Equestrian Wall New Route Info.

Both of the routes below were climbed with Graham Desroy, AKA Streaky, AKA the old hippy who seconded and patiently belayed. Neither route was climbed on-sight. I would have loved to have attempted them both on-sight but because of the dubious nature of the rock, no-doubt a few tumbles would have occurred. As it was, a hold broke on my first attempt to lead All the Pretty horses which resulted in a twenty-five foot fall. The technical nature of the wall and the lack of obvious gear also made me prefer to work both climbs. I have a whole summer of trad climbing ahead, and after that a very expensive expedition which makes me less in favour of smashing myself up. As both are first ascents I think it is fair for me to climb them by working them and in the end this has probably resulted in both routes being climbed in quite a good style, placing gear on lead. Having done this and given them a grade for the on-sight, and a comprehensive description, it hopefully will open it up now for someone to come along and climb them in better style.

 

All the Pretty Horses. ** E66B. 30metres.

The old hippy moving into the crozzled crack below the crux of All the Pretty Horses.

 

This is the line that The Crossing should have been. The Crossing came about because I was about to go on an Expedition and running out of time. I was also with Dan McManus, who would only let me abseil and clean the line once before giving it a go, Dan is a strict member of the ethics police, so the Crossing uses all of the pods including the very large pod to the right of the top pod in the line of three, and then finishes up the George Smith route, Limpet Trip. The Crossing has only slightly been superseded by All the Pretty Horses as I think it is still great fun and is the only route to use all of the funky pods and then finish with the crux of Limpet Trip which is very well protected.

 

All the pretty Horses is a great direct finish to the Crossing with much new climbing. I think the climbing is worth two stars and the route is only slightly marred by the quality of some of the rock which resembles rotten dead wood and has a similar strength! 

 

Leave The Crossing at the top of the third pod before the move right into the largest pod of the Crossing. Strenuous moves to exit the pod from its top give good holds. Move left to the base of a light brown crozzled corner/flake. Climb the flake to its top where hard moves lead up and slightly right to a crack with a peg and gear. From the top of the crack climb direct into a very small overlap. Pull direct through the overlap, steady yourself and make hard blind moves right and up with feet on smears until a large pocket/flake is reached. Steady yourself yet again and try not to think how far down beneath you the last gear is. Using a pretty poor hold quite high and left, attempt to reach a good and obvious (and strong) flake left again. A good crimper is then reached high and left of the positive flake and a couple of more blind undercut moves lead right to the bigger holds and the top.

 

Cities of the Plain. *** E66B 30metres

 

The old hippy straining a tad, cant be helped, he is old, on the final moves of Cities of the Plain.

 

A longer more technically sustained climb on slightly better rock, apart from two very notable exceptions! Good gear throughout with one notable exception! Worth three stars in any ones money. (Even if I am biased)

 

Start as for Captain Mark Phillips. Follow this for about 5 metres until the obvious small crack running from the left side of C.M.P. Follow this small crack left using a variety of techniques until near its end and beneath a quartz patch/seam/horn above. Climb direct to the quartz horn and then up and slightly right to a crack beneath the overlap. Climb the overlap in its middle, (hard) and make technical moves right using hidden undercuts and face holds. Crux. With kid gloves use a small positive expanding flake and make more hard moves up and then right to get your feet on the large, very dubious expanding flake. Think very light thoughts and a rock over left puts you back into the safety zone although the gear now becomes a tad poor. More technical foot shuffling to the right and then back left to a nice brown crozzled flake gives a rest before the final moves up and then hard right reach better hidden undercut holds and the top.    

 

 

Sacrebleu!

 

A sponsored hero courting the media... pic by Andy Houseman.

 

Tubes of green grass, crisp and refrigerator-fresh are pushing through the ground. Snow has melted from low-down. The ice is but a distant memory. Winter has gone…

 

… long live the spring.

 

My winter finished with a flurry of activity… But I decided at the beginning of this blog-trip, it wouldn’t be one of those – this is what I’ve been doing, suck it up and sit suffering in your office – well not all of the time anyway – and this is not one of those times… In fact it’s the opposite.

 

Through the winter I was savaged on a website by the high profile French climber,  Jeff Mercier.  

 

http://www.kairn.com/article.html?id=1493  

 

What is it with the internet that people loose all ability to be civil? In general it now appears fine to slag people without bothering to collect the true facts or first contact the person. Mr Mercier accused me of hype and glorifying Tim Emmett and my ascent of La Lyre in the Fer-a-Cheval cirque. (Well I think he was talking about me, he didn’t come out and say Nick Bullock, he just said an English climber and used the initials NB…come on Jeff, grow up a tad eh!) He accused me … sorry, NB of being a fraud by claiming I had climbed a super hard climb that was in easy condition, and it was only the fact the climb was in France, and not Britain, that stopped folk finding out about my bullshitting. (Hmm, not many Brits come to France on Easyjet then?) He also stated that it could not have taken us from 7am till 11pm car to car as this was an inordinate amount of time for such a climb and the reason behind my hyping was to keep sponsors happy.

 

Now I have thought long about these accusations and in my defence I would say read my posting from the La Lyre ascent in this blog, its titled WILD MATE, and ask yourself if this is the type of account a person seriously seeking sponsor acclaim would write. (Well that’s if you can read the essay as my blog is generally down for 3 weeks of every month… That in-itself leads to another question, me being the media whore that I obviously am why don’t I get another blog as they are free?). So I can only assume that Mr Mercier did not read my blog, or he did not understand the subtleties of British humour. Whichever it is, I would have expected someone who was making such a personal attack to be very certain of his facts before publishing them. The thing I find quite amusing about my original post is how I actually make fun of all of the things that appear to have gotten Mr Mercier so angry and accusing me of seriously doing.

 

In my writing I very rarely mention grades, unless they are to give a route description or are quoting a guidebook description. Grades are very subjective and they don’t really matter. The experience is what is important.

 

Grades especially don’t matter in a winter environment, so in the future to keep folk happy I promise never to quote a guidebook grade, my personal thought on a grade, my partners thought on a grade, or any other climbers take on a grade… Grades are out, burn all guide books, all topo’s, and for anyone who dare utter a grade, be it inflated, deflated or correct, you will also be burnt as grades are obviously the devils spawn and only there to please sponsors. (This by the way is irony in case anyone has missed it.)    

 

The Length of time the climb took was exactly the time stated. Tim and my ascent of La Lyre was the first ascent of the climb that winter, and as anyone who climbs ice will know, the first ascent takes longer than subsequent ascents due to the necessary cleaning and having no pre-pick placements ready to conveniently hook. It then took us three hours to descend placing v-threads all the way. All subsequent ascents would have used our placements and our abseil anchors to speed their ascent and descent. (I hope you liked them Jeff?) Finally, both Tim and I are from that little island across the channel and certainly not like Mr Mercier, a world champion climber, (ok, the Emmett does have bloody massive arms and can pull down a tad but he is still English!) so give us a break we’re British and slow.

 

[side note: Tim’s wife was calling quite often on our expert 2 hour and fifteen minute stumbling, rock falling snow grovelling ski out as she was worried and wanted to go out on the town as it was the party season. So Mr Mercier if you have a contact in the FBI or Interpol or whatever the French version may be… possibly the brotherhood of the ENSA ring which meets once a month in the cellar below the headquarters in Chamonix to discuss any non French Alpinists who dare claim first ascents and then heaven bid, publicise the ascent, get them to check the phone call times and replay the conversations between Tim and his wife Katie… “Yes dear, I know we were at the top of the climb at 5pm and now its 10pm, but we’re British!” And that will prove the time issue. Oh, and I hope you liked the track in and the track out that we made?]

 

The amusing thing about being accused of sponsor appeasement is the fact that I struggle to get anything at the moment from my clothes sponsor including answers from my e-mails, and the thought of getting a wage or something that would make me feel like I had to prove my worth is really laughable. If Mr Mercier had taken the time to find just a little about his chosen subject or spoken to a few folk who know me, or even take that radical step of e-mailing me he would realise the absurdity of his self professed rant.  

 

I was also accused of being disrespectful of Thierry Renault by claiming the climb had taken us a day and Renault had taken 2 days… Ray Wood reported the undisputable facts from the history of the climb on the DMM website. The first ascent did have one bivvy and the climb was given grade 7... This is undisputable. I did not tell Ray Wood what to write, he is after all his own man. Lindsay Griffin also wrote an account of our ascent on the BMC website featuring much of the same history. I am not sponsored by the BMC so what was Lindsay’s agenda for hyping our ascent I wonder?

 

Thierry Renault was a master. He climbed La Lyre in 92, climbing the wall to the right of the first icefall of the final three pitches we climbed. Mr Mercier claimed the final three pitches were 5+, well all I can say to that is, you are obviously very good at climbing ice to the point that you can climb grade 6 – or if you climbed direct up the front of the middle pitch as we did, 6+, and you thought it was 5+, well done, you are obviously very talented.

 

What an achievement by Renault to climb successfully La Lyre in 92, given the equipment available at the time. In fact Renault’s achievements along side Damilano and Twight were probably what inspired me to climb ice in the first place. Renault was way ahead of his time and a legend.       

 

So what is the agenda and what do I want to get out of it?

 

Hold onto your crash hats…

 

Let me start by clearing up one possible misconception. My climbing ability is nothing special. (Hang on, he’s a sponsored hero, he shouldn’t be saying that… ah, I can hear it now on Mr Mercier’s sponsors site, (!?) (False modesty, reverse psychology, he can’t really mean this…) But no…better believe it… I’m doing nothing in technical climbing that most folk out there, given the time and dedication and positive mental attitude couldn’t do… So if you do want to do it, get off your arse and do it… Nothing would make me more happy than the thought of just one person reading this and thinking yes, I can do that and then to use an Emmett phrase “having it…”

 

I think if anything, the only difference with my climbing and most out there is the repeated joy I receive from challenging my personal boundaries and the subsequent return from a climb to comfort.

