The Ailort

I recently got a new part time job in the shop on aonach mor. This can be very useful because when the winds reach a certain speed you get sent home early which meant I could meet up with Henry and Oscar for a quick blast.

The river levels are running very high at the moment so we headed to the ailhort. Hoping to find some good interest however after a short paddle we were very disappointed. At its hardest part it was grade 2, not 3 which it gets in the guide book.

Henry on Ailort

So after packing up and heading home we realised we got in below the major part of the rapid, Doh!

The temperatures haven’t been very low recently, so Jamie and I decided to go high in the hope that we might find some product. However we had to be careful due to the avalanche forecast.
On arriving in Stob Corrie Nan Lochan we could see that there were some cornices forming on the tops and the buttresses weren’t quite there in some cases. After much deliberation we thought we could do one of the direct starts to dorsal arête for some sport.
It was my turn to take the first lead, after a poor hex placement lower down and an old peg I arrived at the climbing. It did look difficult but I knew once I had some good gear all would be fine. After not finding any gear I could trust I tested the axes in the snow. They held pretty well so I went to make the initial my axes slid through. I readjusted went for it again then my foot holds collapsed.
No good gear, no good placements, no use!

Jamie on the walking in

Jamie about to attempt the climb (amateur finger)

Stob Ban

I didn’t have much time today so I headed into the Mamores for a quick hit up Stob Ban.

Looking up towards the Summit of Stob Ban

It's Been Too Long

Its been a while since my last post but there has been a simple reason for this. Work and weather working on the nice days rubbish weather on my days off. So last night when it came to packing my rucksack, for my first trip in the snow, I had no idea had to put in it. After two hours though I was sure I had still forgotten everything.

I was meeting up with Craig at Torlundy to go check out the conditions on the Ben and have a little warm-up route. So we headed to South West Ridge on the Douglas Boulder so that we could stay low and avoid any potential avalanche hazard.

Craig coming up the first pitch

Climber Descending off the West Side of Tower Ridge

Tay Descent

Today was the day of the infamous Tay Descent. This is an annual event which see's all kinds of padlers in all kinds of boats descending the River Tay. I was volunteering as a rescue boat but thankfully the river was really high and I wasn't kept too busy and had plenty of time to play at thistlebrig.

Tay Descent 2011 - 22 Oct 2011 - Perth from SCA on Vimeo.

Kidney Research UK

It was a really wet, cold and early start this morning (6.45am). Me and some others, Kidney Research UK, were on Ben Nevis for a charity walk. My job for the day was to walk up and down the path with collecting the people that didn't make it to the top.
The rain didn't stop at all however that didn't stop everyone having a good time and putting a great effort.

Kidney Research UK

5 Star Training and an Update

It's been a while since I last updated the blog and in some cases a lot has happened and in other cases not much has been happening. Due to the constant bad weather on the days off work has meant I haven't been out on the rock so much. I did squeeze a trip down to the lakes to Tranearth Mountian Hut for a friends birthday and also graduated from my course in Lochaber.

The past two days I have attented my 5 star white water training with Chris Dickinson. The weather was rubbish which was great for us. On the first day we ran the Pattack which was at a very high flow but Chirs was showing Dave and I the tricks of trade which helpled us to cruise down the river.

The second day we ran the Upper Roy and the Gorge luckily the water level which meant we could run the whole rive appart from the syphone.  

 Dave and I on the right hand line of 'Wish You Were Here', Roy Gorge

Dave and I approaching 'the ledge', Roy Gorge

Hazard at the End of Roy Gorge

This could a substantial problem at higher flows!