Time for small holds again

Vector Space 7c+, Tunnel Wall. Pics by Steven Gordon.

The past couple of weeks have flown by, doing work for Mountain Equipment, Gore-Tex and the John  Muir Trust among others, and grabbing climbing days in between. First off I nipped up to Tunnel Wall with Steven Gordon after work and climbed an excellent new line I bolted a couple of months ago.

It’s the obvious diagonal overlap running across the wall from Uncertain Emotions to eventually finish up the top half of my own route Axiom (which was upgraded to 8a, although I must say I still think 7c+ is correct). A few people had talked about equipping it and it was well worth it.

The new line ‘Vector Space’ seems to miss out all the tricky Tunnel Wall cruxes of the straight up lines, so it climbs really smoothly and worked out pretty steady even though it’s 40 odd metres long.

Since then I’ve been working out on a couple of projects at Steall which might keep me going for some time, and keep the midges going in food for some time...

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The forces of nature

Just when we thought the Scottish spring couldn’t get any worse, going climbing has been even more difficult of late. After a weekend in Glasgow and training indoors to hide from the 100mph winds, 60 odd fallen trees stood between us and home on the A82. The one below landed on the car and tanker, thankfully noone hurt and we proceeded to chainsaw it up and carry on.

Further up the road, fallen caravans marked the way across Rannoch Moor.

Yes, it used to be a caravan, until the Scottish conditions remodelled it.

So the tour of Scotland’s perma-dry sport crags continues. Even Steall an Tunnel Wall were soaking, so I checked out Am Fasgadh in Gruinard Bay for the first time with Gaz and Murdo. I was a fine little crag, and we managed half a session before the wind finally dropped and we received our first beating by the midges of the season. Before they stopped play, I managed an 8a+ second ascent (Stork’s ex project) and ticked some of the excellent 7bs and 7cs. It was so nice just to go climbing on some established routes for a day, and not have to bolt and scrub them first! I forgot how easy it is just to climb other peoples sport routes.

Endurance still has a long way to go, but some progress has been made and my appointment with my Orkney project is getting closer in my mind. Time to attack the board again today...

Murdo relaxing on Black Sox 7c, Am Fasgadh

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Steall sessions

First ascent of The Fat Groove 8a, Steall

Two good sessions at Steall with Tweedley and Boswell. On day one I mostly put in bolts and scrubbed and was knackered. Net day, after baby class it was time to get actually climbing. I equipped a big diagonal groove cutting across my route Stolen and Running into the last part of Trick of the Tail (which is now bolted to the niche below the perma-wetness with permission from Mark at great 7b+). 

Being a groove I figured some bridging would be possible, which it was in places. The rest however was some powerful fingery undercutting with some technical dancing about on little smears, if that is the right word?

A little bit of grunt and I made it through to the superb upper section, with all sorts of funky groove moves going on. Brilliant. The other line I bolted won’t give up so easily I suspect.

Michael scrapping with The Gurrie 8a+

The whole time, it dumped it down with rain and fresh snow fell on Ben Nevis above us. I don't reckon too many other new routes got done in the western highlands today! Nice to see that other are enjoying the routes here recently as much as I have done. Niall and Alan both rating Stolen as possibly the best 8b or even 8 in the UK!!

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