the huge ice climbing, multi-pitch rock, 650m ice walls of the Tete De bouldering, Via Ferrata, ski touring, Gramusat must be seen to be and glacial walking. AlpBase.com believed. also provides apartments and chalet Routes to tick include Frenesie accommodation for climbers, Basquaise (280m III/2) - ideal for the walkers, skiers and snowboarders.

THE GEAR Ropes - use two half ropes (8-8.5mm are recommended with dry finishes). I use a Petzl Reverso, saving time and energy for the leader when belaying. Clothing - as per Scottish winters but generally go light. This game is about movement not inactivity. Rucksack - often I leave mine at the bottom of the route, but if I take one it’s small (20ltrs). Footwear - personally I always wear full mountaineering leather (B3) boots. Ice gear - use C3 crampons, ice screws (like Grivel 360’s), technical curved picks (I use Grivel Tech Wings). Miscellaneous - learn how to make Abalakov abseil points (see Summit 32 online). You can pretty much hire or buy anything you want from ice axes to snowshoes at local climbing shops in Briançon, L’Argentiere and Vallouise. 40 | Summit - Winter

38-41 Ecrin Ice.indd 40 16/11/05 2:54:03 pm ice climbing

A fi rst ascent for Arnaud Guillaume on Passenger Clandestin (I/5+), it collapsed a couple of hours after the ascent. Photo: www.rogiervanrijn.com.

PLANNING A TRIP When to go Guidebooks and maps The Ecrins’ high mountain gullies may come For the majority of routes mentioned above into condition as early as mid-October, after the bible is “Glace en Cascade”. The last the fi rst snowfalls. For the icefalls you will edition was 2000/2001 by R.Borgis and have to wait till mid-to-late November in an P.Turin (ISBN 9782914466004). A new exceptional year and from mid-December in edition is due out this November. “Glace en a normal year. By the second week of March Cascade” only covers the Brianconnais, the fi rst signs of spring are noticeable and Argentierois and Embrunais sectors. The we generally stop climbing low-level ice by popular icefalls around La Grave, still within then. But ice climbs have been done as late the Ecrins Massif, and less than an hour’s as mid April in high valleys such as Ceillac. drive west, have their own guide. For a full resume on what’s in condition The onlyonly guidebookguidebook inin EnglishEnglish isis JJohnohn consult www.ice-fall.com. It’s superb! Brailsford’sBrailsford’s “Ecrins“Ecrins Massif”Massif” - anan AlpineAlpine ClubClub guideguide pprintedrinted inin 2002,2002, ((ISBNISBN 00-900523-63--900523-63- How to get here 8).8). TThishis usefuluseful guidebookguidebook providesprovides detailsdetails onon Calais to the Ecrins is a solid 10 to 12 hour thethe locallocal valleysvalleys wwithith a selectionselection ofof thethe bestbest t journey by car via expensive French iceice routes.routes. TThehe EcrinsEcrins MassifMassif iiss ssplitplit intointo fi veve motorways. So the best advice is to fl y to IGNIGN mapsmaps atat 1:25,0001:25,000 andand thesethese cancan bebe Turin via EasyJet or Ryanair and hire a car boughtbought onlineonline atat www.ign.frwww.ign.fr oror locallylocally atat

from there. Transfer by car from Turin to newsagents and supermarkets. i Briançon is two hours and having your own transport in the Ecrins is a distinct advantage Weather Forecast if you really want to see the area. Don’t forget The forecastforecast isis uusuallysually ppostedosted upup dailydaily to hire those snow chains though. outsideoutside vvillageillage touristtourist ooffiffi cces,es, aandnd mmountainountain guideguide bbureaux.ureaux. OOrr trytry thethe followingfollowing Where to stay resources:

The two most convenient areas to stay are www.meteofrance.com u L’Argentière-la-Bessée and Vallouise. www.avalanche-net.com L’Argentière has numerous hotels and gites, www.alpbase.com but a popular one is Le Moulin Papillon, France TelecomTelecom - +33+33 (0)8(0)8 3636 6868 1010 2020 which is open all year. Email MMeteoeteo FranceFrance - +33+33 (0)8(0)8 9292 6868 0202 0505 r [email protected] / Tel: +33 (0) 4 92 21 85 14 or +33 (0) 6 83 25 27 95. In Vallouise, Avalanches EXCLUSIVE SUMMIT Gite L’Aiglière is very good, email gite. Avalanches aarere aann eever-presentver-present ddangeranger fforor [email protected] / Tel: +33 (0) 4 92 23 iceice climbersclimbers tthroughouthroughout thethe winterwinter seasonseason asas READERS OFFER 52 52 theythey oftenoften shareshare thethe naturalnatural gullygully lineslines withwith For further details on where to stay locally thethe routes.routes. NorthNorth facingfacing slopesslopes cancan holdhold deepdeep Fruit F 10% off AlpBase.com ice climbing check out my accommodation website www. powder and south facing ones are obviously courses in the Ecrins Massif for January alpbase.com It provides details on self- affected by direct sunlight. Wind slab is also and February 2006. catering apartments and chalets for climbers a common occurrence especially after a in the Vallouise valley, plus information on long,long, ddryry sspellpell aandnd ttheyhey mmustust bbee wwatchedatched Only £891 for fi ve days instruction. skiing, and ice climbing in the Ecrins. Don’t especiallyespecially wwhenhen descending.descending. OftenOften itit isis Includes: be afraid to get in touch if you’re in the area, I betterbetter toto aabseilbseil youryour lineline ofof ascentascent andand hencehence - Airport Transfers offer free use of local maps and guidebooks, mostmost ofof thethe popularpopular routesroutes areare wellwell equippedequipped - All transport and mechanical uplift and am always on-hand for advice and local forfor this.this. AlwaysAlways getget a locallocal forecastforecast asas heavyheavy -Full board and accommodation for 6 knowledge. You can also give me a shout to snowfallssnowfalls ccanan ooccurccur aatt aanyny timetime duringduring thethe y nights fi nd out the latest route conditions season.season. AndAnd nevernever bebe aafraidfraid toto askask localslocals forfor - Equipment loan ([email protected]) advice. - 5 days instruction,1:2 ratio with IFMGA mountain guides Food Rescue Things are generally cheaper in the Ecrins Mountain Accidents:Accidents: +33+33 492492 2222 2222 2222 Just quote “icextra” when booking and compared to the Northern Alps, so eating out La Grave:Grave: ++3333 492492 2121 1010 4242 (Gendarmerie)(Gendarmerie) c get 10% off our 2006 mountain courses. is not a bad option. Be aware this area of Briançon : +33+33 492492 2121 3636 3636 (Peloton(Peloton dede Email [email protected], phone +33 492 France is very laid back. Shops shut between GendarmerieGendarmerie ddee HHauteaute MMontagne)ontagne) 23 45 69, or see www.alpbase.com to 12 and 2pm (often to 3pm) and are often L’Argentiere: +33+33 492492 2121 1010 4242 (Peloton(Peloton dede fi nd out more. closed all day Sunday and Monday. Most GendarmerieGendarmerie ddee HHauteaute MMontagne)ontagne)

villages have local markets. Or if you have a French mobile ring 112 I Icy

Summit - Winter | 41

38-41 Ecrin Ice.indd 41 16/11/05 2:54:25 pm south georgia

Tom Chamberlain is out there on South Georgia.

Dan Heywood (L) and David Fasel (R) confer on how to get through the ice labyrinth of the Neumayer Glacier. The glacier is one of the longest on South Georgia, and was very diffi cult to move on, due to a lack of snow cover. Mt. Spaaman is hidden behind them in the clouds. Spaaman was fi rst climbed by a British team in the 1960’s. It has only had one ascent since then. Photo: Tom Chamberlain.

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42-46 South georgia.indd 42 16/11/05 2:58:31 pm south georgia

We were on the fi nal ridge to the lower, east summit of the 9,625-foot Mount Paget, the highest peak on the Antarctic island of South Georgia, 21 hours into our climb, wrestling a storm as the night hours passed. Gusts of wind were tearing across the invisible ice face to my left, roaring like an approaching train, before slamming into us. David hunched his body over his single axe while each gust shook him, the wind sending the vortex of avid looked me in the eye and snow and ice particles racing even faster shouted against the gale, “I will not in their torch-lit arc around the ridge crest fall, dude.” Then he left me on my above. Somehow, each time I dared to D look up, he would still be there, precarious perch. He climbed off into the tentatively pushing forward. It took a long darkness above, carrying both of our ice time for him to regain the ridge crest, and the fi nal ten metres seemed fraught with screws, up steep green ice festooned with the risk of him being blown right off the feathers of sastrugi. The rope bowed mountain. Finally he was lying down outwards into space, snatched at by the astride the top, grasping the mountain with both arms and legs. He stayed like howling wind. Our torches cast weak pools that for a further ten minutes, until a lull of light, through which snowflakes whirled in the wind enabled him to yell to me, “I into the dark abyss below our feet. think we’ve lost.” He started to climb Everything else faded to pitch black. back down.