 

Being in the hills is special. Watching clouds being cut by the razor-tops of jagged mountains is special. The sun setting – the sun rising – the sun setting … the smell of anticipation and fear and then finally crawling back into society from three days out with the tourists at the telepherique smelling of soap and deodorant is special. Pushing my body to its physical limit, the complete knackered state of muscle and mind, going from comfort, to hostility, and then back to comfort at this moment is the only way I know. I do not play at this game it’s for real and from the heart.  

 

So Monsieur Mercier, I’m sorry you felt the need to rant without first finding out the facts and talking to me. That’s a shame, I’m sure you are an OK guy and like most of the folk I know who are out there, you are just trying hard to do your thing and have fun… How about the next time you want to get something off your chest try thinking for a while longer before making a personal attack about someone whom you know very little about other than what you have read.  

 

C est la vie!         

Ps, three links to how my winter finished. Note: other peoples sites as I do not want to be accused of hyping. “Oh my God, the world has gone hype, up-our-own-arse-mad…”

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7491393@N03/sets/72157615682410216/

 

http://www.mountain equipment.co.uk/news/latest_news/article/default.asp?article=149

 

http://ianparnellphotography.blogspot.com/

      

Diversity.

 

Bolt fungus. North Stack. Pic...Ray Wood.  

 

 

“These climbs are not being climbed often so let’s bolt them to make them more accessible?”

 

“These climbs are dirty so let’s bolt them to get more traffic.”

 

“These climbs are on quarried rock so let’s bolt them.”

 

“These climbs don’t have much in the way of natural protection so let’s bolt them.”

 

“We should provide a stepping stone for those who have only climbed at the climbing wall.”

 

What is happening to the beliefs and ethics of climbing and climbers in Britain?

 

The comments above are some I have read on the internet over the last year and I would answer them with the following, 

 

 

If you want to climb a route that is dirty or too dirty for you, clean it…

 

If a climb does not have the required amount of protection for your ability, do not attempt it or get better.

 

If you need to have a cross over from the wall to the outside, go abroad or second a more experienced leader or get a feel of what climbing really is and get on the sharp end – go scare yourself, test yourself – maybe then you will find yourself?

 

Do we want to turn what is extremely special into just another bland, forgettable experience? Do we want to turn climbing into purely just another physical activity? You will have heard it often, but there is something extremely special about British trad climbing. When it is gone it will be gone for good. Intense, skin of the teeth outings are not something you run to repeat, (although I have repeated some climbs that scare me stupid and push me to the limit, purely because of these reasons. ) but they are something that you remember, the experience will scratch to the bottom of your soul, and it will enlighten and remind you that you are alive.   

 

I was under the opinion that bolting in Britain follows strict and very controlled supervision, but all the time I find this is not the case and people flout this arrangement for whatever selfish reason. I’m surprised how, when the consensus is in favour of leaving something for the adventurous climbers, it is ignored. What I refer to is the bolting of the excellent traditional climbs on Nomad Wall at Llanymynech.    

 

“The quarry has been disused for a long time and is now a nature reserve that is well managed and has transformed the area into a very pleasant and quiet spot to climb. The views from the routes and top of the cliff out across the River Severn flood plain of Shropshire to the hilltops of The Wrekin and Criggan are expansive.”

 

The above is taken from the introduction to Llanymynech on the Clywd Rock Fax database. So this is not some scrappy quarry, the experiences to be had are on a par with many natural crags and the climbs on Nomad Wall were some of the best wall climbs in the country. But of course you will not go to the top of the cliff as there are now lower offs!

 

 THIS WON’T HURT. E5 6A. *** Top 50 Clywd Climbs.

 

My friend attempted to on-sight this climb. The anticipation, the expectation, the mental challenge were according to him “totally out there” and, even though he climbs several grades harder than E56A, he fell from near the top. The memory of that climb and fall is still with him. I watch his face ignite as he re-lives the climb with every telling. This kind of reflection does not happen with a sport climb.

 

This Won’t Hurt is now a 6c+… and has seen more traffic than it ever saw as an E5… a sad reflection of the way things are going, but it is still not a reason to bolt.

 

Some of the comments from the Rock Fax database below are telling…

 

Now a good, and occasionally slightly run out, 6c/6c+…

 

So a top 50 climb, an unsurpassable experience, a climb where you had to breathe deep, dig deep and press on with courage and confidence, is now a good and slightly run out 6c/6c+ .No commitment needed, no sweaty palms and no doubt. 

 

A really great route, much more sustained than most at Llanymynech so wouldn't argue with 6c+

 

A really great sport route as are many at Llanymynech. This Won’t Hurt was an absolutely brilliant trad route and should have been left as one. Would it really have hurt to have left it in its original form along with the other climbs on this wall?

 

Great that you have addressed this wall appropriately. Nice one

 

Who says this wall has been appropriately addressed? I would say the wall has been ruined and turned into just another wall of bolted climbs, of which Llanymynech has many.  

 

What a great route - I'd been psyching myself up to do it in its previous incarnation and finally decided to have a go last week, only to find the nice shiny bolts:-) However I agree it felt like good 7a, certainly harder than Jack the Smuggler. Does the suggested 6c+ take the direct finish (previously E6 6b) or head off to the arete at the top as the original "This won't hurt"?

 

Psyching up to climb This Won’t Hurt in its original trad form, I bet no one has to psyche up any more before attempting This Won’t Hurt and I’m certain they do not have the same reward or the same memories at the end of the day.

 

To quote another ‘let’s bolt it’ argument, this climb was a mix and match of in-situ gear and trad, so now it’s much better fully bolted. I look at it another way; this climb at its grade could have easily been climbed without any of the original bolts so why not take them out and have it fully trad… I wonder if the Cad on North Stack Wall would be quite the intense and sought after climb if Ron Fawcett had taken it upon himself to bolt it completely, bottom to top, and the bolts had remained. In today’s climate this I think is a strong possibility. I know for many people the Cad remains on top of their tick list even though they climb much harder... Why is this then… What is the difference?

 

It’s quite interesting that the first person who climbed the Cad without clipping the last remaining bolt was Nick Dixon. Nick’s climb, Nomad, is one of the climbs on Nomad wall, and for me was the highlight of a summer’s climbing when it was an E66B. I don’t mean it was the hardest grade I climbed that summer, it was just a great memorable day …

 

… Wiping the sweat from my forehead, dirt from finger-tips mingles and smears with the salt. Mud stains my clothes… eyes dart looking… hunting, thinking… Pulling – peering into the next break I try to guess at what piece of gear will fit… my mind trips, my shoulders burn… ‘Will I need the cam for higher, can I place a nut – but a cam would save the extender for later? Save energy, press-on Nick… press-on. Press on, a screaming voice inside my head. Then more controlled, calm… rest, shake out… Questions – will the next break take gear, if so will it be any good, will it be wet inside the break… Press on, press on. Rest, chalk up… Full stretch… fingers creep over an edge... it’s muddy at the back, too shallow for a cam… the distance from the last piece will increase but the move looks OK. Push a toe to a crease level with steely-staring-eyes… Press on, press on… Twist my hand, palm-up, an offering to the wall – an under-cling in the roof of the break, thank God… Rest, chalk up… Rock-over… balance, balance, control the breathing, come on, breathe… slow… slow… But will the gear hold the fall… And will my mind will my body to make the next move…   

 

Nomad is now a sports climb amongst other sports climbs that were once starred trad climbs. No planning necessary, just count the bolts and put the quick-draws on your harness. Even better, how about going to the top and pre placing all the draws, let’s take away all of the chance of scaring ourselves… Why give the rock a chance at all?

 

Am I being elitist wanting trad climbing to remain as trad climbing? I don’t think so, I’m just asking for the same experience others have had. I have lost the chance to attempt Screaming Skull, an E66B three star climb and This Won’t Hurt as trad climbs and I feel robbed. I will turn the question the other way and say people who have encouraged and support the bolting of this wall are selfish. They have robbed the more adventurous climber because they do not have the ability or the courage, or the patience to climb these climbs in their original form. They have robbed you, you the more adventurous out there of the chance to push yourself, physically, but more importantly, mentally through the boundary of doubt. This is what traditional climbing is… it goes far beyond the physical.

Please don’t say the climb is still the same physical challenge because it is not. Climbing weighed down by a dozen quick-draws as opposed to a rack of gear, hanging, selecting, sorting, placing a draw and then finally clipping the rope is so much more physical than grabbing a quick-draw from your harness, clipping it through the eye of a bolt and clipping the rope. People who say a person can climb without clipping the bolts, well you really don’t understand at all do you? What person in their right mind, who is pushing, struggling, on the edge of falling, gripped, would not clip a bolt, or in extremis snatch and hang from a quick-draw clipped into a guaranteed anchor. I have been in extremis on trad routes more times than I can remember and that final last effort, because there is no other option apart from falling, has seen me scrape through… The opportunity to shout take when it gets a little uncomfortable or scary should not be there.

 

How about this… I have always wanted to climb Masters Edge at Millstone but it scares me. Millstone is a quarry. Masters Edge I’m sure does not see many ascents so that surely gives me the right to go and turn it into a bolted 7b/b+ sports climb in the name of opening it up for everyone?

