Smiler Cuthbertson - Mountain Guide

10 April 2010

Orion Direct? Maybe not.

I call Richard the Yorkshire Terrier, because he’s always up for anything, he is very strong, carries the rope all the time, and never complains. so when he rang and asked what we were up for this weekend, I said “let’s have a look at Orion Direct?”.
“I’m on for that” he exclaimed excitedly.
We met up at 07.00am at the gondola station and were soon heading up the alt a’Mhullin. We paused at the new CIC Hut and I showed Richard around this great newly-extended hut.
Off again and we returned aagin to staring at our feet, as we trekked up to and into Observatory Gully. Passing underneath the Minus Gullies and on up towards Orion, I was soon feeling our intended target was perhaps a little too sketchy for me, so we turned our attentions to Zero Gully. We passed and chatted to the two guys just starting Observatory Eidge and they spoke of some guys going for Zero. We soon could see these two guys a long way up already and, after kitting up below the steep central gully and ignoring the continuous spindrift coming down, I set

The serious first ang pitch of zero

 off up this ultra-famous Grade 5.
Pretty soon I realised I would have to be resolute and push on carefully, as the runners (screws) were of minimal quality and the snow only just hard enough to hold an axe. One couldn’t really afford to simply pull up on a tool without the great concern of it pulling.
So a careful system of transfering weight onto footholds became the order of the first long and quite steep first pitch. I took my time, made no rapid moves, all had to be calculated carefully, each weighting of each axe and each foot done with some trepidation.
Slowly the pitch unravelled, the odd delay as I waited for a spindrift flow to cease.The much sought-after belay arived none too soon, but at least it had pegs. Richard seemed to take as long as me, for which I was grateful for, as each glance at the pegs had me concerned about their strength, as rusty as they were.
I know Richard found it hard too, because he complained about not feeling too well. I put that down to the fact he’d had 2 hours sleep since the drive from down south.

The easier second pitch

We swapped places and the next pitch was much better. I even refused to pass a good belay afer twenty metres and Richard was again soon with me. I remembered the climb from ‘75 when I was with Wilco, he always at the sharp end, and recalled a traverse into the main gully line which had seemed to end the difficulties? Was this it, I wondered?
Moving carefully up on some rock edges until the snow resumed, I relaxed a touch thinking it would be plain sailing now. Wrong! Yes, the moves rightwards had been tricky, but the gully continued to rear up steeply with alarming regularity.
Totally committed now, I paced myself on each steep section, Richard also climbing well and admirably making no mistakes.
Suddenly. I knew we’d cracked the hardest sections. We were now gaining on the two lads from

The final slopes

 Galasheilds and soon I was chatting to one whilst he belayed his leader. Richard never got the chance to talk to anyone but me, as these guys were wasting no time now the climbing standard had relented. On and on up the easier angled (but still quite serious) gully we went. I gave Richard the top pitch and soon we were striding across the narrow ridge to the top of Ben Nevis.
There were many folk on the summit in glorious sunshine and after saying a few words to the other Zero guys, we drank our tea and juice and headed for No. 4 Gully.
This idea changed within a few metres of by-passing Gardyloo Gully. The snow was so soft. I soon decided No. 4 could be arkward and my working day should have finished, so we slid effortlessly down the snow to the Red Burn, across to the Half-way Lochan path and on down to the car.
A longer descent? Maybe but my hands were in my pockets!

11th April 2010

Slim Pickings in the sunshine.

Heading for a snowless seam

Slim pickings indeed in the ‘Gorms. The sun shone all morning and the temperatures rose and rose.
There were hardly any good conditions over the standard Grade 2 gullies and slopes.
Richard wanted to do a climb he’d not done before. What was my biggest ambition in the Sneachda corrie? I know - the Seam.
I’ve always been slighly put off this great looking line since Wilco told me it was arkward, and Andy N. had told me only last week it sometimes is straighforward and sometimes tricky.
However, today it was completely different. You could say it was completely bare of snow or ice, apart from a few patches here and there. But it still looked enticing, so we went for it.
The snow slopes below the final chimney still needed tools and crampons, and when I brought Richard across to the final stance below the main pitch, I could see it would be purely rock climbing on the pitch. There was mud on ledges and in the groove every so often and I felt my crampons might be useful here and there?
The whole pitch left me speechless. It was jug city, beautiful climbing, very well protected by

