Top: View of Hells Lum
from Carn Etchachan.

Bottom:Euan at the belay
of the second pitch

Yesterday Euan and I went over to Carn Etchachan to do this route that we saw when we did the Guillotine. It was a good looking line called Nathrach Dubh, consisting of technical cracks and corners going at VI/6. It was amazing weather and the climbing was awesome. It was good to get out in the mountains again and I’m psyched to get out again soon.

It was my last day of climbing today but when I woke up I felt like id slept in a tumble drier. I was quite tired from the work out on Fission yesterday so we decided to go into the upper gorge and do the super classic Trappfoss WI4. It was a good route with just enough steep ground to make it interesting and we where finished by lunch time which is always a bonus. On our way home we called into the ”Climb Inn” accommodation to see what it was like. It was a really good looking place with very friendly and down to earth owners, definitely a place I would use in the future and recommend to others. All together it has been an awesome week with some very memorable climbing. So I’m just looking forward to getting back to Scotland for some more crazy mixed routes.

After a well needed rest day yesterday Ken and I headed back over to the Kroken area. I had had my eye on the M10 called Fission since I had done the M6 left of it 2 years ago. I looked over the moves from the ground and decided to give it a go. I got to the crux on my onsight attempt but I didn’t want to push on and wast all my energy for the rest of the day, so I came down and had a rest. On my second attempt I got up to the crux again and decided to go from clip to clip to look over the moves and go for the red point once I had a rough idea what to do. Just under two hours later I decided to go for my first redpiont attempt and much to my surprise I flew through the crux and got to the good rest. Knowing that I didn’t have enough energy in me to do the crux again, I decided to give it my all and after some very pumpy moves I was at the last hold. But the route wasn’t over until I clipped the chain which wasn’t as easy as it sounds. My arms where totally pumped out and it took me about four times of pulling up and fumbling the clip until I eventually got it. After thinking this morning that I was to tired to even climb today, I surprisingly walked away from the crag after ticking one of my hardest routes and what is even more surprising was that I got it on my first redpoint. Not too bad for a 17 year old, if I do say so myself.

After three trips to the Rjukan area in Norway I finally got the route I have had my eye on ever since I saw a picture of it in the Petzl catalogue.  Three months of winter climbing in Scotland and mega training sessions on the wall in my garage lead up to today, and I can safely say that they all paid off, because today Ken Lacey and My self climbed the fantastic WI7 called Lipton. It was a remarkable route with some of the best climbing I have ever come across and in the most impressive position. Ken lead the first pitch which was a detached ice pillar leading to some very steep and technical ice, he cruised up this with very little fuss. I then went on to lead the second pitch (crux) whitch was home to some very thin icicles and very powerful moves to get from pillar to pillar. Even though the moves where tenuous and there was a 100ft of free air hanging below my feet, the pitch was not too bad and we where soon thinking that we might actually get to the top of this amazing route. Once I had brought Ken up to the belay I then went on to lead the third and final pitch. It was a steep fan with some very unpredictable ice making it hard to find good screw protection, but I battled on and finally got to the last easing moves of this monster of a route. It was dark by the time Ken had reached the top and we set about climbing the easier ground out of the gorge. With a very relaxed walk back to the car we both looked forward to a longer lie in bed tomorrow morning. And chatted about wot to do next……

Top: Me swinging roung the imposinf roof on the first pitch

Bottom: Euan starting the second pitch

Wanting a shorter day after the heading to Carn Etchachan yesterday Euan and I decided to head into Sneachda for some mixed action on The Mess of Pottage buttress. We did the Messanger which had a tricky technical first pitch (crux) and a steady but enjoyable second pitch. I lead the first pitch which had some helpfull ice/verglass on the slabby left wall and involved some torquing madness in the cracks on the right. The second pitch consisted of a steep corner with some good hooks and frozen turf to get stuck into on the ledges. It was quite windy and snowy so we made a quick accent and then headed back to Aviemore for a coffee. A good way to end an enjoyable two days climbing.

Left: Euan walking down to Loch Avon Basin

Below: The amazing Guillatine chimney

Left: Euan Leading the top pitch by torch light

Above: James leading the
narrow second pitch

Below: Me leading the hollow pillar
on the third pitch

Yesterday James and I went up onto Ben Nevis because I was up on the 30th I knew that Point Five Gully was in good condition. We got up early and arrived at the bottom of the route before light. We did Point Five, which had some awsome ice and good nevee on the less steep ground. There were good screw placements all the way up the route. We moved together on the last 150m which sped things up a bit, and when we arrived on the summit the sun was beating down on us while we packed away our kit and made our way down to No.3 gully. It was a good day and there is a lot of ice coming into good condition on the Ben. So there should be more good days to come.