Last week I went up to Scotland for a long weekend with my wife and friends, with the weather as wet and windy in the Peak as it was we made the right call! The weather in Scotland was still, sunny and warm. While we were there we made to most of the cloud free hills and headed up Ben Lui from Glen Lochy. Despite the nice weather the snow was down to around 600 meters and with 'Widget', our friends little Jack Russell, it made it hard work for him!
Ben Lui
As we approached the top of Ben Lui and the snow was knee deep in places which made it hard going, however on the summit there was not breath of wind and the views were spectacular. After wrapping the dog up in a jacket to warm him while we ate our lunch we descended back to the Col and popped up Beinn a' Chleibh before heading back through the trees to Glen Lochy.
Rob is the Manager of Outside Hathersage
TweetThe concept of my annual overnight walkabout is simple. Walk over 60 miles in less than 24 hours during the month of March. Following last year’s walk from Nottingham City centre to Cresswell Crags via parts of the Robin Hood Way I did something similar two weeks ago. Starting at home in Matlock I walked to Gainsborough in Lincolnshire, a 62-mile walk that took 21½ hours. It included the 46-mile Cuckoo Way from Chesterfield to West Stockwith following the line of The Chesterfield Canal, much of which is now operational or recently restored. Some might say that ‘cuckoo’ is an appropriate name for such a venture and I would find it difficult to disagree, particularly as I had done no specific training.
Half-way brew stop on canal bridge
En route the daytime temperature had risen to an absurdly warm 17°C. However clear skies would inevitably mean a cold night and after the sun set the towpath gradually became fog-bound. As tiredness and disorientation developed I came perilously close to falling into the canal. The long, frosty night was punctuated with a couple of stops to make a brew and eat instant noodles. It was enough to revive flagging energy until the new day dawned with a dramatic sunrise that burnt its way through the mist.
Sunrise near West Stockwith
At West Stockwith I turned south and followed the River Trent to Gainsborough where my wife Jane met me in the blazing sun. I felt relatively good and self-righteous as we sat drinking coffee in a café but reality hit when I tried to stand up. Seizing muscles and joints, and the inelegant waddle back to the vehicle were evidence enough that I could not have gone much further.
Chris is Outside's 'Bookman'
TweetAs the bus wound its way through Glencoe, we caught glimpses of the little remaining snow and ice sitting high up in the corries and on the peaks. “Oh well” we optimistically pointed out “at least we have our rock climbing gear”.
John topping out on Tower Scoop III
John and I had made the long journey from Sheffield to Fort William to visit my brother; Ken (newly qualified MIC) in the hope of catching what was (rather quickly) looking to be the last of the winter action. Although the sun was shining as we reached Fort William the temperature was cool, giving us hope that high up on the mountains the ice would still be intact. Fortunately my brother had spent his MIC assessment the week previous on Ben Nevis and so he was able to provide us with some very useful information as to which routes were still in good or at least reasonable nick.
Good ice on Tower Scoop III
John had spent a week last winter getting to grips winter climbing with my brother and was keen to get stuck in again. The first day John and I walked up to the CIC hut it was drizzling and windy and little evidence of any snow. However, as we headed up into Coire Na Ciste, the Ben proved to be reliable late on in the season. The forecast had indicated that the wind would pick up considerably in the afternoon with the possibility of more snow/rain. So with deteriorating conditions against us we opted to head up Number 2 Gully, II. With some navigation needed due to low lying clouds we soloed to the base of the gully and geared up whilst noting some interesting runnels in the snow.
Summit of Ben Nevis
We geared up and I set off up into the atmospheric gully as the wind blew snow up into our faces. I led the first pitch past a spectacular ice cave, where upon John took over the lead until the final pitch. It was here that the reason for the runnels became clear. The spindrift was showering down from the side of the gully and flowing into the runnels like a white stream carving out these interesting features. The ice the whole way up was in great condition despite the recent thaw and I quickly led the final pitch out of the gully, careful to avoid the looming cornice perched above exit. As I topped out I was nearly knocked off my feet due to the winds which were now battering the summit of the Ben. I brought John up and in the ensuing white out we navigated our way down the mountain, whilst trying to stay on our feet! So a good start the week.