Richard on the final chimney

 good nuts and a fantastic excecise in bridging and pulling up on superb holds. In ten minutes or so I was at the bomb-proof stance just below the ridge, acheing for more of the same. Richard cruised the pitch, also in crampons, and he too wanted it to go on and on. Such was the quality of the climbing.
I am already yearning for a cold spell to return this season, or another dump of snow, or at least the winter of 2011. I can’t wait to do it again and again.
We skirted around to the Goat Track and carefully picked our way down to the valley floor. I asked Richard what we should do next in this area of slim Pickings today.
“Anything after that would be an anti-climax. Let’s bail while we are on top?”

Nearing the top of The seam

As we jettisoned all the gear to our sacks, even Patrick nearby couldn’t persuade us Fingers Ridge would be as good today as a rock climb. We had done it only a couple of weeks ago though.
I couldn’t get the memory of the exquisite rock climbing in crampons out of my head for 80% of the walk out. Soon the sight of the hordes of cars brought me to my senses.
Are they having as good a day as we’ve had, I wondered?
We’ll never know, but we were happy.

Easter weekend, and the dreaded Students’  half term. Notorious for rescues and accidents. I was hoping such matters would be different this year. Bill had booked three days and he had with him young Jack, son of Gary who had, with Bill and several other climbers, started a long 10-year relationship with me in the mountains. When Gary was tragically killed in a walking accident in Turkey, we had all got together later that year and numerous friends and relations trogged up the easy route to the summit of the Buchaille Etive Mor, one of Gary’s most favoured peaks, with Curved Ridge being his main objective on a number of occasions. The entourage took Gary’s ashes to the summit of Stob Dearg and had

Curved Ridge approach

deposited the container in a safe spot near the summit. Jack was eleven years old then and was back here for the first time since that day, with Bill, to do some climbing and visit the summit.
The plan had always been that on Friday, we would have a day in the Cairngorms, establishing Jack, now tweny-one years old, as a climber. Then a day on the Ben, and finally, a climb of the Curved Ridge.
Waiting outside the station in Aviemore for the night train to arrive, I pondered about parking up and going into the station and finding out when the train would actually arrive (it already had done so!). Half an hour had passed since our agreed meeting time at eight o’clock and still no one emerging from the station. I suddenly spotted them both in the waiting room. They had arrived some time ago but had not noticed the car regularly arriving, parking  for a few minutes, and then moving away. Apologies came from both sides for the errors and soon we were gearing up and heading to the ski car park.

It was forecast to be glorious weather. A perfect day wedged between snowy scenes and so we had to make the best of it. The boys had had a s0-s0 journey, gettting very little sleep, but they were up for as good a day as I could provide.

Fiachaill Ridge & Buttress

With Jack’s lack of experience, we wanted to do some snowcraft first. But the weather was fantastic. One just couldn’t spend a day like today sulking in the depths of

On the Fiachaill Ridge

Sneachda. So we went for the Fiachaill Ridge. If course, Jack was fit and strong, and much more able than at first thought, and soon we were roping up at the col. The tricky sections were splendid and we raced through to the summit.

Going down the Goat Track I once again could not resist

In Spiral Gully

 veering right as soon as possible, today into Spiral Gully. Magnificent neve. It was magic, and Jack (and Bill) loved every move. topping out, I learnt that neither had been to the Cairngorm summit. The weather was just too good not to go there so we hiked across and up to the summit, Bill showing his usual walking strength and leaving us behind, his world was his own. We re-united and made our way down to the Ptarmigan resturant, expecting just to have a break and then walk down the piste. I suddenly remembered my last visit and how we snagged a lift on the Funicular.

Success again and soon we were back down at the car, ready and early to drive over to the west coast for plan b and c.