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42-46 South georgia.indd 43 16/11/05 2:59:17 pm south georgia “On day ten of the voyage, the forbidding of metres below. A The long, unclimbed East Ridge of coastline of South Georgia appeared blizzard raged Mount Paget constituted both a possible around us, and it means of salvaging our pride, and of through the clouds: rotting black teeth wasn’t long before climbing one of the most attractive we decided enough unclimbed lines on the island. Alun had on the jaw of the empty ocean. I sprawled was enough. attempted it during a previous Gambo A week later we visit in 2003 and, together with Hamish alone by the tiller, cold and vacant.” were again Miller, had reached a point only a few And so David Fasel and I turned back manhandling tons of slag and peering hundred feet below the summit when a from a place I can only describe as “out through dismal weather from the lowly storm had unleashed its fury, almost there”. We’d set off a month earlier from summit of Admiralty Peak (3,100ft) blowing them off the mountain. Alun Tierra del Fuego, in the yacht Gambo, as while reconnoitring for our unsuccessful was burning to have another go, as was part of a team of seven, which included attempt on the dramatic Mount Tim, who had been to the top camp on glaciologist skipper Alun Hubbard and Spaaman (6,367ft). Spaaman means the 2003 attempt. So it was that five of us paramotoring cameraman Tim Hall. As fortuneteller, and is so named because assembled at the Sörling Valley hut, near my first major ocean voyage, it was a lenticular clouds above its summit are to the snout of the Nordenskjöld Glacier, perfect example of leaping in at the deep commonly a harbinger of storms after a white-knuckle ride across the bay end. Gambo’s 44-foot steel hull is sturdy approaching from the south. As it from Grytviken in our Zodiac inflatable enough, but this is not luxury cruising. happens, we scarcely got a glimpse of the dinghy. On day ten of the voyage, the forbidding peak. That night, camped on a moraine Early the following morning, carrying coastline of South Georgia appeared by the Neumayer Glacier, the heavens horrendously heavy loads containing through the clouds: rotting black teeth opened and a downpour of biblical everything for a week’s assault on the on the jaw of the empty ocean. I proportions dampened morale and mountain, we set off along the smooth sprawled alone by the tiller, cold and soaked most of our gear. David, a drip on pebbles of the beach, weaving between vacant, while a southern right whale the end of his nose, sat hunched in his small groups of king penguins and fur trawled mournfully past to starboard. sodden sleeping bag muttering darkly to seals, stepping over whale bones, and Then, just outside the entrance to himself and smoking wet roll-ups. Dan stopping to gaze at sooty albatross Cumberland Bay, we were hit by a violent peered mournfully at the pile of soaring above in the dawn light. Only storm, with 70-knot winds, and were unintentionally rehydrated hill food David seemed unhappy: the quantity of forced to heave-to for 36 hours. Finally, sitting in a puddle in the porch. I lay gear we were carrying and the resulting on the 16th March, we were able to sail soggily in the corner, reading an slow pace was driving him mad, into the former whaling station of absorbing book. especially as the clouds were peeling Grytviken on a beautifully crisp, calm morning, and it was with some relief that A late season visitor - the beautiful I leapt ashore with the mooring rope. yacht Europa. Photo: Tom Chamberlain. I wasn’t in the best shape for climbing when we got to South Georgia, having only kept down about three meals in the space of twelve days – it had been a bumpy ride. Nevertheless, with David champing at the bit and Dan Heywood also keen, we set off that very day on our first excursion: an attempt on the unclimbed summit of the aptly named Quad Five (5,555ft). As we walked up the hillside above Ernest Shackleton’s grave, I heard the call of nature and went behind a rock, taking some tissues to mop up the tears of relief - the last proper ‘movement’ I’d had was twelve days previously in Puerto Williams. It Watch out, there’s a King Penguin about. was clearly time to prescribe myself a Photo: Tom Chamberlain. diet containing some good fibre, breakfast cereal, perhaps. Unfortunately, the only kind of cereal I got the following day was definitely not what the doctor ordered: the north east ridge of Quad Five was steep sided and composed of rock so rotten, it was like climbing a pile of cornflakes. With nothing to belay off, we whimpered as handholds and footholds rumbled off into the clouds and crashed onto the glacier, hundreds

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away from the high peaks – a rare event on for as long as it might take. The believed him. The ridge swooped up in South Georgia. It was shaping up to summit of Mount Paget was still 6,000 above us in a great series of icy fins, but be a beautiful day. Still, we stayed feet above us and over four miles away, the weather was starlit and still, and it together and plodded across the huge yet I had already spent ten hours that day seemed that nothing could stop us, just a expanse of the glacier all morning, slogging uphill with a huge load on my matter of climbing the two miles of crossing a chaotic icefall in the middle of shoulders. We negotiated an icefall and intervening ice ridge. We had a brew, the day, before starting the long uphill found our way into a high glacial cwm using the last of our fuel, ate a salami slog in the soft snow of a blazingly sunny below the seracs of Mount Roots, before and a couple of cereal bars, and then set afternoon. skiing around another jumbled icefall to work. By around three pm, the team, towards the foot of the ice ramp, which At first it was serene and easy - a sweating profusely under its heavy loads, Alun, Hamish and Tim had used to tightrope walk in an unearthly setting, was slumped in a relatively safe position access the East Ridge in 2003. At the foot lit by the full moon. I was thinking, beneath a rock tower, not far from the of the 1,000-foot ramp we cached our “Bloody hell, we’re going to make the proposed site of Camp One. Months of skis, put on our crampons and started fifth ascent of Paget”, and then pride comparative inactivity were starting to climbing, while the sun dropped towards creeping in “crikey, we’ll have done the tell on the two seafarers, Alun and Tim, the horizon and the temperatures whole mountain from sea-level in one both of whom were crimson and ragged- plummeted. push!” Such vanity. My foolish pride was looking. David, however, was raring to We reached the crest of the ridge premature. Something suddenly felt go, gesturing wildly at the scenery, and shortly after sunset. I will never forget it. different: looking up, I noticed that the barking dementedly. There was only one Far out to sea on the empty northern shimmering profile of Paget’s summit thing for it – someone had to go ahead skyline, a solitary iceberg burned like an had disappeared, swallowed up by a with him. An hour later, the two of us orange flame in the last of the sun’s rays. strange and unsettling cloud cap that had dumped our loads at Camp One, got Mount Roots floated beside us, its snows clung to the mountain like a hood. Then our skis on, and we were skinning up the glowing a ghostly purple in the twilight, the wind started to get up. glacier above, into the late afternoon and a blood-red full moon rising over its I was starting to feel tired. Still, we sunlight, with nothing much more than shoulder. And below us, the rarely seen pushed forward, increasingly aware of a duvet each, a bit of food and a stove southern face of Mount Paget plunged to the abysses on either side as hard snow and pan in our packs. the Scotia Sea, which stretched away to became hard green ice, and the wind It felt crazily exciting to be finally the horizon, down towards Antartica. It began to blow strongly enough to getting somewhere. Our moods soared, was lonely and wonderful. David clapped unbalance us. By the time we were with only a dull worry lurking in the me on the back, and pronounced starting the long rise to the East summit, back of my mind as to my ability to carry confidently, “Dude, we’ve done it!” And I the first snowflakes were beginning to

Mount Roots - first climbed by Brits in 2004 - at sunset from the lower east ridge. Photo: Tim Hall.

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“Far out to sea on the empty me, I could already were preparing to move, and collapsed in sense that we were a heap. David cheerfully declared, “I’m northern skyline, a solitary defeated. quite tired, and my legs are like iceberg burned like an orange It took a lot of pudding”. I was scarcely able to speak. time and effort to I felt shot to pieces after the attempt, flame in the last of the sun’s rays.” reverse the and was very glad when my old friend awkward ridge in Dan said he’d accompany me down the fall out of the blackness, and the the night and the storm. At one point we mountain. We made it back to the visibility was down to a single rope mistakenly followed a subsidiary ridge Sörling Hut over two slow, tiring days of length. The ridge, which had looked away from the main crest, and I only decaying snow bridges, torrential sleet amenable in distant views, seemed to realised in the nick of time: we were and rain. The other three – Tim, Alun rear up alarmingly, making us regret our heading for the edge of the big seracs and the indomitable David – stayed on, decision to take only a single rather blunt above the northeast face. We ended up reaching Camp Two at the foot of the ice axe and one ice screw each. David, a regaining the ice ramp across a huge icy ramp, but spending an entire week there, mountain guide at home in Switzerland, couloir, which was funnelling cascades pinned down by bad weather and took the initiative and led up a of graupel and larger wet snow slides making no further progress. particularly steep wall of ice, bringing down it. Miraculously, we located our Without engine or mainsail, it took us me up behind him. Eventually we half-buried skis at the foot of the ramp 17 days to return to Plata Estuary, reached a tiny outcropping of rock, but it and were able to speed our downhill Uruguay was shattered and almost entirely progress a bit. Mind you, as a rather The East Ridge of Mount Paget embedded in the ice. I’d hoped to take a average skier, I find sunny Alpine slopes remains unclimbed. n belay there as I led up to it, but ended up easier than roped-up skiing through merely perched precariously on my sub-Antarctic icefalls in a storm, in the BMC member Tom Chamberlain is a crampon points with the rope looped dark. The weather improved around keen alpinist and expeditioner, with first over a tiny fin of rock. From there, David seven am, but it was still dark, and we ascents in Greenland and the Chinese was able to lead one more rope length had somehow got lost. We sat and Himalayas to his credit. He used to be and reach the exposed, unclimbed shivered on a rocky ridge until it became shady corporate spy in London, but that summit of Paget East. We were still lighter, and some familiar shapes wasn’t frightening enough, so he decided about 1,500ft below the main summit, emerged from the gloom. At ten we to become a schoolteacher in Sheffield but by the time David shouted down to reached Camp One, where the others instead.