A team on the Douglas Boulder, Tower Ridge
The next day, with another wet day forecast, we risked the walk back up to the CIC hut. However, as we approached the hut, we found the river raging considerably higher than usual and so struggled to find a safe place to cross over. The rain was coming in sideways as we headed further up the mountain in order to find a place to cross the river. Eventually we found a crossing and headed up the scree slope to the bottom of Observatory Gully. As we stopped to gear up the weather decided that it hadn’t unleashed its full fury yet and the rain and wind intensified. We glanced around at each other and knew exactly what each other was thinking. It was enough to determine that the best place to be on a day like this was inside so we marched back to the car park and headed for some indoor climbing.
John on the Eastern Traverse, Tower Ridge
We found ourselves retracing our steps from the previous day in more pleasant weather. The river had dropped significantly over night allowing us to cross over lower down and again we geared up at the bottom of Observatory Gully. A few other teams were out, all with the same intention of finding the last bit of ice for the season. Our initial plan was to head to Good Friday Climb, III but with it being a popular choice for the day we opted for the classic line of Tower Scoop, III. We zigzagged our way up the gully on snow, into the mist, towards the base of the climb. Occasionally a rock or lump of ice would be spotted ricocheting its way down the gully to the shouts of 'Boulder!' Everyone kept their eyes fixed on the debris moving towards them and swiftly moved out of the way at the last minute in case it changed direction. Upon reaching the base of Tower Scoop we geared up and then enjoyed good quality ice which streaked its way, more or less unbroken, up the 2 pitches. One tricky bit involved initiating the gap in the ice, which had running water flowing over the protruding rock. After topping out we headed on up into Tower Gully, I and onto the summit for the obligatory summit photo.
Ken approaching Tower Gap
With the temperature rising for the final day we headed for the same part of the mountain with our sights set on Tower Ridge. The route looked mostly free of snow but we took crampons and one axe. Walking in, the clouds started to lift bringing about a very alpine feel to the place against the brilliant blue sky. We scrambled our way up into Douglas Gap East Gully which was still holding some snow and started the ridge proper. Several teams were out on the ridge making it a sociable place. We moved together and soon we were out of the shade and the sun was beaming down upon us. With only a few patches of verglas on what was a rocky ridge it wasn’t long before we arrived at the Eastern Traverse and donned our crampons to tackle the exposed snowy ledge that brings you onto Great Tower.
The view from Tower Gap with Loch Eil below
This led us to Tower Gap and spectacular panoramic views of the Cairngorms, the snowy peaks of the north west and even a glimpse of the distant Cuillin Ridge on the Isle of Skye (which will see 2 members of the Outside team racing it in May so stay tuned). The slightly awkward step into the gap put us in a wonderful position looking down Glovers Chimney, whilst on the other side a couple of moves up placed us back onto the ridge leading to the snow covered exit and a sun drenched summit plateau. What a way to round off the week!
Phil and John both work at Outside Hathersage
TweetFor many, this Winter has been a bit of a let down. Scotland wasn't exactly as exciting as recent years, not to mention North Wales (remember the activity on Craig Du last year?). Similarly the Peak hasn't been experiencing the 'snowballing' scenes of two years ago, and the rain has stopped play for many. That's not to say it's been a complete write-off. Katy Whittaker has had a pretty decent run recently (climbing The Angel's Share, Jumping on a Beetle and Walk On By to name but a few) and Jordan Buys has had a fantastic season (The End Of The Affair onsight, Requiem For A Dream etc).
It's not all been big names and big numbers though, members of staff at Outside have been working their way through some of the local classics. Drew has had a few days over the winter ticking such classics as The Terrace (7C) at Burbage North and Soft On The G (7B) and Mark's Roof (7B) at Gardoms North.