 

Bolting is like a fungus. It starts in the corner of small dark esoteric little quarries… and spreads… and spreads… until before you know it, Britain will have no trad and the sports climbing we do have will be second rate to the miles and miles of sun bleached limestone over the Channel… This is not a simple little rant from an adventure climber, I have seen bolts creep up trad climbs all over… first one bolt, then two, then before you know it, an E66b is 7b and the experience is lost. It’s a rare thing that bolts are taken out once in, I don’t know why this is, especially with the rising standards and improving gear. On climbs with the odd bolt it would be a much better option to remove the bolts completely instead of replacing them…    

 

At Wilton in Lancashire right at the moment there are similar arguments being used as have been mentioned above. I have never climbed at Wilton, (and as a member of the climbing community I don’t need to have climbed there to have an opinion, your decisions after all affect us all.) but for those that have and regularly do, I suggest you take a long and careful look at what you decide and think of the long term effects on climbers and the future of rock climbing though-out the whole of Britain.

 

 

Issues.1…

 

I don’t particularly have a lot of cash…

 

Using the guidelines given by the Government I am living in poverty. Not quite as drastic as it sounds, to be classed ‘in poverty’ a household can be bringing in up to £16, 500… I’ve climbed regularly in Asia and South America and I know I do not live in poverty, but…

 

…I dream of £16, 500… divide by 4 and that’s what I accrued in a year of hard media whoring… Maybe a few lessons can be learnt from some of my fellow full-timers, but that will probably involve not actually climbing, just talking about it, or writing about it, or bullshitting about it… so maybe not hey?

 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. (He says very quickly before all the folk hidden behind their computer screens on UKC rip him apart) It’s my choice. I live a life that is full. I climb more in a month than some people climb in a year… maybe two… actually, maybe more than that compared to some of the folk on the internet forums…

 

… But I do have concerns, usually to do with my van going wrong, or injury, although injury, as long as it’s in Britain, is free, and my body’s ability to fix itself still appears to be OK, so the injury one comes well down the line of concerns. (Although teeth are another thing… they do cost money!) No, the van concern is the most worrying, (did I say I drive a Citroen and its getting very tiered now, and if Citroen want to sponsor me, I’m here)…

 

I don’t claim any support from the Government. I don’t have a rich girlfriend who is willing to spend hours, days or even months alone or is willing to support her man in pursuit of his dream – which in turn will give her a happy-go-lucky, honed professional athlete, keen to do the dishes and maybe go that little bit longer when needed… (ok, ok, yes I know, I’m a homeless climbing bum that is slightly obsessive about his chosen activity and being so, I of course do not have a girlfriend… not a rich or poor girlfriend, not one with one or two heads, good looking or a moose, not even one who is slightly over weight or one who is thin…Maybe a Citroen sponsored honed 8a+, M10, Scotty X/10, E8 adventure starved, sex starved women is out there waiting…Well I’m here… and yours for the weekend… maybe longer if the weather is bad!)

And I certainly don’t have rich parents… My old man turned to me years ago and said; “Don’t expect me to leave anything when I die” Guess that told me! Not that he had a lot anyway.

 

So, the meaning of this post is to say this… British mountaineers are very fortunate… Even homeless, girlfriendless, poverty stricken, obsessive ones. We have an amazing climbing history and a real depth of great climbers, mountaineers and explorers… Bonnington, Doug Scott, Shackleton, Tilman, Estcourt, Brown, Patey, Griffin, Whillans, Longstaff, Tasker, Shipton, Haston, Parnell, (he’s great in my eyes and according to Ian his climbing is in the past!) Burke, Bordman, Coffey, Jones, McInnes, The whole of the 1953 first ascent of Everest team, Bullock…(ok you got me, just thought I’d throw it in so I could longingly look at my name along side all the greats)…etc… etc… And its because of them, we have the Mount Everest Foundation, The British Mountaineering Council, The Nick Estcourt Award, The Alpine Club and several other awards that want to give cash to people like me to go and have a go in the name of adventure…

 

 

… and having just heard Andy Houseman and I have been awarded the Nick Estcourt Grant which is £2000, for an attempt on the North Face of Chang Himal this autumn I think it’s amazing to be British and have this opportunity…

 

Thanks to all concerned…

 

…and to any other person out there with some spare coffers… my old man never had a credit card, still doesn’t, (and if he had, it would have seen the light of day less often than a hedgehog) so that isn’t an option, and we still have quite a bit to find, so here is a shot of the hill…

 

 

 

…nice isn’t it? Andy says he will even twitter and blog and do all those other things modern mountaineers seem to do in the pursuit of greatness. I on the other hand will make the coffee!

 

See yer...

 

 

 

 

    

Phone is off. Skype is off. E mail is off.

Dont answer the door...

 

Miles approaching Les Larmes de Merlin and Les Brumes d'Avalon. 

 

Can't feel my shoulders.

Thousand mile stare

Been pumped for days...

It started well on Saturday with Tequila Stuntman at Argeantier... Then a nice route on Sunday in Switzerland...

All hell broke loose on Monday.

Brodie came round for pizza Sunday eve. Talk of Morzine being in condition. But Miles and i have a nice day planned for tomorrow Neil, why do we want to go to Morzine?

Les Larmes de Merlin... Thats why Nick!

I blame the wine, Brodie and Miles for saying yes when i texted him.

So we went...

Still can't feel my arms.

If Lyre in Fer a Cheval was a plant it would be Deadly Nightshade... Beautiful, but you wouldnt want a salad made from it. 

Les Larmes de Merlin would be one of those flesh eating things that devours insects and then eats climbers for pudding!

I attacked the 1st pitch... total madness... Miles took on the second pitch... total exposure... i took on the 3rd pitch... wild... Miles decided his arms and head were a tad frazzled at this point so we bailed deciding the grade 5 ice of the last pitch didnt need doing.

Brodie attacking pitch 1 of Merlin.

That evening Brodie skyped... And the following day i appeared to be heading for Morzine again...

Brodie attacked the first pitch... total madness... I took on the second pitch (which suddenly felt completely out there even though it felt ok the day before seconding!)... total exposure... Brodie launched at the third pitch, swearing in French and complaining he couldnt feel his arms... totally mental... And i climbed - yes, at last a sort of normal climbing experience and not a carniverous plant in sight -  the last steep pitch feeling a little happier that i had now done enough to warrent a tick!   

Me wondering where my arms had gone on pitch 3 of Merlin.

 

Today... Day 5... Argh... i'm heading to Morzine again, but this time with Kenton...

No, even i'm not that stupid?

Climbed a route to the left of Les Larmes de Merlin called Les Brumes d'Avalon...

Using my plant simile... Poison Ivy...

And if you want to go climbing tomorrow... I'm watering my plants!

More pics in the photo section.  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Does it matter?

 

 

 

The following post was written on the forums of UK Climbing entitled,

 

“British Alpinism/Mountaineering is (almost) dead.”

 

The author, who of course does not use his full name or give a profile then goes on to say,

 

“We just don’t do anything cutting edge anymore.”

 

And finishes with,

 

 All the Brits are doing is a few repeats of old routes and a few new 'filler' lines... with a whole lot of back slapping and trumpeting.

Which was the last route (abroad) the Brits did which was world class?

 

Thanks for this whoever you are… quite an interesting and emotive subject even when you take out your completely ignorant and hyped title.

 

“British Alpinism/Mountaineering is (almost) dead.”

 

 If he really wanted to be taken serious why give the post a title that is a sweeping generalisation and that is obviously not true. British Alpinism and mountaineering is very much alive. I can say this without hesitation as I regularly meet Brits who are out there climbing in countries all over the world. The Alps in winter, not that long ago, was the realm of the real hardcore climber, but now, routes such as the Gabarrou/Albinoni, Charlet/Ghilini, The Super Couloir, The North Face of the Eiger, The Ginat and the Colton/Brooks on the North Face of the Droits, The Swiss Route on the Courts, The Dru Couloir, The Shroud, etc, are being repeated often. Call me a bit slow on the uptake, but this in my mind is both Alpinism and Mountaineering.

 

All the Brits are doing is a few repeats of old routes and a few new 'filler' lines... with a whole lot of back slapping and trumpeting.

 

Which was the last route (abroad) the Brits did which was world class?

 

I do not see my own efforts as cutting edge, never have, never will, but who cares and what does it matter? I go out and climb what I want for the joy of climbing, old fashioned I know, but seeing the sun set across a blue hew of a million mountain tops and then watching it rise again gives me more than most would imagine. I go out and climb as often as I can and in some of the most beautiful and challenging environments in the world, and when I start going out to make news, write daily blogs, break records or have my picture taken, its time to give up.

 

I have lived and climbed in the French Alps four out of the last five winters and I have not been falling over Alpinists from other countries climbing routes harder or in better style than many of my friends. Admittedly there are many really good French Alpinists who just get on with it, but for every really good French climber there are twenty who are not. I’m not one of these people who thinks Britain is brilliant and who gets all sycophantic about everything British, far from it, and the likes of House, Babinov, prezelj, Steck, Huber, etc are certainly at the top of the game, but there will always be people leading the way in everything. This does not decry others efforts, which still may be of high standard, it just raises the standards that will be attempted and in time reached.       

 

 

On a world scale Kenton Cool and Parnell in Alaska have made some pretty significant ascents,(Denali Diamond 2^nd ascent, Extra terrestrial Brothers, Mini Moonflower) as have Parnell and Cartwright,(The Knowledge) McAleese, Lampard and Turner,(The Perfect Storm) Chinnery and Sharp,(Snow Patrol) and there are many more. In the Himalayas Fowler is respected around the world and I would certainly place him along side the names mentioned above for his tenacity and the difficulty of his new routes – all climbed Alpine Style, all climbed with fellow Brits, Chris Watts, Saunders, Littlejon, Ramsden and Cave. I have been to Changabang and Kalanka, and on both occasions the North Face of Changabang was attempted, but not climbed, by climbers from countries other than Britain, so does this make their mountaineering dead? I suppose the North Face of Changabang could be classed as a filler-in though couldn’t it?