The Bank Street Lodge in Fort William is at least ten times better and more comfortable than it’s early days, ten years or more ago. Splendid accommodation, with a superb and very handy car park, and a short walk down to either the Nevis Sport bar (for great bar meals) and then the Crofter bar (for Sky TV and the football) and of course a little more beer!

Difficult section of Curved Ridge

Forecasts change and Bill suggested Sunday would be better for the Ben Nevis day, so, still getting up at 5.45am, we sped off down to Glencoe with slight rain and snow falling.
It didn’t affect (and never has) my feelings about Curved Ridge. This, one of the great times one can experience in the mountains, lived up fully with it’s reputation and my memories of thirtyor more years of regular visits on this climb. Sweeping newly fallen snow off rock to expose superb handholds, we inched our way to the top of the ridge and headed cautiously into Tower Gap. The snow was falling but was actually quite fun, so I made a lovely detour onto

Gloomy but great climbing on the ridge

Crowberry tower. We gazed into slightly improving visibility at the sheer drops all around us before returning the same way to above Crowberry Gully L.Hand finish at Crowberry Gap.

Soon we were moving together up the summit slopes. We hadn’t seen another climber since leaving the car. That was all to change on leaving the summit. As we headed for Lagangarbh Corrie, we passed numerous climbers heading for the summit. Piccadilly circus, no. but it was the Easter break after all. Carefully front-pointing down the couloir we reached easy ground, and shortly after, met up with a

Jack on the summit -Stob Dearg

Bill & Jack April 3rd 2010

family (presumably a husband and two youngsters being led by a mother). we exchanged conversations such as “Where are you off to with no axes or crampons between you” (or thoughts such as those). I think my gentle scolding did the trick as we never saw them go much higher, and we all kept watch on their progress over our shoulders as we continued down towards the SMC (Lagangarbh) Hut.

We interupted our journey back to Fort William with a round of soft drinks in the Clachaig, and finally deposited our considerably damp gear and clothing in the drying room at Bank Street Lodge. The evening started off at the Grog and gruel, a fine restaurant, followed by me retiring back to the lodge early and the lads exploring a couple of bars until the eatly hours beckoned them to bed. It was to be the big one tomorrow, Ben Nevis but I wasn’t sure everything would go to plan if we were to have an early start again, after such a late night.

I needn’t have worried. The team was fine at 5.45am again, but the weather wasn’t! It was steadily raining. Oh dear, another bad day beckoned. Strange though, as the forecast said it would clear and leave a fine afternoon. Would that be early enough for a long route? We’d have to go and see.

The renovated CIC Hut

Sure enough, the rain low down did turn to snow in the Alt a’ Mhullin (and some big flakes as well). The track was surprisingly clear though. I should have guessed. The Students weekend! Reaching the CIC hut at 8.30am, the place was inundated with climbers, both inside, outside, round the back etc etc. I took the lads inside the hut and there I met many friends and aquaintences. It was a social gathering but by now, many were dubious of getting out onto the routes, me especially, as the risk of avalanches I considered would be quite high, with all the fresh snow on the harder base everywhere. We watched climbers on early attempts to reach routes floundering in the deep snow under Vanishing Gully, some hardy(?) guys at the bottom of Orion Direct, and even when good climbers I knew arrived with positive thoughts on routes, I had the distinct feeling this was not good for Jack. His blister in the borrowed double boots had slowed him considerably on the walk up, and I couldn’t justify even the Ledge route for him in those conditions. So I called a retreat, but I wasn’t alone. Many people turned down from the hut that day. A wasted opportunity? Maybe. A good move? Maybe. Who is to tell. It’s only when things go well

Ben Nevis Dam Car Park 4-4-10

 or wrong that the proof is there. Convincing the lads there would be other times to come, we retreated down to the car, still passing many climbers on their way up.

We returned to my home hoping to get out in the late afternoon on the Inverness climbing Wall, but sadly that was closed. (Closed. At Easter?) The lads’ weekend finished with a walk around the forest track at the end of Loch Ness and a nice beer at the Dores Inn. A final drive to the railway station in Inverness and the sleeper, and they were gone.

Promises of better times and climbs on another trip rang out.