John Alexander on Made in Sheffield
Sometimes however, it's the less classic problems which end up being more fun. Problems such as Perfect Day Direct Start (7A+) at Gardoms North are fantastic, and well known, but far less travelled.
Drew on Perfect Day Direct Start
Then there are problems which are genuinely off the beaten track. Places where you can guarantee to have the place to yourself: venues like Houndkirk Tor. Many people have heard of Houndkirk, but a surprising number have no idea where it is. This is odd, as it offers one of the Peak's best 7A+'s. That's quite a claim, but Made In Sheffield is quite a problem. We're not short of classic 7A+'s, but this one holds its own. It's definitely worth a special trip. We decided to have a shop outing after work by the light of our headtorches. We started on The Edge, which isn't very edge-like but makes for a pleasant circuit up to about 6C. There were some brilliant problems to warm up on, the pick of the bunch being an arete problem called Friends and Relations (6B+). Afterwards, we wandered across the moorland to Houndkirk Tor proper to search for this hidden gem.
Drew narrowly missing out on Soft on the G
After making it out to the lip twice consecutively, but dropping it both times due to the stretch, Drew finally sucked it up, engaged his core, and flailed wildy to top out in the classic 'beached whale' style. A quality problem, and one which deserves the praise.
Details about Houndkirk bouldering can be found in the new Peak District Bouldering guide.
Drew is the Boot Room Supervisor at Outside Hathersage
TweetFor years, alpine climbing in winter didn’t appeal to me, but after recent Scottish winter trips and a great summer trip to the Alps, Aidan, Rich and I were all keen to give it a go. Dad always loved it, so it can’t be that hard, can it?
Midi sunset
Normal winters in Chamonix consist of skiers having to get the lift back down into the valley due to lack of snow. Not this year, the snow was all the way down to the valley; in fact it was all the way back to Calais and tons of it up high. At the start of the holiday the forecasts read -52°C in the wind at the top of the Midi! Not perfect climbing conditions but what can you do, it was February after all.
After a days skiing we decided two days ice climbing in Cogne was on the cards due to less snow and warmer temperatures. A great couple of days were had with the highlight being the classic Cold Couloir, a brilliant 600m grade 4+. The crux actually seemed to be sleeping in and driving the van as diesel freezes at -27°C along with everything else!
Aidan in Cogne
We now had the urge to climb something bigger and so headed back to Cham. Temperatures up the hill had improved to a mere -25°C to -30°C so we went climbing. It still seemed too cold for big routes so we skied across from the Grands Montets lift to do the technical but well protected Farron on the side of the Aiguille Verte, followed by a memorable moonlit ski back to the valley.
Aidan on mixed terrain on Farron
More cold and wind over the next few days left the top lifts shut so more low level ice climbing was in order and a great day on the falls in Les Houches. This was good but once again left us wanting bigger things, it hadn't really warmed up but we were getting impatient.
Ice at Les Houches
We headed back up the Grands Montets and made our way to the Argenitère hut. Our main plan was to try something on Les Droites, with the weather looking ok we were optimistic. When i was woken and kept up by a howling northerly wind my heart sank. We wisely decided against such a big face and headed for the Swiss Route on Les Courtes, a classic 800m ice/snow face which at an easier grade, allowed us to move together the whole way. This all went to plan but climbing in ski boots and with a wind-chill of -30°C left fingers cold and toes worryingly numb (they still are 3 weeks later!). We were very pleased with our route choice for such a cold day and a crowded half term ski back to Argentière got us down by 4pm. We were the only ones with huge packs on!
Rich on the summit of Les Courtes
More frustration with the cold temperatures led us back to shorter routes and we aimed for the mixed route Goulotte Profit / Perroux on the north-west face of the Aiguille du Midi. This starts with a spectacular abseil from the bridge of the Midi to the couloir below. It was another bitterly cold day and with a distinct lack of ice meant difficult mixed climbing, and a final sprint up the last section of the Arête des Cosmiques got us to the last lift down. Another great route ticked!