 

The Cartwright/Cross route on Ama Dablam was tried repeatedly by teams from countries other than Britain by using tactics that were in vogue nearly 50 years ago – fixed ropes, camps, big teams etc – but was eventually climbed by two Brits who packed their bags and went for it. A filler in line on an insignificant hill, oh, and still waiting a second ascent. Though maybe this climb wouldn’t fit into one of johnr2’s cutting edge climbs because it wasn’t supported by the government with a shed load of cash and it wasn’t climbed by a selected team, and it doesn’t use thousands of metres of fixed rope.

 

A new 2000-metre route by Parnell and Emmett on Kedar Dome which took 8 days is quite significant, especially as this face was attempted by Hungarians and a strong Polish team using fixed rope, but neither teams reached the summit. Hardly worth mentioning as we don’t want to be accused of back slapping do we?

 

This post by johnr2 was written in direct response to Matt Helliker’s short film clip of Kenton, Matt and my ascent of the Colton/MacIntyre route on the North Face of the Grande Jorasses. Not cutting edge I grant you, but it was never meant to be, it was what it was, take it or leave it. A small interesting fact about our ascent is two French climbers who started the route a few hours after us had one bivvy on the route, reached the mixed section in the upper quarter of the face and couldn’t climb it and were subsequently rescued by helicopter?

 

So to the crux of the argument folks, Brits are generally attempting things that are technically difficult and on hills no-one has heard and in good style, i.e. Alpine style or attempting to free climb with minimum aid. It’s what we are about, and the likes of Davidson, Heselden, Helliker, Parkin, Bass, Powell, Bracey, Houseman, The Bensons, Brodie etc, etc, some are up and coming and getting out there now, some have been failing and nailing for years without much fuss and without huge sprays and on a shoestring budget. The problem with this style and attitude is the failure rate is high, which then leads to cynical and ignorant people on the web making sweeping generalisations from there armchairs.

 

British mountaineering and Alpinism dead?

 

Maybe johnr2 you should get from behind your computer and try getting into the hills a tad more before posting bullshit?

                

Rant over…

 Matt Helliker proving that some Alpinism still goes on!

Wild Mate!

 

I don’t really do “Awesome. I certainly don’t do wicked, lets-av-it, crush-it-mate or mad-for-it…”

 

But getting to know Tim Emmett over the last few weeks and after climbing my first proper route with him, Cascade de la Lyre two days ago in the Cirque du Fer Cheval, I can’t help but laugh as I’ve discovered all of the above can be used in one sentence.

 

“Awesome mate, Wicked mate, come on mate we’re going to destroy it mate, but mate… mate… lets have it… bring it on… Mate, crush it…”

 

Over the last few weeks the winter has blossomed, nearly as much as my understanding and use of modern young person vocabulary.

 

But mate…

 

Mont Saxonnex keeps giving… Bracey, Emmett and I went in one day and crushed it!

 

Well to be honest, Tim crushed it while Bracey and I gave it a little squeeze.

 

Tim Crushing it at Mont Saxonnex.

 

Point Lachenal high on the Valley Blanche in bute weather mate led to a great adventure with Bairdy. We add it up a brilliant chimney in two pitches that was awesome. We crossed a route called Hit Machine to climb two more killer pitches until hitting the rib above the face and climbing together for another 120 metres to reach the summit crest. The sun was setting and the red hues painted the mountains before we add it large down the VB in the dark… Awesome mate.

The line isn’t in any guide, so I was thinking of whoring myself and screaming of new routes and big numbers to whomever would report my wild unsubstantiated claims, then I remembered I hadn't’t put stickers on my new climbing helmet so it was hardly worth the bother… (Note: place loads of stickers on helmet before going to climb again so as not to waste the time and effort.)

 

Bairdy on pitch 3 of something.

 

Hit Mont Saxonnex hard with the Brodie five days ago… Brodie is a totally righteous dude…

 

We sent a new 100-metre line of mixed and ice that that really rocked. With every swing of my axe I thought about the headlines and the media exposure…

 

Wild mate… bring-it-on…

 

Even Brodie, who really hasn't’t embraced the way of the twenty first century climber… (He hasn't’t even got a blog. Get with it mate!), was buzzing. I climbed the first pitch which was sick, about WI 5. Wish it had been more difficult, as lets face it, everyone climbs 5, but with the right camera angle it could be made to look really hard and funky, (NOTE: send Jonathon Griffiths an E mail to get some re-enactment shots). Brodie, climbing the last pitch, an ice pillar into a horror groove that utilises a tree for a, thank God hold, pulled out the lead of winter. The crux, above the tree move, goes at a grade of T 9 (Using the alpine sliding twig scale)… A crimp from a twig while expecting it to snap gave just enough height to reach a clump of frozen turf above an overhang. The tree behind is totally out of bounds and if you bridge from it you haven’t done the route as it was intended so take at least two grades off… The route which we haven’t named yet goes at WI5 M6. 100-metres.                

 

Brodie eventually getting with it ringing up the climbing sites to report the new route.

 

The conclusion to this little smattering of routes was going in to the Cirque du Fer a Cheval near Sixth with THE EMMETT! That boy is off the Scale for righteousness I’ll tell ya. A 2-hour skin and thrash led us to the base of Cascade de la Lyre VI WI 7 550 metres. I hadn't’t really looked at the guide description or taken in what it was all about, it was just another icefall in a wicked location. (NOTE: Make sure to have all info on the climb before hand, especially if it is a climb to improve status, shout about, blog about, film, and make a news item on the Internet climbing sites.)

 

The Emmett about to kill it!

 

We pitched the initial pillar then moved together for 300-metres until beneath the final three pitches. It was at this point the partly formed ice of Lyre direct and Les Cenobites Tranquilles to the left started to carve and crash down the bottom of our route… Phew mate I’ll tell ya, scary! But we were up for it and really psyched and took on the last three pitches avving it large. Mate, total journey. THE EMMETT climbed the middle pitch at its steepest so we could get some good footage and look like wads, and I took us to the top in the gloom. Topping out at 5pm the wind whipped which was good as I’m sure THE EMMETT would have pulled his wing suit out and jumped…

 

Whooo whooo hooo mate... Wild!

 

Fortunately the ice avalanches pounding down the route stopped long enough to allow us to get down and after a two and a half hour skin out we reached the car at 11pm. (NOTE: Climb quicker so I can update my blog immediately from my phone and ring around everyone to let them know we have sent really hard, or get Alastair Lee along to film it.)

 

Not so whooo whooo hooo, more fu***ng watch me and stop telling me to crush it!

 

Just read the Guidebook description of the first ascent of La Lyre. Thierry Renault, Wilfried Colonna and Denis Condevaux climbed it for the first time in 1992 with one bivvy. “A legendary icefall and a formative experience.” Nuff said…

 

I have added some pics in the photo section… Enjoy mate.

    

No Saxonnex please we’re British.

In association with DMM, Mammut and Vasque.

 

I knew after my Nepal fiasco I wanted to climb… I needed to climb, but driving to the Alps on Sunday the 7^th all the reports were of snow… and lots of it. I felt weak and unfit and a virus clung to me with a passion as strong as Jeremy Clarkson has for the combustion engine.

 

What to do? Go skiing then. Hmm… The Toula in Italy, 1000-metres of deep powder, altitude, attitude and the psyche of the team – Cool, Helliker, Emmet, Griffiths, Baird et al was too much, and after 4-hours sleep I crumpled much to the surprise and enjoyment of the team…

 

Times like these call for radical decisions, so the next day Kenton and I walked into Mont Saxonnex crag, the scene on my new route last year with Neil Brodie and checked the conditions, then we shopped for food and snow tyres, a paraffin heater for Kenton’s house that has no central heating, (for crying out loud, this is the Alps and its winter!) and, then did that weird thing called rest.

 

Wednesday 10^th Dec. Kenton and I walked into Mont Saxonnex and after a false start on what we knew was a new ice line, (it was pouring water, very fragile looking and steep, (my God was it steep) – and it was my first route of winter, Kenton’s first route of winter, (and he was rapidly going down with the lurg) and finally in the long list of excuses this was my first route since realising I’m not bionic) so we opted for the less insane line which is called Douche Écossaise. This goes at M5, though it felt quite spicy at that especially so teetering above two tied off stubby screws. On the second pitch I opted for a thin chandeliered wall which after 40-metres found me gasping and grasping with arms burning and bursting. Finishing off the route with a funky free standing pillar finished us both, but left me thinking I was on the up. Kenton melted on the way out, but did retain a sly grin of satisfaction.

 

 

Thursday the 11^th saw Brodie and me climbing Nuit Blanche, steep and unrelenting, it felt very much more sustained than last year and led me to think I’m definitely not bionic.

 

Saturday had me regretting a weights session on Friday as I hung from one arm clattering and destroying bubbled chandeliers and feeling pumped. Water gushed and sprayed me as it caught on the breeze caused by snow flumping off the branches of the pine trees. Brodie stood belaying at the base of the ice line Kenton and I had failed to climb on Wednesday. The line was the fully frozen version of two dry tool climbs called M6 Sunar and L’axe du male. What a difference, I now had the restored confidence and mileage of the two previous routes. Large soggy lumps ripped and my feet tore and water pummelled into my arms and legs, I looked down to see Brodie having a conversation on his mobile and immediately my new found bravado went the way of the chunks of pillar, until I reminded myself he was a modern multi tasking Mountain Guide so it should be ok if I fell?