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42-46 South georgia.indd 46 16/11/05 3:00:20 pm expeditions Expeditions 2005 Just what have the BMC/MEF trips been up to this year? Ian Hey, BMC International Officer has the round up of who’s gone where and what’s been ticked.

North America and Canada Eye Tooth, and also a repeat of Ham & Eggs British Alaska British Buckskin Expedition (900m, V 5.9 W14) on the Moose’s Tooth. When Andy Parkin was forced to pull out, Changing dates from spring to autumn Simon Yates was left with just four weeks to proved to work against Paul Ramsden and Scottish Pantheon Range - find a new partner and as it turns out a new Rich Cross. A huge storm that dumped metres The main objective of Simon Richardson and objective. In stepped Paul Schweizer and with a of fresh snow meant no climbing was possible Mark Robson was to make the first ascent of photo supplied by Mick Fowler the new in the central Alaska Range, although plenty the 600m NW Pillar of Athena Tower on objective of Mt. Alverstone’s West Face was set. of awesome objectives were spotted. Mount Zeus (2,959m), described as the The 6,000ft snow and ice face was climbed in “Bonatti Pillar” of the Pantheon Coastal two days at an overall grade of TD+ with A Slice of Ice - Alaska Range, British Columbia. Unfortunately at another two days required for the circuitous After three successful trips to the Kichatnas about one-third height, they encountered a return to basecamp. in as many years, luck finally ran out this year 50-metre wall which, having no obvious for Stuart McAleese, Nick Bullock and Twid cracks or other features, stopped further Yukon 2005, Kluane Turner. Extremely low temperatures meant progress. They then turned their attention to In recent years, the Yukon has received little ice formation and their intended the unclimbed 2km NW Ridge, which considerably less attention from British objective; a magnificently thin 1,200m ice line provided an excellent TD alpine route, and the climbers than Alaska, but clearly still has rich on Middle Triple Peak (2,693m) was actually first ascent of the mountain’s West Peak, as pickings available. From a Base Camp on the bare rock. Continuous bad weather further well as the first N-S traverse. Donjek Glacier in Kluane National Park, Glenn increased avalanche risk in the area and Wilks and Jonathon Wakefield made first meant little climbing was achieved. Yorkshire Tokositna Glacier ascents of eight peaks between 3,300 and 3,700 Although attempted by several climbers over metres, including Donjek 3, 4 and 5, at Scottish British Ruth Gorge the years, all had failed to reach the summit grades II and III. New routes on the East Face of Mt. Wake of Peak 11,520’ (3,512m) above Central (2,755m) and a steep unclimbed goulotte on Alaska’s Tokosita Glacier. Unfortunately, the West Face of London Bridge were the aims Coley Gentzel and Seth Hobby (USA) made South America for Tom Spreyer and Mark Walker. Again lack the first ascent whilst the British team of Rio Turbio, Lost Valley of the Andes of ice and unseasonably warm weather caused Andrew Saxby and Jago Trasler were still Leo Houlding, Jessica Corrie, and Kevin Thaw problems, and necessitated a switch to rock establishing base camp. In attempting the were initially prevented access to this area of climbing mode, with the team making a one- second ascent they were forced to retreat after big granite crags in Argentina’s Lago Puelo day ascent of Dream in the Spirit of Mugs 300m due to illness. Bad weather precluded National Park by heavy rain and flooded rivers. (1,100m, V, 5.10c) on the West Pillar of the further attempts. Then with insufficient time to attempt the main objective, the 800m Mariposa, they chose to carry out more exploration and plan to return Having fun? on the Eye Tooth, Ruth Your lead? The awesome Angel Falls. Gorge, Alaska. Photo: Tom Spreyer. Photo: Anne Arran. next year.

British Cordillera Oriental After some initial false starts Tony Barton and Tim Riley made three ascents in the remote and highly unfrequented region around Huagurancho. These included an ascent of the SW face of Nausacocha, 16 pitches, at D+.

Tepui 2005 The very strong team of John Arran, Anne Arran, Miles Gibson, and Ben Heason (UK), Alex Klenov (Kazakhstan), and Ivan Calderón and Alfredo Rangel (Venezuela) turned their attention to the 1,000m Main Face of Angel Falls. Over 19 days (14 nights on the wall) they made the first ascent of a route which they called Rainbow Jambaia with 31 pitches up to E7 6b / 7c/7c+. The route went all free on trad gear with just a few bolts used on belays for hauling loads or attaching portaledges.

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Rondoy West Face Himalaya, but this had to be Gareth Hughes, Tim Darlow, Myles English and abandoned due to the amount of Oliver Metherell (UK) teamed up with Robin powder snow over granite slabs Deplante (FRA). Their prime objective of a new and a lack of ice build up. Instead route up the obvious ice funnel on the West Face they attempted to make the of Nevado Rondoy (5,879m) in the Cordillera second ascent of the 1976 Huayhuash had to be curtailed, as dry Boardman Tasker route. Despite conditions made both the approach and route a 72-hour storm that put down unjustifiable. A number of existing routes in the 1.5m of fresh snow they area were climbed and a thorough exploration of eventually established a camp on the East side of the Copa Massif was the Bengini Ridge (c6,000m). undertaken, identifying various new route Over the next five days they crept opportunities. upwards, but eventually continued extreme cold and lack of food forced a descent. The pair Greenland returned full of admiration for CUMC Centenary Expedition – the sustained and difficult nature Kangerdlugssuaq of the climbing achieved by James Sample led a team for some fantastic ski Boardman and Tasker! touring in the area around the Hutchinson Glacier south of Kangerdlugssuaq Fjord. Ten British Sikkim new peaks were climbed with routes from PD to Having borders with Tibet, Nepal TD, mostly on excellent granite. A leg injury to and Bhutan means that all one of the party on the penultimate day required visitors to Sikkim have to obtain evacuation to hospital in Iceland where a full an ‘inner line’ permit. Thankfully recovery was made. this is not difficult, and the Graham Rowbotham on the first authorities there have recently ascent of Pik Neizvestniy (5,240m). KMC vs Tornarssuk designated a number of peaks in Photo: Paul Knott. Dave Bone, Marylise Dufaux, Dan O’Brien, Carl the area around the Talung Pulley and David Whittingham headed to Glacier as ‘trekking peaks’. Julie-Ann Clyma right of Wall of Dykes to create Shortcut, Tôrnârssuk Island, off SW Greenland, and a and Roger Payne (UK) plus Kunzang Gyatso 500m E4 6a and thanks to “the hardest bit of little further east than the usual Cape Farewell Bhutia and Sagar Rai (India) took advantage of onsight climbing I’ve ever done” by Sam venues. A number of new mountaineering this new system, and despite poor weather Whitaker, he and Dave Pickford added From routes were achieved mostly in the lower grades throughout the trip two peaks were climbed. Russia with Love, 450m, E7 6b on the pillar but the team was hampered by a series of active The North summit of Lama Lamani (c5,650m) between the Central Pyramid and the Russian depressions with much rain and strong winds. received its first ascent via the NW Flank & W Tower. And none of them got shot at or Ridge (AD+), then Tinchenkang (6,010m) by its kidnapped either. NW Ridge at D-, which was its third overall and India probable first alpine-style ascent. Grand Poohbah North Wales Changabang Paul Knott, Grant Piper and Graham Nick Bullock and Stu McAleese had the Rowbotham’s main aim was the first ascent of intention to create a new line on the West Face Pakistan the highest peak in the area - Pik 5697m, of Changabang (6,864m), in the Garhwal British Kero Lungma nicknamed Grand Poohbah in 2000 by Mike Peter Holden, Bill Church and Colin Morton Libecki. This had to be scrapped due to access

The West Face of Odins Tooth. returned to the Kero-Lungma Glacier to explore problems through overhanging seracs but Photo: KMC. its NE branch and climb some of the principal they were delighted to find the area populated peaks at its head. They were successful in by elegant spires and steep granite walls, and making the first ascent of Peak 5800, but twice succeeded in making the first ascent of Pik had to retreat from high camps on Peak 6123 Neizvestniy (5,240m). due to poor weather and dangerous conditions. Cambridge Mongolia Central Asia Exploration of the area of Alan Dickinson and Ak Su Free and Clean Tom Lambert’s main mountaineering Likened to “Yosemite Valley in the 1930s with objective revealed the ridge that they had terrorism” the granite spires above the Ak Su intended to traverse to be a rather tamer than main and subsidiary valleys of Kyrgyzstan it had appeared from satellite photography. have become a popular destination for Instead they climbed the adjacent Monkh technical rock-climbing teams. And despite Khairkhan Uul (4,202m) before relocating to plenty of rain three big new routes were the Tavanbogt region. There, bad weather achieved by Mark Pretty, Dave Pickford, Ian caused a retreat from Mt. Huiten, (4,374m) Parnell, Niall Grimes, Donnie O’Sulliven and when only 150m from the summit. When Sam Whittaker. Grimer and O’Sulliven conditions improved, a successful ascent was produced the 1,000m E3/4 Amazing Grace. made of an unnamed summit (c3,800m) Parnell and Pretty found a way up the wall possibly by a new route.