By now we only had a few days left and finally the weather looked like it would improve to normal February conditions, -10°C felt positively warm! Time for Plan A, it was last chance saloon before home and work called. The route we were after was The Ginat on the north face of Les Droites, 1000m of ice runnels up an incredible face. So we headed back to the Argentière hut once more but this time the winds didn’t roar in the night, game on! We had a very early start but with no moon, thick snow on the approach and difficult bergschrund meant we finally arrived on the face around 5am.
Approaching the hut in the mist
The first few hundred metres are meant to be quick and easy, but the cold weather had left bullet hard black ice. We managed a steady pace and we were moving up the central ice fields around sun up on a glorious day, I couldn’t have been happier. When we reached the steeper ice we took it in turns to lead on, moving together for much of the time. The ice was quite brittle but mainly took screws well. The main thing we all noticed was the distinct lack of ledges of any kind. The climbing and belaying was all done on off vertical ice and boy did our calves burn! At one occasion we found rock protruding around 50cm long and wide, we took a few minutes each standing on it to relieve our calves, it was bliss.
James moving up the ice runnels on Les Droites
The ice seemed to stretch on forever and still with a few hundred metres left to go the fatigue kicked in. We should have eaten and drank more but stopping and removing your pack seems like a lot of effort. Luckily I had done my share of leading early on as nearing the top i felt very tired, weak and the altitude was not helping (we were just under 4000m). As normal Aidan and Rich ploughed on up the ice but we were all showing the strain. A huge lump of falling ice from Rich managed to crack and smash my helmet, the ice was getting more and more brittle! Finally we plodded up the final gully to the Breche des Droites at 5:45pm to an incredible sunset looking over Mont Blanc. A sight I will never forget.
Summit of Les Droites with sunset and Mont Blanc
It has been said before but reaching the summit is only 50% of the climb and today was no exception. We had been climbing for the best part of 13 hours and the hardest part was yet to come! We began abbing down the gully on the south side and soon it was dark. It was very slow work, we had clearly been the only people up here for months and the snow went up to our waists and buried a lot of the ab points, most of what we did find had to be backed up.
Happy, tired and with a long descent to come
Finally the angle eased and we down climbed and began the long walk back to the Couvercle hut. This mere 2.5k should be so easy but it was the hardest few hours of my life. We were exhausted and the snow was as deep as my knees at best and often up to my thighs with 3 layers of crust which we went through with every step. When Aidan tried to break trail he would often get his legs stuck below the snow as he was shorter than Rich and I. It was soul destroying. At 12:30am we finally reach the hut and started the process of melting snow for food and much needed water after eating and drinking next to nothing all day. Finally at 1am, 23 hours since we got up, we got in our sleeping bag which has never felt better.
We awoke late (by alpine standards) to a beautiful day and the view of the Grandes Jorasses from the window. We ate and drank all we had before starting the walk back down the Vallée Blanche to the Montevers station. It would be easy to think the adventure was over but no, life is never that easy. It took us over 2 hours to find the ladders down to the glacier due to more thick snow and not a single footstep to follow. Finally we found the buried ladders and sensibly decided it would be better to abseil from them as so much was covered in snow. As Aidan set off from the final ab he didn’t look happy and shouted up "I think i can see a leg?". There was a body hanging upside down from the rungs by his legs all alone; a disturbing sight. A Polish mountaineer, out on his own, must have slipped and come to an upsetting end. He had been missing for 2 months. We made our way down and soon mountain rescue were called. Minutes later the chopper was looking from above and then landed right by us for more details. We were hoping for a lift back to Cham in the helicopter but they were having none of it, and so the walk continued! Finally we made it to the train and descended back to the van pleased with ourselves and tired. Time for one beer and then we had to begin the long drive to the ferry, and finally Sheffield ready for work on Monday morning.
View from the hut on the final day
Back at home my Mum was very pleased to see me home. She had been through all the worry and stress many times before, in fact 30 years ago, nearly to the day my Father climbed the north face of Les Droites. At the time Mum had been at home 7 months pregnant with me!
Sorry Mum.
James works at Outside Hathersage
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