 

 

The pillar grew more chandeliered and steep. I kicked my outside foot in an attempt to bridge between the pillar and the rock to stop the barn door effect of my body but the boot smashed and tore and wafted into space repeatedly. My body fought to control the swing until at last a straight arm and a full body stretch hooked solid ice before the final overhanging pulls to the ledge.

 

Brodie pulled on to the thin left hand pillar of the second pitch. Pine trees covered in snow glowed in the weak afternoon sun and continued their shedding of winter weight. The Mont Saxonnex church bell struck midday, the chimes echoing up from the valley and penetrating the swirling cloud. Silhouetted, Brodie crashed and swung onto the front of the pillar tensing and testing his body until disappearing into a cave beneath the final 20-metres of madness, which led him, and ultimately me, to the success we craved.

 

Reaching the base of the new ice variation which we decided to call, Who needs sex, we get hotaches, WI6 100m, Brodie suggested another climb to the right, which, seriously overhanging in parts, culminated in a mind blowing icicle. Namasté Ole M7 and WI6 was certainly the piece de resistance and all I needed to convince me my winter was back on track.

Loads of shots of Mont Saxonnex in the pics section.

 

All information on Mont Saxonnex is found in the guide Cascades de Glace du Mont Blanc au Léman Tome 1, published in 2007 and compiled by Batoux and Seifert.

Back in the Alps... Friends, bread, wine and ice...

loads of ice...

Pretty testing this for off the couch...

But there are times when you have to just get on with it... do it for yourself and the climbing and the pleasure...

here's to more of the same.

More shots in the pics section. 

 

Peak 41. An attempt. A lesson in tenacity.

Peak 41 and Noddy.

 

Noddy landed in Kathmandu bringing a load of shiny new gear on the 22^nd of October after Andy Houseman and I had been robbed of everything from our BC the day before we were due to start our climb. Our BC was situated 45 minutes away from the small village of Khare in the Hinku Valley. Khare is the last established settlement before heading to the snow for the crowds who climb Mera Peak. The estimated cost of gear stolen is £10 000. Andy and I both returned to Kathmandu, a three day walk from the scattered pasta in the dust, all that was left of our BC. A flight from Lukla to Kathmandu gave game over… or so we thought? Andy left for Britain 2 days later.

 

Noddy, a sales rep from DMM with very little Scottish winter experience e-mailed saying he needed a holiday and always fancied trying a tad of the bigger stuff! So we went to the hills where the acclimatisation was normal, but some would probably say rapid, (I had after all already acclimatised and the groups being dragged, the mess and the shit on Mera was wearing thin (( a once in a life time experience??)) )...We went from Tagnag 4300 m to Mera high camp at 5800 in a one-er...so what’s the problem? Oh, ok, most do it in 2-3 days but hey Noddy is a sales rep used to driving the roads of Britain!

 

Noddy Acclimatising on Mera. 

 

We then rested for 2 days and afterwards went from Tagnag to the bottom of the face... Ahh, but no we didn’t...Noddy did acclimatise really well but with no Alpine experience and certainly no Himalayan experience his body decided to hit melt down with the rather large sack on his back. The boulder hopping in big boots did not help either...(there is more to this Himalayan stuff than just the climbing!)... so after Noddy got a tad emotional at his lack of fitness I suggested to stash kit, return to Tagnag, rest for a day then return... we did this but Noddy had not recovered, so I continued on my own waving an emotion farewell to Noddy... with rack, 2 ropes, bivvy kit, food etc... (who was the emotianal one now?)

 

 

Preparing to go climb at last.

 

I climbed the technical approach, something like bristly ridge in North Wales combined with the Cosmiques Arete on the Midi, until I made an irreversible abseil onto the glacier. The ropes loosened a rock which hit my leg just above the knee causing quite a bit of pain, swelling and concern. What the hell did i need to do to get some climbing done.

 

Anyway, I limped across the glacier surrounded by the towering and daunting rock face of Peak 41 and bivvied at the base of the face dosed up on Brufen bombs.

 

Setting off at 1am, I limped across the glacier above my bivvy in the rubble and climbed some nice steep water ice beneath some worrying seracs until beneath the face to the left of the intended couloir. Runnels of fluted snow followed until 6 am where the cold got to me as I was not wearing my usual clothes as they had been stolen... so I cut a step and got in my sleeping bag for an hour to warm up. Continuing, the ground got steeper and more insecure...sugar snow gave hardly any support and the weight of the sack was always pulling. I could now look across to the couloir splitting the rock face as I was climbing the arête between the massive rock wall and the snow face... exposure stung my cheeks and hurt my head. Crossing from one runnel, when it ended, to another, was difficult. The deeper snow would hardly support weight and found me flapping a tad expecting the ground to disappear from beneath.

 

Climbing water ice beneath the seracs to reach the face.

 

I climbed even higher and the ground turned mixed and the climbing was very worrying... loose, steep rock, rippy ice and sugar-snow made it very insecure... at one point I had to abseil into a runnel to my left as I had hit an impasse with the loose overhanging rock... Then, about 5 metres from an obvious snow ledge, I had to leave my sack and back rope a section of snow climbing so insecure I thought I was definitely going to fall onto a loop I had secured to a single nut. Fortunately I did not.

 

Here was a perfect bivvy, but it was only 1.25pm, but I was knackered... I looked around the corner… more difficult climbing continued… I settled in for a long rest.

 

looking toward the bivvy at the top of the snow

 

Day 2 started at 7am where once again I had to back-rope a mixed section of climbing leading into a very steep section of loose and mixed glued with water-ice... not what I wanted before breakfast...

 

A start of the mixed above the bivvy. Day 2.

This section was harrowing, and I think would have turned me back in the past, but everything before had made me so driven to get this climb done… the theft, going back to Kathmandu, the rock on the knee, arguing with two poor porters, etc... Loose boulders stuck-out from the ice, and as I sat on one, traversing into a runnel of sugar with thousands of feet below, I expected the whole thing to rip... fortunately it didn’t but still the very, very insecure and loose rock continued... at last the climbing lead into a runnel of un-supporting snow which I climbed until at the foot of a large rock buttress approximately 2-300 metres beneath the summit. There was no weakness and as I had left my second rope and bivvy kit at the bivvy-site hoping to reach the summit, and it looked impassable, I cut a snow bollard into sugar and began the scary descent...

 

And the descent was scary...

 

I abseiled leaving much new DMM gear (sorry) into loose rock, then on the snow I made ice threads. Reaching the less steep ground was not so good in the full afternoon sun and I gingerly continued avoiding crevasses until beneath the tottering seracs... here I had to make 2 abseils which I did while looking up regularly until on the initial glacier above my starting bivvy at the base of the face... I lay on a large grey boulder beneath the rock wall at 6pm and slept for the first time in three nights...

 

On the 4th day I found a way off the glacier and reversed bristly ridge... Then walked the 7-hours to Tagnag where Noddy waited patiently.

 

The following day we started our 3-day walk out...

 

And now, I'm sat in Kathmandu after 7 days on the go...phew...beer and pizza tonight then?     

Facts;

 

Having had everything stolen was gutting… To return to Kathmandu and have Noddy come out with 60-kilo of gear and clothes and then return to the hills was amazing…I can not thank Noddy and DMM enough…what brilliant sponsors.

 

The height I reached was about 6200-metres about 200-300-metres from the summit.

 

The climbing was some of the hardest I have done in the Himalayas, with or without a partner. The climbing was probably the most insecure I have ever soloed, and this was the first time I have ever back-roped anything.

 

Because Andy Houseman and I had all our gear stolen and could not replace everything, the climb was made really difficult as the base of the face was 2-days and from Tagnag, our T-house BC. Tagnag is at a height of 4300-metres. The bottom of the climb is at 5300 metres. Proper Himalayan Alpine style me thinks.

 

Noddy and I started to walk in to the climb on the 4^th of November. I continued to walk/climb into the base of the route at 5300m on the 5^th. I started to climb at 1am on the 6^th, reaching the bivvy at 1.25 pm at an approximate height of 6100m. Leaving the bivvy at 7am on the 7^th I climbed to a high point of approximately 6200/300-metres where I could not climb any higher. Here I began to abseil and reached the base of the face at 6pm. On the 8^th I walked to Tagnag in 7 hours.

 

I would like to thank the MEF and the BMC for their support, my sponsors, DMM, Mammut and Vasque. Thanks also to Mountain Equipment, Crux and Travel lunch. Thanks to resident in Kathmandu, Ian Wall  portersprogress.org  for borrowing us the cash for the 2^nd lot of Lukla flights. Thanks for my friend and agent Loben,  lobenexpeditions.com  Thanks to Freddie Wilkinson, MOG Man, aka Kev Mhonie and Ben Gilmore for the whisky, the 2 cylinders of gas, the food and the tent to sleep when distraught. Most of all thanks for Noddy for making it possible for me to swing an axe and to Biman Air for their baggage limits.  

 

One of the reasons why... More pics in photo section.

The End of Summer… 

 

Did it ever begin?

 

Having spent the last seven weeks reasonably fit for rock, the weather, or more to the point, the rain, has not stopped. It has been a frustrating summer.

 

Sitting in Ynys, the Climber Club Hut in the Llanberis Pass my unofficial summer residence, I have the time to reflect before jumping on a plane…

 

The summer started well. The BMC International Meet – sun, dry crags, loads of climbing, loads of routes to work the winter out of my body…The Axe, Me, Mr Softy, Authentic Desire, Right Wall, Left Wall, Pretty Girls make Graves, Rust Never Sleeps, Cream-Vector-Void… Dry rock, tanned skin and bullshit in the evenings washed down with red wine and Favresse thrashing his mini-guitar like a mad-man.

 

This summer, more than any summer was going to be amazing…

 

Cyrn Las – Lubyankar and the Skull… Noddy and I picked up the Pimp as He and Evans abseiled bailing from their second attempt at the Skull - Evans already late for dinner.  