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Donnie O’Sulliven finding Amazing Grace (E3/4, University of Bristol Tajikistan 1000m) in the Ak Su valley. Photo: Niall Grimes. Simon Spencer-Jones, Ed Bailey, James Byrne, Ian Hatcher, Rob Lavin, Amy Marshall, Stevo Nicholls and Sam Smith formed this team of past and present Bristol University students planning to explore the southern end of the 70-80km long Fedchenko Glacier in the High Pamirs. They soon made first ascents or new routes on Peak Volodiya (5,847m), Peak Bronwen (5,550m), and Tanymas (5,900m). Hatcher and Spencer-Jones then set off to attempt the expedition’s principal objective - a multi-day traverse of Peak Bakinshikh Kommisarov (6,834m) and Peak Revolution (6,948m). Unfortunately the weather rapidly deteriorated, with strong winds and heavy snow, and the pair were never seen again, despite a number of air and land searches. The BMC would like to express its deepest sympathy to their friends and family.

Antarctica British South Georgia Julian Freeman-Attwood, Rich Howarth, Crag Jones and Skip Novak sailed 1,300km from Port Stanley to land at Larsen Harbour, and managed to complete a very committing 17- day south-north traverse of South Georgia. En-route they were successful in making the first ascent of Pk. 5680 (1,727m), but were defeated in their attempt on the N Ridge of Mt. Baume (1,912m).

British Antarctic Peninsula Phil Wickens, Alan Geer, Alastair Gunn, Tim Hall, Alun Hubbard, Andy Kerr, Colin Souness plus Nico L’Homme (FRA/POL) sailed from South America on Alun Hubbard’s yacht “Gambo” to Anvers Island, where they hoped to complete a traverse of Mt. Francais (2,825m) via its SE & NE Ridges. A 1,000m new line on the SE Face took them to the S Ridge, but from here they retreated due to

Crag Jones on Mt. Baume with Pk. 5680 behind. Photo: Julian Freeman-Attwood.

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Category 5 avalanche danger. Moving to 6210m by the SW Ridge, all at around PD. An Wiencke Island, they made three attempts to attempt on the SW ridge of the areas highest climb and link the challenging Seven Sisters peak Shar Kangsum (6,822m) was abandoned BMC / MEF EXPEDITION of Fief (c1,430m), but again bad weather due to avalanches. FUNDING prevented success. However, they climbed a BMC grants are only made possible new gully route on the NW side of Noble Peak British Gonkala through funding from UK Sport. To meet (c760m) at AD+ and a new route on the SE Dick Risherwood, Dave Wynne-Jones, Peter the criteria for consideration for a BMC Face/N Ridge of Mt Wheat (1,095m) in the Rowat and Toto Gronlund visited Western award, teams must be attempting Wall Range at AD-. As an expedition within Sichuan for early exploration of the objectives, innovative ascents in remote mountain an expedition Hall made the first successful and found a feasible way to the col between environments in ‘good’ style. Most paramotor flight in Antarctica (foot-launched Kawarani I & II (5,992m & 5,928m respectively). expeditions will also be considered for powered paragliding). They got as far as establishing a camp at 4,800m the Mount Everest Foundation (MEF) before being approached by monks from a local award. The MEF’s criteria is slightly South Georgia monastery that had earlier blessed the expedition. different to that of the BMC’s. Their With a change of crew this was effectively a They were now changing their minds in belief main concern is the exploratory nature continuation of the above, using Gambo to access that the expedition had been the cause of recent of the expedition rather than the South Georgia. The line up was now Alun thunderstorms in the area. The monks refused to technical difficulty. Hubbard, Tom Chamberlain, Alistair Gunn, Tim give way, showed no respect for the official Hall, Dan Haywood, and Rory Williams (UK) permit and became very confrontational. In the HOW TO APPLY FOR with David Fasel (SWI). In 13 days on Mount face of so much hostility the team switched its BOTH BMC & MEF Paget (2,996m) they only experienced two attention to an ascent of Haizi Shan (5,833m), but Applications for BMC and MEF grants weather windows, each of about six hours. Both unfortunately poor weather defeated them. are made at the same time, and initial attempts to reach the summit were unsuccessful, BMC screening takes place as part of but they did achieve the first ascent of its British Xiashe the MEF process. To qualify for MEF subsidiary peak (c2,100m), which they named Ed Douglas, Duncan Tunstall and Tom Prentice consideration, application forms must Buzen Point. made headed to Western Sichuan to make an be submitted before 31st August or 31st Read all about it on page 42! alpine style first ascent of the North Face of December in the year prior to the Xiashe (5,833m), via their route Don’t Cook Yak expedition. in Anger (1,300m, Scottish IV/V). China & Tibet HOW TO APPLY Imperial College Shar Kangsum Still out there... FOR BMC ONLY The Shar Kangsum range is situated in West British Habuqung Shan The BMC understands that it is not Central Tibet. Daniel Carrivick, Benjamin British Kajaquio always be possible to meet these Gready, Naomi Bessey and Joseph Johnstone Stoats Apolobamba deadlines and will accept direct reached the summit of three un-named British Machermo applications up till November 1st or mountains: Pk. 6603m by its South Ridge, Pk. Welsh Western Patagonia March 1st. Expeditions applying 6390m by the West ridge & North Face, and Pk. British Kangerdlugssuaq n directly to the BMC in this way will not be eligible for MEF funding and should Nico Lhomme close to the summit of be aware that they can only be Mt. Francais, Anvers Island, Antarctic Peninsula). Photo: Phil Wickens. assessed on the information they provide on paper.

LAST MINUTE BMC ONLY In addition, a small amount of funding may be available for a few last-minute trips that meet BMC criteria but cannot comply with the schedules above. If applying for BMC funding only, send your application forms direct to the BMC office.

FURTHER INFORMATION For further information and application forms for BMC/MEF awards contact: Bill Ruthven, 1 Sarabeth Drive, Tunley, Bath, BA2 0EA, or visit www.mef.org.uk

The application deadline for 2006 expeditions is 31st December 2005.

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sum21.indd 1 15/11/05 2:58:31 pm ª

Essential Skills: Winter Mountaineering By Jon Garside

Travelling through the British hills can be defined as any time when the ground is get too hung up on the technicalities. A good when they are plastered with snow covered with sufficient snow or ice to make the waterproof jacket and trousers are the main is incredibly rewarding, and can offer use of crampons and axes a necessity. Years ago essentials. It’s the accessories that make all the some of the most memorable days this would have been most of the season, but difference in winter; gaiters, gloves, spare gloves, out of the year. But the combination recently our winters have been very changeable, hat, head-torch, some sort of emergency shelter of short days and bitterly cold with warm spells interrupted by cold arctic like a bivi or bothy bag, a flask of hot drink, and arctic weather systems can present weather. The key point is to pay more attention lots and lots of tasty treats to keep your energy challenges to the unwary mountaineer. to terrain underfoot than the time of year. and spirits up. Then there are the badges of the If you’re thinking of setting out into the real “mountaineer”, the axe and crampons. Your mountains this winter then read on. Equipment choice of crampons will be dictated by your It goes without saying that a selection of warm, current pair of boots. If you’ve already got a pair What are winter conditions? layered clothing is required. There’s a lot on of stiff 3 or 4 season walking boots, then take It’s not a trick question. UK winter conditions the market these days, but there’s no need to these along to a shop and get a suitable pair of crampons fitted. The importance of this cannot Be ready for what winter can throw at you! be overstated - boots and crampons must be Photo: Jon Garside. suited to each other and adjusted accordingly. Then it’s time to get an axe. Winter climbers use two short, technical axes, but for more general use you’ll just need a “mountaineering axe”. Again, take advice in retailers for the best length for you.

