The new kid on the block
April 6th, 2010Easter 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 pist
e. 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.
the difficult sections in deteriorating visibility. Topping out, I led off down towards the Goat track. I checked the compass. It was soon apparent that the virtual nil-visibility in the driving snow and the wind was veering me off course. Reverting to the known skills, and because we hadn’t travelled very far, I navigated my way and