 

 

Devon was fun… sprinting up the heavily featured fins of Sharpnose between showers. Noddy slapping in the wet, his hair plastered to his head, laughing and fighting… Falling from Coronary Country was disappointing but at least I had given it a go and lying in the cave beneath Pentire Head waiting for the shower to stop, desperate to climb Darkinbad was more than disappointing. Gear-up, flake rope, tie-on, pull-on… almond drops hitting heavy… untie and run away was becoming a factor in my summer.

Another day walking the sodden headland and climbing in the rain at Cow and Calf – while over there, around the dark crumbling coast Smoothlands beckoned and the hull of the wrecked ship, The Incredible Hulk, burst from the shingle rotting in the rain… We left Devon early when the drizzle became too much.

 

 

 

Wen Zawn was dry and perfect in May, but as fitness improved the rain increased… Wainright, McHaffie, Geldard and me rapped in to Wen zawn without a hope in Heaven. Alistair and Ian had driven from Sheffield to film and we owed them at least a look. Caff had a close look, but the wall was wet and a sky-hook held when a hold broke.

 

“Does anyone want to top-rope it to my high point?” Caff asked with only a sky-hook as the top anchor… Nutter!

 

Rubble – my climb, dripping salt and rain, didn’t inspire… and then as the tide turned, the sky already dark… turned black. We jugged the ab-rope pelted by rain and laughed but in deep inside we wept with frustration.

 

 

 

A new route on the Upper Tier at Gogarth with McManus, then, psyched, he suggested Free Spiders Web for the cool down… “It’ll be a laugh.”

 

A laugh!

 

I suggested the Ragged Runnel in Easter Island Gully… And several hours later we emerged with yet another memory banked… And more respect for Joe Brown with his fishing rod and Big George without, as we ran away laughing, shaking heads and murmuring like mad-men… “The fucking Ragged Runnel, oh, the fucking Ragged Runnel... E56a Bollocks!”

 

 

North Stack, Grey Seals, Guillemots, yellow and green on the vertical field, a brisk breeze funnelling into the zawn and desire… I fell in love… again … And again her folds revealed movement like no-other. Desire saw me climb Wreath as a warm up… Then slow sideways movement attempting the Angleman until like all the other relationships, I could not commit.

 

 

Holding Neil Youth’s ropes on Hollow Man brought back memories… North Stack, more than anywhere holds my heart. The wind gusted and the sea whipped and sprayed the quartzite and for once I didn’t turn to talk to the Grey Seals swimming behind me in the bay. Youth, calm and collected sent The Hollow Man with style.    

 

We battled on Lundy as the wind and the gales smoothed the Rough Granite and battered our psyche and our determination. I ran around the island one day. Waves crashed, spume and foam flew raking the cliffs. Seagulls twisted in the dark sky. The rain pelted my skin reminding me I am living. This, my first visit to Lundy made me remember it’s the experience, the situation, the hardship and the risk that makes something worth while…

I received a text the day I sailed to Lundy telling me a Great E6 was now an average 7B because one man decided it could be and while watching Dan passing, without clipping one of the many bolts placed into the granite here on the Lundy cliffs, more than ever I feel the routes climbed through arrogance and impatience and lack of thought or fibre should not be included in guide books.

 

 

 

Wainright and I slid down the rope, passing red and green and history until beneath The Super Calabrese. I climbed the new start that Youth and Caff put up last year using their handholds as footholds. Pritchard’s original start, green slime and festering with one old peg didn’t appeal sans ice axe, or is it I was not brave enough to attempt the climb in its original style? The original start has only had one repeat… maybe we should bolt it as lack of ascents appears to justify the death of adventure on other crags? Then when the climb has lost its personality and the hoards have raped it we can celebrate and shake our very small genitalia… The climb is there still in its original form and so it should remain, it is a masterpiece and a credit to its maker.   

 

Two days ago I returned from a week in Mallorca, with tufa’s and DWS and friends and laughter…

 

And now it’s over… another one done. The plane takes off on Friday and my winter begins. 

 

More pics in the photo section. 

Equestrian Wall and new routes on Anglesea’s North Coast.

 

Streaky (AKA Grayham Desroy) dragged me to the North Coast of Anglesea to partner him on the last of a bunch of new routes he has climbed on a crag he spotted while kayaking. To say the crag is little is an understatement. I reckon the old hippy was trying to turn me into a boulderer, but credit where it’s due, the climb we did was a great E25c. On the approach we passed the Equestrian walls. A crack line running the length of the crag looked brilliant so we returned…

 

The crack is an Ed Stone E55c route called Captain Mark Phillips, apart from the name, the climb is an amazing adventure, and not at all as described in the old Gogarth guide as repulsive. The climb thoroughly deserves two stars…maybe three if it were climbed more and cleaner and unlike the grade suggests, takes loads of cams…

 

Captain Mark Phillips and Streaky.

 

The first new route I climbed with Streaky was on the right of the wall and the most obvious feature, a great wide decomposing crack, into a cave and out to the top via an overhang and offwidth… hmm, sold that one then... It’s actually ok… honest. I’ve called it Crazy Horse, and the grade is E35B… Climbed on 10-9-08, the first dry day in Wales since Dinosaurs ruled the land!

 

Crazy Horse.

 

Returning two days later with Dan McManus,  (12-9-09) my cunning plan worked beautifully, Dan, being Dan didn’t take much persuading to ‘warm up’ on the other E5 of the crag, Limpet Trip, a George Smith climb starting up the broken wall to the left of Crazy Horse. The climb passes three pegs then moves left into a really overhanging corner to finish via some huge holds, bomber kit, a peg and a couple of ‘thought provoking moves to hit the top of the crag. Again a brilliant climb, technical wall climbing, spaced kit and a wild finish… And again worthy of 2, stars.

 

Dan Leading A Limpet Trip.

 

This led to my climb which is for me, THE LINE, all be it with a tad of mincing right at one point where going direct would have been great but I was lacking in a few vital ingredients, I.E. bigger forearms, bigger balls, more skill and more time to clean. Dan was on a countdown with destiny, or some may call it the draw of a woman, so I couldn’t spend too long cleaning or inspecting… in fact, one abseil was my quota with the minimum of brushing and even then I could sense the disappointment oozing from above with the weakness of it.

 

The line of The Crossing.

 

Anyway this is basically the line A Limpet Trip should have been. I can only guess the lack of monster cams, or a very old peg in the top pod which I suspect is from an unfinished attempt from around the time Ed Stone climbed Captain Mark Phillips, put George off… time will probably reveal more? 

 

The Crossing is what I’ve called the new start to Limpet trip. It covers loads of new and funky climbing starting up the steep crack to the right of Captain Mark Phillips. The crack passes three pods which take BIG cams, (be warned!) then at the top pod where the old peg is, (which is crap so I didn’t bother clipping it) you make some great moves right into the biggest pod, where knee barring and hanging out is obligatory. Steep airy moves leaving the top of the pod lead to a junction with Limpet Trip at the second to last peg of that route. Then (this is where my cunning plan came to fruition), finish as for the Limpet Trip via the wild moves which is the same fault line as the one followed from the start of the climb. Quite annoyingly after seconding this clean with Dan, two moves from the top, a hold we had both pulled on previously ripped and I fell, so the top peg is good and tested! Over all, the grade for The Crossing is E46B, although it will be a tad spicier without a bunch of big cams, and as before well worth 2 stars. The length of this climb is approximately 35 metres and even if I say myself, it’s pretty good.

 

Hanging out in the final pod of The Crossing.

 

If you fancy a few really good quality climbs in a quirky backwater I cant recommend Equestrian Walls enough.

 

Cliffhanger Festival Sheffield. Sunday the 12th July. 14.30.

I was asked by Chris Rowland if i could attend on behalf of DMM and give a presentation at the Cliffhanger Festival. (sorry, how pretencious does that sound?)...I'll start again. 

I will be yawping, jumping, and generally bouncing around while showing a few pics and playing a few tunes at the above time and date. The talk will last 20 minutes and cover climbing the Terminator on the Trophy Wall in Canada with Ian Parnell and making the 2nd ascent (i say ascent...i use the term very loose!) of the Ragged Runnel with Dan McManus at Gogarth about 4 weeks ago.

Below is a picture that has nothing to do with either!

Motivations and the 2008 BMC International Meet.

Below is a piece of writing I gave to UKC for an editorial. I am glad to say it caused quite a stir...nice. To quote a friend, "you're writing is like Marmite, love it or hate it, it always gets an opinion."...The worst thing would have been to have had no response.

 

I have also added a few pics from the recent International Meet where i had the privilege of climbing all week with Nicolas Favresse. I thought it quite fitting to put the Motivations essay and the International Meet pics on the blog together.

 

Climbing with possibly one of the worlds most talented, unassuming climbers really puts everything into context. Here is a guy who pulls down so hard he could have the climbing world at his feet, he could bragg, boast and look down at nearly everyone...But he doesn't. He climbs because he loves to climb...   

 

MOTIVATIONS?

 

Experiences, adventure, passion and love are important, a sense of belonging is important. Climbing to the general population is not important.

 

We as climbers swim in bags carried from the fair, on occasion ego’s push against the plastic.

 

I consider my climbing as personal and at the top of my ability, certainly not cutting edge but in the past, on occasion, my upward motion had me thinking I was better than others. I am glad to say, with age and understanding these feelings have relented. Unfortunately, some of the ‘top-climbers’ in Britain do not appear to be like this, image to them is important for whatever reason, but image is nothing. The act of climbing should be individual expression, forget about impressing others.