Awareness Accidents and incidents in our winter mountains are often due to people having insufficient knowledge or experience for the objectives they undertake. Take time to educate yourself in the comfort of your own living room. Learn about the snow pack and avalanche awareness from books such as Chance in a Million? Watch the new DVD Winter Essentials to get a feel for what to expect. Read Scotland’s Winter Mountains

This issue drop your axe but makes it very a convenient pocket. You can’t digging in at the top of the slope the winter inconvenient if zig zagging up a actually guarantee that you aren’t so any snow you remove falls away walking expert slope. Your axe should be in the going to lose it in a howling gale so from the entrance. But be aware is Mal Creasey. uphill hand at all times so taking you should carry a spare or have at of hidden streams and any snow Described as the loop off and swapping hands least one other similarly prepared hole that involves steep ground “the voice of can be a real pain. Leashes will in the group. Another useful trick could avalanche. If you’re on open god” by Trail magazine, there’s avoid this but then you’re fixing a is to practice taking bearings with terrain you could try building a nothing about the hills that he sharp object to yourself, ready to your gloves on and become familiar “shovel up”. These can be more doesn’t know. Mal works as chase you down the hill. Personally, with the technique of squatting time consuming but are inherently Development Officer for Mountain I don’t think there is any substitute down on one knee using the other safer. Remove your sack, cover it Leader Training England, and was for simply getting used to having as a table to support the map as with a poly bag, then simply bury involved with the production of the the axe in your hand at all times, you do so. it with snow to make a mound, new Winter Essentials DVD. but if you must use something take then tunnel in on the leeward side removable wrist loops. Q. If I’m caught in a blizzard until you can remove the sac. This Q. Should I attach my axe where’s the best place to dig an takes a little practice and as with with a leash or wrist loop? Q. How do I make sure that I emergency shelter? all new skills it’s worth finding out don’t lose my map or compass? how long it takes to get out of the A. It’s a question of personal A. This depends on the terrain. elements and consider whether the preference but you should weigh A. Attach the compass with the If there are short lee slopes, amount of energy you are about to up the pros and cons. A wrist cord and keep the map folded, shallow gullies or embankments expand could be better utilised by loop should ensure that you don’t ready prepared in a map case in above small streams, you could try really trying to get of the hill.

52 | Summit - Winter

52-53 Hill Skills.indd 52 16/11/05 3:09:12 pm Hill Skills

Essential Skills: Winter Mountaineering By Jon Garside

– it’s filled with stories and advice to inspire and Be flexible with your plans! Photo: Jon Garside. and on good weather days since you need to put you in the picture. And don’t forget to give be confident in your ability when the chips are your equipment a once over before setting foot down. on the snow – put on those flashy new gloves and see if you really can still take a bearing. Put Skills those crampons on, and try and knock them off! There’s a whole host of skills to master to make your winter mountaineering safe and enjoyable. Preparation Hazards are always there, but that’s part of the With poor visibility and the ground covered in attraction. First off learn how to walk! It can be snow it is all too easy to become disoriented, so unsettling the first time on steep snow or ice it’s very important to review your planned route but with stiff boots, steps can be made in the before setting off. Have a look at the map and hard packed snow. And with crampons frozen break your journey into sections, you can then snow or ice can be negotiated. Balance is the estimate how long your journey should take and key, and that is where the axe comes in very identify any potential hazards or navigational useful. It can be used as a third leg on steep challenges you will encounter. Check weather slopes, and should always be carried in the forecasts, and avalanche forecasts - if available. uphill hand. Slips are always possible; so learn how to use the axe to arrest your fall. A simple Flexibility slip can lead to a serious accident, so have your Planning is great, but inflexibility is not. In axe in your hand whenever walking on steep winter the weather and conditions can change slopes. incredibly quickly and you must be willing to alter your plans accordingly. This does not have your navigation. In a white out with no visible And finally... to mean turning back, but may involve taking features, all you have to rely on is your map Exploring the mountains in winter is a different route if a slope is avalanche prone, a and compass. You need to be able to walk exhilarating, and having the skills to get around ridge too windy, or if your start time has been confidently on a bearing, measure how far confidently allows you to visit truly wild delayed. Better to have a short, enjoyable day you’ve gone, and interpret contour features to areas. The keys to success are preparation and than biting off more than you can chew. locate yourself as you go. It hardly needs to be practice. Do some research before you head to emphasised just how serious a mistake could be the hills, and practice the essential skills in a Navigation – for example walking off a cornice, or ending safe environment. And if you’re still uncertain, Just when you’ve got this sorted in your head up on the wrong side of the mountain. Practice consider enrolling on a course or hiring a guide and along comes winter, the ultimate test of your navigational skills on less serious terrain for the day to boost your skill level. n

get throughout the season now are A. The only thing I’d say is don’t A. With practice it’s often not typical early winter conditions with just rely on one technique. The as difficult as one might imagine. minimal snow cover and long rock worse the conditions, the more With a party of two or three people or scree slopes in the corries. Less techniques you’ll need to apply. make sure you all have the same snow cover should minimise the In this case the GPS will help bearing and with one person out risk of avalanche but the majority of you identify where you are, but in front, generally by three of four accidents start with a simple slip or there’s no substitute for pacing, meters max, the person following trip. Under normal snow cover this timing, and accurate reading of should be able to see if the leader may result in nothing more than an the ground. By all means confirm drifts left or right by sighting embarrassing slide, but in minimal your suspicions with the GPS but down the direction of travel cover the unfortunate person may it’s worth remembering that whilst arrow. In really bad conditions well be pitched headlong into steep it will tell you where you are and it easier, and safer to use a rope rocks. In addition routes can be where you need to be, it doesn’t and in extreme conditions this technically more demanding under know anything about the bit in- can be used to measure 100 meter lean conditions, and rock fall has between that’s gleaned from the sections. The worst conditions The winter hills. Photo: Jon Garside. increased. map. And of course, don’t forget I’ve ever encountered were when that batteries can be adversely I had to fill a helmet with snow, Q. With global warming, are Q. My navigation is poor- but affected by the cold. and dangle from my waist on two our winters getting safer? I know I’ll rely on my GPS in slings - it was the only way I could a white out, so is that really a Q. How do I walk on a tell which way was up, and which A. In a word, no. What we often problem? bearing in a whiteout? was down.

Summit - Winter | 53

52-53 Hill Skills.indd 53 16/11/05 3:09:26 pm Essential Skills: Winter Climbing By Jon Garside

Thinking of leaving the bet on it, always take a head torch the lee side of our predominantly to wear it under the hood of your comfort of the climbing wall and extra clothing in case it all southwesterly weather systems jacket. for the corries this season? takes longer than you expect. - ideal for snow accumulation. The good news is that if Learn about ways of assessing the 6. Belay out of the fall line you’re an experienced 2. Check the weather snow pack yourself – you’re the Think carefully about where summer climber many We (happily) climb in winter in one walking on it, and so you’ll be you belay so that if seconding, of your skills are directly much worse weather than we the one caught in any avalanche. you’re not going to get showered transferable to the winter do in summer, so you need to A good source of reference is the by debris knocked down by the environment. But the bad understand weather systems more seminal book Chance in a Million? leader. For the same cunning news is that if you’ve not thoroughly. There are some simple reason it’s not a very good idea done much hill walking you rules though, such as weather 4. Racking up to climb a route directly below might need to go back to systems from the north and east In summer we get to the bottom another party. school to bone up on some will bring colder winter weather of our climb and rack up, but in mountaineering basics than those from the south and winter the bottom of a climb is 7. Get gear in early like navigation - check out west. Pick up a book on mountain often on steep ground. Rack up In winter the belays may not be as the previous two pages weather and thumb through it on some flat ground, which may substantial as in summer - to say to give you some ideas. - it’ll more than pay off. be at the bottom of the approach the least - so it’s vital to get your OK, assuming you’ve done slope to your route. Minimise first runner as soon as possible, that and are raring to go, 3. Check the avalanche your rack and be aware that even if only a few metres above here are our top ten winter report camming devices don’t work very the belay. When leading pitches climbing tips: If there’s one available you’d well in parallel icy cracks. You may it’s likely that you’ll have to clean be a fool not to check it! Most not have used pegs before but use out cracks full of snow to find 1. Darkness reigns. people caught in an avalanche them sparingly, since repeated use runner placements. Using double It’s cold, walking in takes time trigger it themselves. Climbers damaged the rock. ropes and having long extenders and the days are short. It often are particularly vulnerable. can make it easier to protect seems a rite of passage to finish a The approach slopes to many 5. Helmets pitches. route in the dark. However, if you routes are at the critical angle for You could be showered with start early enough and choose a avalanches to occur, and many of snow, ice or even rock – so wear 8. Communication route well within your capabilities the climbing cliffs have an easterly one. Check you can fit a hat Even in good weather it can be that needn’t be the case. But never and northerly aspect. That’s in underneath it, and you may want very hard to communicate with

Our winter pitches and second the harder drag on runners, and if one rope and work out where on the map climbing expert ones. Grade III ice climbs have gets cut in a fall there’s a chance the climb finishes. Harvey Maps is Roger Wild. pitches of continuous ice, so try that the other rope will hold you. produce an excellent 1:12,500 Roger is an to get some experience seconding Disadvantages include the extra scale Ben Nevis Summit map that extremely these before launching out on the weight and increased difficulty clearly shows the main ridges experienced sharp end, and practice placing with rope management on easier and gullies. Make a note of the mountaineer, ice screws when seconding hard ground. Generally, I prefer to use bearings and distances before and the sections. Assess your ability to double ropes on gullies and face topping out and have your map Mountain Safety Adviser for place protection on mixed ground climbs, and single ropes on ridges and compass handy. Check out the Mountaineering Council of too. Look for climbs with a split which have easier sections where the excellent information page Scotland. He was a key member of II/III grade but be aware that this moving together will be possible. on the MCofS website: www. the production team on the new could simply mean that conditions If the technical grade is near your mountaineering-scotland.org. Winter Essentials DVD. on the route often vary. Ask limit then double ropes may be uk/leaflets/nevis.html around to find a climb that’s in best, especially if retreat by abseil Donald King on Thompson’s “good nick”, stick to shorter routes is a possibility. Route (IV,5), Ben Nevis. Q. I’ve done lots of grade to begin with, and build up your Photo: James Thacker. I and II gullies – how do I experience progressively. Q.When topping out in poor progress to harder climbs? visibility on a climb on Ben Q. Is it best to use double or Nevis, how can I work out my A. If leading grade II causes single ropes? position and plot a course to you no great problems, consider get down safely? teaming up with a more A. It depends on the route. experienced climber to try a grade Advantages of double ropes are; A. Check the guidebook III. You could lead the easier easier abseil escape, reduced carefully before starting the climb

54 | Summit - Autumn

54-56 Climb Skills.indd 54 16/11/05 3:10:23 pm Climb Skills

Essential Skills: Winter Climbing By Jon Garside

your partner, so work out a good communication Andy Turner enjoying the Scottish winter experience on Salmon system in advance. Leap (VI,6) Liathach, Torridon. Photo: James Thacker.

9. Cornices A large cornice can literally make it impossible to fi nish a route, so before deciding on your route make an assessment on whether you think you’ll encounter one of these beasts. This information can be gleaned from avalanche reports, guidebooks, thinking about the recent weather conditions, or simply by asking around.

10. Finishing your route Even if there’s no cornice the last pitch of a winter route is often on a steep snow slope with no gear. If there is a belay close to the top consider using it, as it will provide the leader with maximum rope when topping out. Climbers often forget that once they’ve fi nished climbing they have to walk back down. Work out on the map where you’re going to top out, and plan your descent route before you hit the howling gales of the summit plateau in failing light. It’s impossible to cover all you need to know about winter climbing in a page or two of a magazine, or indeed a whole magazine. The usual recommendations apply. Do the research. Team up with experienced friends, and consider going on a course or hiring a guide for a day. Many confi dent rock climbers do start their winter careers with some formal instruction, it can give you a great foundation. n

Crampons and Ice Axes £2.50 Don’t head for the hills without checking: Get the skills you need for winter BMC technical booklet. mountaineering from the following Sport Scotland Avalanche Information Service: sources: Chance in a Million? www.sais.gov.uk £13.50 Winter Essentials DVD A fully revised and updated edition Condition reports: £12.99 (inc. P&P) of the classic handbook. Two of www.climbinfo.co.uk Winter Essentials is a Britain’s leading avalanche experts www.winternet-scotland.co.uk totally new DVD showing look at the avalanche phenomenon www.ukclimbing.com the key techniques and from a variety of perspectives. www.westcoast-mountainguides.co.uk skills required to operate Packed full of both technical www.scotmountain.co.uk - sign up for email reports in Britain’s mountains. information and practical advice. This 40-minute fi lm Weather forecasts: follows a group of three All these publications are available www.mwis.org.uk www.metoffi ce.gov.uk winter mountaineers and from the BMC online shop. Prices www.metcheck.com two winter climbers on shown are members prices and are a day out in the Scottish mountains. subject to postage. Avalanche information boards: It’s ideal for hill walkers and rock climbers These will generally be located at the popular starting points planning to take their fi rst steps this winter, Jonathan Conville Memorial Trust for many of the walks, or at ski stations, pubs and climbing and a great refresher for those with more Mountain Skills Workshops 2006 shops. It is important to remember that this information is experience. The DVD has been jointly Apply now for a place on the Mountain based on the previous days observations, plus the predicted produced by the BMC, the MCofS, and MLTE Skills workshops. These one-day workshops forecast for the region so they are only a prediction of what with generous support from the Jonathan are based in the Lake District at the end of is likely to happen. Try to build up a picture of the weather Conville Memorial Trust. February. See page 58 for full details. pattern before you go and anticipate what may happen, that way you are able to start the learning process.

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54-56 Climb Skills.indd 55 16/11/05 3:10:37 pm Here’s BMC Volunteer Officer Martin Kocsis with a rundown of the latest local issues. If you want to have your say then come along to the next BMC local area meeting.

Lake District be responsible for the managed access regime Ian Smith’s “Craft of Outdoor Photography” Next area meeting: at the very sensitive site of Holwick Scar (see presentation was a fine climax to a productive Friday 3rd Feb, venue tbc. Access News in this issue). The world famous evening, as were the chips and butties. Mandy Alan Hinkes, fresh from climbing all the 8000m Dennison has offered her services as the new The bolts at Sergeant Crag Slabs have reared peaks on the globe, has now taken on the Peak Area Youth Co-ordinator when Dianne their ugly heads again, prompting an open more daunting challenge of being the NE area Staniforth steps down at the end of the year - a meeting to clarify the issue of Lakes bolting and chair. If you want to hear Alan talking about his tough act to follow. fixed gear, this will take place immediately after achievements for free, come along to an area the AGM on the evening of 25th November. meeting and buy him some beer. Bouldering master classes with well-known local South West climbers are in the pipeline, as is the Lake District Next area meeting: Green Guide. The back room at The Golden Rule North West Sun 29th Jan, Bristol Climbing Wall, 6pm was full to bursting at the last area meeting, so Next area meeting: let’s hope this continues! Mon 6th Feb, venue tbc. Away from the well-publicised incident at Vixen Tor, the division of the SW into three smaller, Two Trowbarrow rockfalls within a short period more relevant areas is being mooted; Devon London & South East of time have confirmed suspicions that rock & Cornwall, Avon & Cheddar and Dorset. The Next area meeting: movement is accelerating in the quarry. The Dorset region is in the process of reviewing the Tues 31st Jan, venue tbc. Lancashire area are supporting a Salford local bolting policy, and by the time you read University investigation to establish the extent of this, there should already have been one meeting The London meeting will move from Francis the movement. Climbers with any photos showing organised in Wareham by Andrew Whincup. House next year. It was felt that whilst providing Main Wall over the years are asked to send a decent supply of tea and biscuits, this wasn’t copies to [email protected]. Climbers should really the right place for climbers and walkers to make their own assessment of the risks before Wales meet. The new venue(s) are still undecided, but attempting Main Wall routes. The Lancashire lads Next area meeting: right now it’s looking like the Westway climbing are also moving onwards and upwards with a new Sat 28th Jan, venue tbc. wall and one other, yet to be confirmed. John definitive guide. If you’re willing to lend a hand, or Gibbon (of Westway fame) has offered to work you have pictures you’d like to see included, get Visitors to Snowdonia will remember the alongside Rob Naylor in the role of Area Youth in touch with Les at the address above. proposed “Park and Ride” scheme a few years Co-ordinator. A “Meet the BMC” event is in ago. After a campaign by locals and visitors the the pipeline to tie in with the Sandstone Open idea was withdrawn. The agency responsible Meeting next spring - a weekend affair with star Peak has produced a revised strategy including climbers, BBQs and general entertainment. Stay Next area meeting: concerns about indiscriminate parking, proposing posted for details. Thurs 2nd Feb, venue tbc. less drastic solutions. Any concerns about this should be passed to the Area chair. See www. The outrageous adjournment of the Longstone snowdoniagreenkey.co.uk for details. Welsh Midlands Edge enquiry has angered locals and climbers volunteers recently cleared a huge amount of Next area meeting: alike. They’re putting pressure on the National rusting metal from Huntsman’s Leap. Thurs 2nd Feb, Creation Wall, 7.30pm Park to protect our natural heritage. At the recent well-attended area meeting, Trudi Newman We need a replacement secretary for the outlined her plans for restoration of the ground Yorkshire irrepressible Charles Gameson, who stood around the Plantation boulders which was well Next area meeting: down after seven years hard work - any takers? received by everyone - showing that even those Mon 30th Jan, venue tbc. Creation Climbing Walls have recently opened who are new to the scene can get involved. their doors to climbers, and are keen to support John Horscoft is stepping down as area chair. Access problems at quite a number of crags the area structure by holding meetings and events continue to be resolved by a very hard working there. Another wall (tbc) is also in the pipeline team of volunteers. Recent damage to Shipley for all you vertically challenged Midlands climbers. WE NEED YOUR HELP! Glen by a geology class from Bradford Grammar Want to promote what’s on in your has caused outrage and local newspaper articles. local area? Club lectures, crag clean The school have assured local climbers that it North East ups, local climbing or walking meets. won’t happen again. Another initiative is the Next area meeting: You name it, we want it. So if you have setting up of a forum to review and formalise Mon 30th Jan, venue tbc. any local information get in touch with bolting policy in Yorkshire. Simon Greening is Martin Kocsis at [email protected]. stepping down as area secretary - so get your Volunteers Peter Hey and Alan Dougherty will applications in quick!

FOR MORE INFORMATION Dates, venues and times are subject to change - check the BMC website for full details at www.thebmc.co.uk/thebmc/areacom/areas.asp. If you’d like to receive local information by email, please contact [email protected].