 

Life is a journey and climbing should be an adventure and enlightenment at whatever level, we should support each other. Climbers performing at the cutting edge should be climbing first for the adventure and love of the activity and secondly to inspire and encourage. Forget the profile, the sponsorship deal and the ego.

 

Logo splattered, sterile and posed pictures in magazines are becoming frequent. They offend me and I find myself questioning motivation. Should it matter? To me, actually, it does. Beautiful set-up poses are glamorising and belittling an activity I hold higher than most other things.

 

The Internet is an amazing source of information, but I have started to wonder what is motivating what… Blog to inspire or climb to blog? 

 

If you are up there climbing with the best, appearing in the magazines, climbing new routes and climbs at the top of the grade, be honest with your-self when you submit the report. That really hard practised climb you beat into submission… Yes, a fine physical achievement but did you persevere for adventure or upward motion of another type?  

 

Am I just envious?

 

Maybe a twinge, because I know if the climbs on the blogs, in the mags and on the Internet are climbed for the sheer joy of being out there, climbers pushing themselves to the limit, climbers finding liberation from the sane-sterility while bordering on the insane and screaming fuck-off to a cotton-wool society…Then envious definitely of the emotions, the experience.

 

Scottish winter climbing is adventure, but for how long? Top-roping and pre-inspection is now acceptable when limits are pushed, but will it lead to people using the same tactics on climbs of a lower grade and why shouldn’t they? Winter climbing in Britain should be hard, cold and uncomfortable…shafts of light cutting through clouds, shimmering lochs in the distance from a summit…an unforgettable experience. Winter climbing in Britain should be the domain of people who understand, not people who see a glamorous article and then dabble. Elitist…possibly, but we will read less about rescues and accidents when you go out expecting a fight. Climbing always has been, and in my opinion, should always remain a diverse activity for the minority.

 

‘British climbers will fall behind in standards if we don’t have the really hard technical bolted climbs of abroad or we only on-sight’…Who cares?

 

We all climb for different reasons but I feel its time to take stock and slow down, let’s celebrate inspirational and remarkable at whatever standard and reduce the glamorising. Everest is lost, we should cut it loose so it can float away on its ship of media madness and let us cling to what we have left before it’s too late.

 

Alpinism is the dirty relative of Scottish winter climbing, there are not so many nice shots here and Super-Alpinism is disgustingly messy. No nice set-up-images to be had…hardly worth doing? To be involved with Super-Alpinisim the climber has to be prepared to get weak, throw up a little, fight red-tape, bribe officials, spend months away from the gym and be out of contact…Relationships at home fall apart, you’re bank account haemorrhage's and it takes months to regain the grade you climbed a year before. But succeed or fail, you will have gained more, you will have Yak bells ringing as the loaded beasts trot along the dusty track. You will have the early morning wood smoke hazing the view to the churning river in the valley below. You will have a memory and experience that will last for life.

 

                  

   

 

           

Sitting in the comfortable and familiar surroundings of Tim and Lou’s house situated in Nant Peris, a small village at the base of the Llanberis Pass, (Border Collies barking, old men - hunched, wearing flat-caps that shade drooping cigarettes projecting from cracked, creased and chiselled features gently shuffling along the pavement. Sheep trot, following the white lines in the middle of the road and the twang of the congregation floats from the Chapel on Sunday morning) and placing a few of the final Canadian pics up on the blog two weeks after my return makes me reflect…

 

It’s cold, you want warm. Its warm, you want cold. Sitting in a tent in the Himalayas, you talk about Scotland. Sitting in the rain in Scotland, you want Canada. Freezing you’re arse on a ledge in the Alps you dream of the warm rock of Arapalies.   

 

The sun is shining through the large windows - leaves, grass and lichen glow on the hill opposite. Vibrancy, life and a feeling of hopefulness fill the faces of people tired with the wet winter gloom. Swallows flit, cutting the warm air with sickle-sharp wings. My winter was long and every year, like a cow released from a shed in spring, I bounce around with untold energy and excitement at the thought of caressing warm rock.

 

Climbing gives me direction and motivation, it makes me appreciate the change in the seasons, it makes me push myself and use the time I have to the best, climbing makes me aware…

 

Taking part in all aspects of climbing can sometimes be frustrating…Strong fingers, weak fingers, stamina, no stamina, big legs, pale skin, warm-cold-hungry-full…

 

Well I now have soar finger tips, its warm and it’s great…

 

Pics of Monsieur Hulot, Riptide and some short sporty stuff in the photo section...

It struck me half way up Suffer Machine on Stanley Headwall what a stupid thing climbing is. Force food down your throat in the middle of the night, drive in the dark, half a sleep - ski in, in the dark - fall down holes, in the dark... sweat, then freeze, then sweat... then freeze...  

And for what... to scare yourself stupid while avoiding lumps of ice trying to lobotomise you. To shiver and stare up, wondering whats coming down and all to get to the top of a piece of ice that means nothing to anyone, (except other climbers) - before abseiling back to the bottom and skiing out again...in the dark.

Better than watching the T.V though...Here's to getting up tomorrow at 3am for the next instalment.

More pics of suffering in the photo section. This one by the way was taken by a very relieved Mr Parnell who pulled out the stops by climbing rock where there would normally be ice. Well done Ian...Good effort...Glad i wasn't leading it!

 

Curtain Call and Silver Lining. 11th, 12th and 13th of April.

You have to give a little...

to take a little...

On occasion you even have to quake a little...

 But most of all you have to know when to run-a-way...

More pics in the photo section.

"Uli did the approach in 45 minutes." Ian Parnell at the 3 and a half hour point in shoulder deep snow.

"Its got a crack and loads of protection"...Raphael Slawinski, a Canadian climbing God with no appreciation of mortals ability. (or lack of it!)

"The 2 screws in the blob is the last protection before climbing onto the slab with no holds or gear...watch me quite close Ian, i'm not liking this much."...Nick Bullock crapping himself.

***

2 placements into THE BLOB, the thing that makes this possible, I swing and feel quite pleased, 'This is ok, its going to go. I'll swing onto THE BLOB, mantle, reach the ice...in the bag...cruising...'

"ITS OUT OF REACH...SHIT!"

Looking up for the 1st time established on THE BLOB, my heart sinks, my head melts, my sphyincter goes to overdrive...Teetering, tip-toeing on The BLOB, 2 screws side by side inches below my feet, the last gear for a million miles, (so the voice in my head reminded me in a high pitch, psychotic screech.)...

"You can tell Raphael from me, i dont like his idea of well protected."...Nick Bullock shouting manically. 

Fortunately, i didnt fall, hence the spray...what a fantastic, scary, crazy day...here's to a few more...

More shots in the pics section.

After an abortive attempt at a mountain route we headed back to the tried and tested ground of the Stanley Headwall. (check report below).

Drama Queen piqued our interest...

And what a wild, psychotic, crazy adventure it was...

Think Scottish, think the Llyen, think the wildest ice you have climbed, think maddness and crazy, crazy eyes, think powder avalanches with you're head in turmoil...and maybe, just maybe you will understand...

Think that you're a punter and every Canadian is a God.

 

more shots in the pictures section...

06/04 Huantsan 2006.

Final Expedition Report.

Supported by:

 The Mount Everest Foundation, the British Mountaineering Council, the Sports Council, Mammut, D.M.M. Vasque. Patagonia. Osprey and hilleburg.

 

Dates: 9^th june-8^th July.

 

Location: The Cordillera Blanca of Peru.

 

Climbers: Nick Bullock and Matt Helliker.

 

Abstract: A new route on the North-east Buttress of Huantsan Sur.

 

Introduction:

 

Originally intending to attempt the unclimbed couloir on Huantsan main peak, we changed our objective to the Northeast buttress of Huantsan Sur thinking that it would be a safer option, as the weather was very unsettled. The buttress was successfully climbed and called Death or Glory. TD/ED. 1000m.

 

Expedition Diary:

 

9^th June: fly from Heathrow Airport London. Arrive in Lima and travel to Hauraz by the overnight bus.

10^th June: Acclimatisation and food shopping in Hauraz.

11^th June: kit preparation in Hauraz. Acclimatisation. Plan and shop.

12^th June: Waiting in Hauraz as every afternoon thunder and lightening storms have engulfed the range.

13^th June: take taxi to Quebrada Llaca for acclimatisation.

14^th June: Weather settles, walk to 4800m. The planned scramble to the Co Rima Rima ridge at 5200m is aborted due to not having technical gear.

15^th June: Return to Hauraz. Sort kit in Hauraz. Shop.

16^th June: Food shopping in Hauraz.

17^th June: Travel to Chavin by bus and set in motion the task of finding an Arriero and donkeys.

18^th June: 6-hour walk to BC at the head of Quebrada Alhuina.

19^th June: Load stash under SE Face of Huantsan and check the line.

20^th June: Load stash and climb the snow cone to the start of the couloir at 5000m. Return to BC at 4400m.

21^st June: Sit out bad weather.

22^nd June: Sit out bad weather.

23^rd June: Sit out bad weather.

24^th June: Sit out bad weather.

25^th June: Leave BC at 0830 and walk to stash at 4800 beneath Huantsan. Sort kit, decide the line to be climbed on Huantsan Sur, and start to climb at Midday. Reach 5500m and bivouac. 

26^th June: Start climbing at 7am, reaching the summit at 3pm. Abseil the line and bivouac at approximately 5600m.                                               

27^th June: Leave the bivouac at 8am, abseil the snow and ice and down climb the lower rock section reaching the base of the climb at 1pm. BC was reached at pm.

28^th June: Bad weather returns, wait at BC, as the Arriero is not due until the 30^th.

29^th June: Bad weather. Rest at BC.