56 | Summit - Autumn

56 local area events.indd 56 16/11/05 3:11:06 pm John Horscroft takes a regular look at the and the coaches are mostly world of BMC volunteers. This issue he’s competitors or ex-competitors. tackled Tony Powell. Tony is a familiar However we could always do face at climbing competitions, and he’s with more support, so if you’re spent over ten years supporting young a knowledgeable coach who’d British climbers. Here he explains why like to help some of the most the greatest threats to UK climbing are talented young climbers in the bumblies and bouldering... country, then get in touch!

How did you start climbing What do you enjoy most? I started quite late, around 30, at the West View The opportunity it provides to wall in Preston before joining the Lancashire be involved with top climbers Caving & Climbing Club and teaming up with and to travel and meet people some brilliant local mentors. from around the world at training events, competitions, What’s your favourite climbing area? and on the crag. For example I’m into anywhere but I find the Lake District we took the team to China the most inspiring. this August for the World Championships. How did you first get involved with the BMC? Why should climbers join When my daughter Jemma was six or seven the BMC? Tony and Jemma Powell at a recent competition. we visited a youth climbing festival run by To have an influence! The BMC Photo: Graeme Alderson. David France and Paul Dewhurst, the founders is an important organisation of the British Regional Youth Climbing Series that does a lot of good work (BRYCS), and both equally responsible for but it depends on its various committees to youth magazine of the BMC has been shelved the success of young competition climbers in maintain policies. Having attended many completely. What next - will we see BRYCS the UK. Jemma won the competition part of meetings I have been able to see how decisions being cancelled? the event and we were effectively hooked. Of are made, and how BMC policy is affected and The other real threat is this surge towards course she attended all the events she could it really is quite alarming. You’d be amazed how bouldering and the way the climbing media afterwards, and soon my wife Debbie and I few people can actually have a major influence. seem to be hell-bent on pushing this side of got roped in as helpers. The rest as they say is I can’t really understand why these committees the sport. OK I accept it’s great fun and lends history... are not better attended - we’re only talking a itself to being a more sociable pastime but in few nights a year. the meantime great routes are getting neglected What do you for the BMC? and crags are becoming overgrown. I guess Well, I recently and reluctantly passed over the What are the greatest challenges we don’t have enough virgin rock around to mantle of Area Youth Coordinator (AYC) for currently facing climbing? explore and report on in the UK, but does the North West to Steve Garbutt, after seven Bumblies and Boulderers. anyone really give a toss if someone climbed a very rewarding years of being involved, to one move V26 on a piece of choss in the back free up more time for my new role as Junior Er, How do you mean? of beyond? Team Manager. The main role of the AYC is Well, all too often I hear the old school to manage and coordinate the annual BRYCS complaining about today’s young climbers How can we improve the BMC? series. This is a series of three rounds held in and their lack of respect for the rock, it’s total The BMC needs to encourage and recruit each of ten areas around the UK, culminating rubbish! I’ve been involved with young climbers younger people into its committees and listen in a national final which is attended by up to in one way or another for ten years now, and more to their views. Also, I and many other 180 brilliant and motivated kids aged between they’ve never been more enthusiastic. They love volunteers work closely with and rely on the 7 and 15. It’s a fantastic event and it’s been a to climb and although many start indoors, given help of Officers within the BMC but they are privilege and joy to watch and help kids evolve the opportunity they soon grow to love outdoor spread very thinly and often overworked which and improve, and eventually maybe even make climbing and all that it entails. results in frustration - the organisation needs the British Team. If you look at the young climbers currently more manpower and expertise in many areas. Now as Junior Team Manager (with the help pushing the grades and boundaries, very few of Assistant Team Manager Jill Whittaker) I have not been involved with BRYCS or the What’s been your favourite climbing coordinate and facilitate training events and competition circuit at some point. The youth are experience? competitions around the UK and abroad for the future of the sport and need the support of It’s impossible to answer as I have had so the Junior British Climbing Team. We’re not the the organisation and those in a position to give many great experiences. These days I usually coaches, these are Dave Binney (Head Coach) it, and they in turn will bring the organisation climb with Debbie or Jemma, so it’s a family and the very capable and invaluable Andrew into the 21st century. thing which works very well for us. We love to Earl, Lucinda Hughes and Andy Long, together Instead we have seen support for youth head to the sea cliffs at Anglesey or places like with more occasional people like Anne Arran. being significantly eroded in recent years; Ian Black Crag and Castle Rock in the Lakes. And Our numbers are few, which means a very high Fenton hasn’t been replaced as Youth Officer, although I have climbed many E1’s and 2’s since, workload - most winter weekends, and many, the Youth Advisory Panel has been merged with strangely one of my most satisfying moments many evenings! The managers tend to have the Training and Advisory Group, significantly was climbing North Crag Eliminate, I remember kids in the Team, hence their commitment, diluting it effectiveness, and Gripped, the whooping with joy when I topped that! n

Summit - Winter | 57

57 Powell.indd 57 16/11/05 3:11:54 pm BMC Alpine Essentials 2006 Scottish Winter Climbing avalanche assessment. Application forms Sponsored by Sprayway, supported by Performance Seminar and further information are available BUSA and Trail Glenmore Lodge, 17–19th February from the BMC website. Deadline for If you’re already getting excited about the next Alpine Get tooled up, as it’s soon time for the applications: 16/01/06. summer season, then make a date for the BMC Scottish Winter Climbing Performance www.thebmc.co.uk Alpine Essentials Series. This is a series of interactive Seminar. Based at Glenmore Lodge this is talks to give you the skills you need for the Alps. a hill-based, hands-on weekend. But don’t Llanberis Mountain Film Presented by IFMGA mountain guides Steve Long be put off by the word “performance”, since Festival and Chris Dale, the talks will cover the best areas to no matter what your experience level there Llanberis, 3-5th March visit, glacier travel, weather, huts & bivis, avalanche are lots of top tips and handy hints to pick Another film festival date for your diary awareness, route choice and that tricky business of up. From leading strategies, moving fast - this time with a Welsh twist. moving together. on mixed terrain, winter anchor and belay www.llamff.co.uk All this is wrapped up and served with dollops options, through to seconding some routes of expert advice gained from years of experience. normally out of your reach. International Festival of As both speakers are exceptionally motivated www.glenmorelodge.org.uk Mountaineering Literature and talented mountaineers you can also expect University of Leeds, Bretton Hall enough entertaining tales of alpine adventure and British Bouldering Campus, 25th March misbehaviour to inspire even the most dedicated Championships Who preserves our heritage? That’s armchair mountaineer. So whether you’re planning Various venues and dates the question being posed at the next your first alpine season or heading back to tackle The dates for the 2006 British Bouldering International Festival of Mountaineering something more ambitious, this should be your first Championships are now shaping up. Literature. Every book produces an stop next year. R1: Ratho, 21st January. R2: BoulderUK, archive for the writer and the publisher. Blackburn, 4th February. R3: Outdoor Every expedition produces a clutch of DATES & VENUES Adventure Show, 18-19th February. Also correspondence, journals and photographs. Tuesday 14th March Nottingham to be confirmed is a separate Veterans and Every disagreement between players today Wednesday 15th March Manchester Youth competition at the Westview, Preston produces a string of emails. How will Thursday 16th March Leeds on 4th March. writers of the future research the archive of Tuesday 21th March Bedford www.thebmc.co.uk our present? How will biographers of the Wednesday 22th March London future unravel the role of an editor in the Thursday 23th March Cardiff Outdoor Adventure Show instant fame of a writer? Who is collecting Olympia, London, 18-19th February the oral history from the elders of our See events listing on www.thebmc.co.uk for full venue The Outdoor Adventure Show returns tribe? Who preserves our heritage of the details. to Olympia featuring the final of the mountaineering trips, heated exchanges British Bouldering Championships. and the making of the literature of the TICKETS There’s a special Summit two-for-one past and of the present? This year’s theme Tickets are on sale from January, priced £5 members / deal on all standard adult tickets booked asks searching questions from the range £7 non-members. Advance bookings from the BMC before 20/12/05. Call the ticket hotline on of experience to be shared by the writers, office or pay on the door. Discounted advance group 0870 060 0958 or book online, and quote publishers, journalists, archivists and bookings available - buy 10+ tickets at £3.50 each. “summit241” when booking. collectors who are this year’s international www.outdooradventureshow.co.uk speakers, including David Roberts (USA), Arlene Blum (USA), Bernadette McDonald Topping out of the North Face route of the Tour Ronde. Photo: Rob Jarvis. Conville Memorial (Canada), Peter Hodgkiss, Andy Cave, Mick Trust Mountain Fowler, John Porter, John Innerdale, Jerry Skills Workshops Lovatt and Ed Douglas. Lake District, www.festivalofmountaineeringliterature.co.uk February The next Jonathon BMC AGM Conville Memorial Trust Buxton, 22rd April courses to take place The BMC AGM weekend and annual are the Mountain Skills dinner will be taking place at the Lee Workshops - the ideal Wood Hotel in Buxton. Full details will be introduction to winter published in Summit 41. mountaineering. These www.thebmc.co.uk are one-day workshops with an evening lecture. BRYCS Based in the Lake District Various venues and dates during the last weekend There will be 30 regional rounds of the of February with a British Regional Youth Climbing Series ratio of one instructor (BRYCS) held through March, April, and to six participants, May next year, leading to a final on the 1st topics covered include July. Most likely at Ratho, although this is navigation, ropework, still to be confirmed. use of equipment, and www.thebmc.co.uk/indoor/comps/brycs06.htm

58-59 Events.indd 58 16/11/05 11:31:49 am Summit Classifieds

Mark Croxall celebrating his win this year. Photo: BMC. summit CLASSIFIEDS Advertising rates Display: £34 per single column cm (colour) £26 per single column cm (mono) Lineage: £20 for 15 words (min), additional 5 words £5. (All prices exclude VAT) Cheques and orders to: Warners Group Publications, The Maltings, Climb 2006: THE SHOW FOR CLIMBERS West Street, Bourne, Lincolnshire, PE10 9PH. For further information please contact: NEC, Birmingham, 17-19th March Charles McKenna on Tel: 01778 392054, Don’t miss Climb 2006 at the Ordnance Survey Outdoors Show, Fax 01778 392079. Email: [email protected] NEC, Birmingham. This annual three-day event is crammed full of UIAGM/BMG Guides activities, equipment stands and talks aimed at all ages and skill levels: The North Face Bouldering World Cup: The centre-piece of the show once again is The North Face Bouldering World Cup. Here the world’s strongest boulderers will be congregating to compete for podium places on a selection of brand new Entre- Prises competition boulders. The 2005 event saw British team member Mark Croxall walk away with a historic first place - could a Brit win again? Climb Zone: If watching the world’s best inspires you, then you’re in luck. At the heart of Climb 2006 exhibition is the Climb Zone and Rock Café with a climbing wall and ice wall ready for all challengers. New to the show this year is the Giant Stalactite, plus a team of Entre-Prises professionals on hand to help you challenge and improve your skills. So if you or your kids have ever wanted to try climbing, this is the ideal place! Expert Advice: Alan Hinkes and Chris Bonington will be Special Interest Holidays Oversee travel Holidays heading the line up in the Berghaus World Theatre while in the BMC Mountain Theatre a selection of BMC/MEF expeditions will be telling their tales from some of the world’s most challenging terraterra firmafirma trekking &climbing climbs. & biking & rafting worldw Are you ready for this Winter? Want hill days with Plus: The rest of the Ordnance Survey Outdoors Show is that magical combination of sun and snow? Take advantage of cheap flights to Granada definitely worth a visit with specialist areas covering travel, andes •• himalaya and Malaga. Great value holidays and breaks. kilimanjarokilimanjaro •• tibettibet •• pyrenees Any start date, any duration camping and adventure sports. The Trespass Adventure Sports brochure anytime: and...... Snow guaranteed 020 8891 3618 from Dec to May! Show is the zone for visitors in search of adrenaline sports with info@ a variety of sports from mountain biking to hang gliding and www.terrafirmatravel.com trailcw80x42.qxd 22/03/2005 1 coasteering to adventure racing. And in Craghoppers Adventure Winter mountaineering & Alpine courses The best Ski Mountaineering in Spain! Travel Show, you’ll find information on new destinations, travel Ski Coaching (ex UK National Olympic Coach) Snowshoeing in wild surroundings Rock climbing courses, fantastic scrambling, clothing, products and services - everything to plan your next trip. walk the Alpujarras & Almeria desert treks. www.spanishhighs.co.uk www.theoutdoorsshow.co.uk. Tel: +34 660 01 34 45

Brit Gemma Powell competing VIA FERRATA IN THE Special Summit in this year’s Qualifier. ITALIAN DOLOMITES Photo: BMC. Ticket Offer Expeditions Get two tickets for just £16 if you book before 20th December. Simply visit www. theoutdoorsshow.co.uk or phone Andes the ticket hotline on 0870 010 9086 For the best info on trekking and quote offer code BMC1. and climbing in the Andes ..... Standard ticket prices are £11 ..... visit our website (Advance) and £14 (Door) for www.andes.org.uk adults. Children and concessions £6 or phone or email for a brochure (Advance) and £8 (Door). 0 1 7 6 3 2 8 9 6 6 0 01556 503929 www.colletts.co.uk [email protected] Summit - Autumn | 59 Summit Classifieds Summit Classifieds

58-59 Events.indd 59 16/11/05 11:32:07 am last thoughts Foreign Exchange By Tony Ward

s I struggled to fight back In June the same year I married my two hours or so to reach the summit at the tears, Brahim asked once partner Bridget. Instead of going to the 4,150m. Carrying on seemed absolutely A more if everything was okay. Maldives or Mauritius as she’d hoped we pointless. I was cold, tired and exhausted, Exhausted and spent, I could only nod headed to Switzerland with plans to climb and all I wanted was to turn around and my head. the Matterhorn (well it does begin with an go back down. I put the summit out of my We were at 3,900m on Mount Toubkal, M). Our marriage survived, the mind and simply focused on getting to North Africa’s highest mountain, Matterhorn was bagged, plus another 4,000m - “pain is temporary, quitting is attempting to beat my own record by three peaks over 4,000m. Then in 2002 forever.” carrying out the world’s highest dialysis after a failed transplant and other serious The fi rst hour went well, but as the cut- exchange. I only had a hundred metres to medical complications off time came and went I climb, but it might as well have been a we attempted to climb “Mr Ward we was still only at 3,850m. thousand. There was nothing left, I had Mont Blanc. Although have your test Knowing I didn’t want to given everything to get to this point. I didn’t reach the results back and give in, Jez and Brahim Leaning over my ski poles gasping for summit, I did kept their distance and every ounce of oxygen, my mind drifted accidentally create a they show that let me continue, back to six years earlier. new world record with you have a form absolutely shattered. “Mr Ward we have your test results a dialysis exchange at of kidney disease Slowly I came out of my back and they show that you have a form 4,000m. It wasn’t easy. known as IgA dreamlike state to the of kidney disease known as IgA These climbs punished voice of Brahim asking if nethropathy”. As the consultant me brutally, and it took nethropathy” everything was okay. continued to explain the implications of three or four months to Once my breathing had this illness I stopped taking it all in, until recover from each one. Yet here I was returned to somewhere near normal I he jolted me back to reality, “of course you again, in 2004, on Mount Toubkal pushing asked the guys for more time - against will have to give up your life of my body to a place that it really didn’t want their better judgement they agreed. mountaineering as it is unlikely that you to go. As we covered the 25m to the skyline a will ever climb again.” The devastation Brahim and I had worked and climbed small cairn identifying 4,000m came into was now total. Not only did I need to together for many years prior to my illness, view. At fi rst I managed ten paces before come to terms with a major illness, I and it had always been my intention to resting over my ski poles, but this soon would also be losing my job and a lifestyle visit him again, but I’d been unsure about reduced to fi ve. Then after 50m, one. But I loved. travelling to Morocco whilst on dialysis. even at this glacial pace the cairn inched But just three weeks after being But now, after a great deal of planning and closer. Eventually it was fi ve paces away - discharged from hospital with his words preparation we were in the mountains incredibly and against all odds we had still ringing in my ears, I climbed the Old “ point. this to get to everything given had I left, together once again. done it. Our altimeter confi rmed our only had a hundred metres to climb, but it might might it but climb, to metres hundred a had only

Man of Coniston. The whole journey took nothing was There thousand. a been have well as When attempting Toubkal most people altitude and at 4,050m I carried out the I I

eight hours to complete, slow by usual “ summit and return to camp in around world’s highest dialysis exchange. standards perhaps, but it proved I could eight hours, but I would need two days. To I may not have made the summit, but it still climb a mountain. Six weeks later I conserve energy I completed the six-hour was still a fantastic trip, spending time in climbed my fi rst Munro, then came a trek to base camp at 3,000m by mule. The the mountains with close friends. Caption: Dialysis at traverse of the Cuillin Ridge, requiring a 3,000m on Mount plan was then to ascend to 3,600m, rest, However I’ve no desire to endure that level night dialysing in the mountains. Toubkal. Photo: Tony then continue to a high camp set up by my of suffering and discomfort ever again. Ward collection. support team. But we all And I’ve promised Bridget that I’ll never know what happens to plans. climb another mountain at altitude whilst As it turned out, I didn’t on dialysis. Mind you, I said that after reach 3,600m until 3pm, Mont Blanc. n completely exhausted and unable to go any further. We Tony Ward, a freelance mountaineering decided to spend the night instructor was diagnosed with end stage there and try for an early renal failure in 1998. Despite severe start. medical complications arising from a failed Strong winds and bitterly transplant he continued to fi nd out what cold temperatures decided could be achieved as a mountaineer on otherwise and we couldn’t dialysis. Tony was transplanted earlier this leave until the warmth of the year with a kidney donated by his brother sun hit our camp. and plans to continue using Disappointingly we had a pre- mountaineering as a means of raising arranged cut-off time of funds on behalf of kidney research. 10.30am, which only allowed See www.tonywardadventures.com.

66 | Summit - Winter

66 Last thoughts.indd 66 16/11/05 3:12:36 pm