30^th June: Arriero arrives at 0730. Leave BC at 0830, walk to Chavin. Arrive at Chavin at 1245 and catch the bus to Hauraz, arriving in Hauraz in good time for a beer!

1^st Drink coffee in Hauraz, sunbathe, and eat nice food.

2^nd June: As above

3^rd June: As above

4^th June: As above

5^th June: As above

6^th June: Travel to Lima

7^th June: Fly to Heathrow.

8^th June: Land at Heathrow, expedition ends.

 

Travel:

 

Both Helliker and myself travelled by bus to Heathrow airport.

 

For the first time we flew with Iberia from Heathrow

 

transferring at Madrid. I do not rate Iberia after being

 

lied too when I rang their Heathrow office enquiring

 

about extra baggage. The standard allowance is 20kg,

 

hold and 10kg hand luggage. On their website it states

 

travelling to Lima from Madrid an extra 32kg can be

 

taken for a cost of 120 Euro. I rang to enquire if I could

 

pay the 120 Euro and take the extra baggage from

 

Heathrow. I was told yes. On arriving at Heathrow by

 

bus with the Extra 32kg bag of climbing gear we were

 

then told that we would have to pay £480 in excess

 

baggage. I talked them down and we were charged

 

£160   

 

The timings for take off were a little inconvenient but

 

the transfer timing was good. The early evening landing

 

in Lima was convenient as we were able to catch the

 

night bus leaving at 9pm from the Ormenio/Ancash 

 

Central station, Carlos Zavalla, 177. A sur-charge will

 

have to be paid for extra baggage, generally doubling

 

the cost of a ticket, which is approximately £5.

 

 

The journey to Hauraz takes approximately 8 hours if travelling by day and 5.5 hours overnight.

 

The Journey to Chavin is by the Chavin Express, a slight contradiction in terms! The service runs daily from Hauraz leaving at 8am. £2.00 per person from the Chavin bus terminal at M Caceres 338 a block from Edwards Inn. The journey can be as quick as 2.5 hours or as slow as 11hours! There are several bus companies running daily from Chavin to Hauraz. The times of departure are early morning, 1pm and 7pm. There are more I’m sure. We didn’t pay extra for luggage which was piled high on the roof to make space for the heard of sheep stuffed into the boot! 

 

Environment:

 

Hauraz is a bustling, thriving city, but once out of its dusty grip the people live a very simple farming, pastoral existence. Cows, sheep, goats, donkeys and chickens are numerous, as are dogs! Where the land is too steep to plough, gum trees grow, as well as grass and cactus. Wheat is grown extensively, as are potatoes and other root crops. Higher in the valleys, groves of ancient Quenal Trees give the slopes a tropical and mysterious feel.

 

Chavin is the small town on the east of the range that is

 

the setting off point for Huantsan BC if you want to

 

climb on the East Face. Be prepared for a very different

 

experience than on the West of the range. The people of

 

Chavin are not accustomed to mountaineering

 

expeditions. There are many Arriero’s and horses but

 

the locals are not in the habit of transporting gear for

 

westerners. This causes difficulty in the hiring of mules

 

and because they do not deal with westerners, they do

 

not know the normal cost for the service. If you speak

 

Spanish it will be a great help. The people in Chavin are

 

very friendly and helpful though. We stayed in the Inca

 

Hostel and after an hour of very broken Spanish and

 

translation book delving, the owner of the hostel ran

 

away to hunt for an Arriero. By midday, the following

 

day, we had our Arriero and two horses. The refreshing

 

thing about this side of the range is with the minimal

 

contact with westerners the locals have not fallen into

 

the habit of inflating prices. The Arriero was honest,

 

hard working and more than happy to take the standard

 

rate, i.e. $5 per horse and $10 per day for himself.      

 

Rock: In general rock is not the mainstay of The Cordillera Blanca, although there are exceptions such as the Sphinx on The Esfinge in the Paron. There are miles of solid unclimbed granite in the quebrada walls, which have only recently been touched. On the ridges the rock tends to be very loose but on some of the faces it can be excellent and compact. The rock on Huantsan Sur was generally awful. Ledges had to be swept clean before we could stand and kitty litter covered all of the ledges, edges and crimps. The rock was a mixture of volcanic and slate. On the very odd occasion a solid piece of granite appeared. 

 

Snow and ice: The weird and wonderful mushroom formations are what make Peruvian mountaineering very interesting. They form mainly on the ridges. Unprotected, bottomless, and very scary. If treated with disrespect, the ridges of Peru will be your downfall. Double cornices form readily and hang over the faces threateningly. Sometimes it will be impossible to top-out because of the cornices hanging over your line.

 

In general the north Faces will be of good nèvè and ice because of the sun they receive, but a word of warning, don’t get caught on them in the midday sun, especially without anti-ball plates!

 

South Faces tend to be unconsolidated due to the lack of sun. Deep powder can make them a struggle although in the last four years I have found the steeper they are the more readily ice forms and the mixed climbing can be excellent.

 

Specifically on the route we climbed overhanging seracs and massive umbrellas of ice were in abundance.

 

Weather: Normally the settled weather patterns in the Cordillera Blanca are the reason to climb there. Unfortunately for a large period of our time at BC the weather was unsettled. I have found since, the East of the range does suffer with worse weather than the West. We only had three days of clear weather for the Twelve we were at BC. 

 

Waste Management: As always a very-minimal approach was taken. All litter was removed and disregarded in Hauraz, the benefit of a small independent team, climbing in an alpine style.

 

 

 

 

Climbing:

 

Our acclimatisation trip was a bit of a disaster. Due to thunderstorms on our arrival in Hauraz and for the following four days we thought we were in for a tent-bound-time so booked the taxi for a pick up two days later. The sky cleared on the first evening at Laguna Llaca 4447m. Not a bad thing, but the next day we chose to try and make it to the Rima Rima ridge 5224m to the East of our BC. Finding the climbing more technical than expected we eventually backed off. We only reached a height of 4800m and the following morning the taxi picked us up.

 

There were still acclimatisation options even when we

 

were at BC in Quebrada Alhuina. Rurec was shown on

 

the map to have a standard, but steep unclimbed East

 

Face. This was not so. Global warming has done the

 

damage and this straight forward looking face on the

 

map, was a black shale cliff with overhanging seracs.

 

Quebrada Alhuina is a cul-de-sac, headed by Nevada Rurec 5700m, Huantsan Sur 5919m, Huantsan Oeste 6270m, and the formidable Huantsan main peak 6395m. At the time there were only two routes in the whole valley.

 

We made do with walking to the base of the route one day with ropes and the second day we took the rack, crampons and axes so we could climb the snow cone at the base of the couloir at 5000m. The weather then turned once more and the next four days were spent reading and waiting.

 

The intended line, a splitter couloir between the main peak and Oeste was not to be. Very unsettled weather made the line unfavourable. We looked elsewhere.

 

To the left of the couloir, Huantsan Sur stood, with ridges and buttresses. A totally independent peak, pointed and stunning and much more suited in the present climate. After waiting it out the snow stopped, and we went for a walk with bags packed.

 

On the 25^th we left BC, 4400m, at 8.30 a.m. reaching the moraine beneath the face at 10am. Deliberation on which line gave the best chance of success and gear faff took another 2-hours. Finally, at midday, we began our line, the central North East buttress starting at a height of 5000m.

 

The buttress can be split into thirds. The first being rock (of a kind!). 200m of loose and crumbling, V-diff climbing with a pack and big boots. Brushing the holds before crimping was de-rigour. Knocking, pulling, testing, before committing was essential. Keeping close, we soloed, with no trustworthy placements for gear, and as the shale, gravel and tiles flew, it was better to be near.

 

At the top of the rock section crampons were donned, axes pulled, and the rope was connected. This middle section of the climb proved the most testing as we sneaked and sprinted, passing beneath, on-top-of, around, and through, countless seracs. Overhanging, cracked and creaking monsters threatened. Massive umbrellas of wind-blow, icicle-encrust overhangs loomed at the top of the runnels we ran, and in the afternoon, the sun shone. Speed and luck was our friend. At 5.30 pm we made a bivouac on rock on the left of a gully, near a massive umbrella, at a height of 5500m. The night was tense, a serac high on the face decided to carve, after the first lumps hit us, we cowered.

 

26^th. Leaving the bivouac at 7.am the massive umbrella with free-hanging icicles, as thick as telegraph poles was climbed beneath. An exit was first sought on the right, but finally after a complete traverse beneath it, a way out was found on the left. The climbing was pitched from here, as being hit by falling debris was a concern. 60m.

 

A right traverse across a snow slope, avoiding the television sized lumps of ice embedded into the snow beneath the serac that had caused us sleep depravation, was a worry. 60m.

 

An ice runnel leading to the right of another umbrella of ice was followed 75°, and an exit found through a keyhole. Above, a poor belay was constructed on rock at the top of a fluting. The Keyhole Pitch. 70m

 

After searching left but to no avail, we knew from pictures on Helliker's camera there was a connecting runnel that joined the middle section of the climb to the summit snowfield, a direct-mixed line was climbed. A left rising traverse, crossing several flutings and dropping into a deep and hidden ice gully was found. The Link Pitch. 70m  

 

Nervous anticipated followed as the deep ice gully was followed, but luck was still with us, it opened out onto the summit snowfield spotted from the base of the climb. 70m.

 

Now on the final section, the 60° summit snow slope, we moved together for the last 170m, hitting the left ridge just below the summit. The summit was reached at 3pm.

 

The descent was a fraught and torrid affair with one bivouac beneath the massive umbrella of ice at 5600m, reached at 7pm. All of the snow and ice sections were abseiled using rock or ice anchors. The rock section was down climbed. Throughout the whole of the descent a constant check above was taken. The base of the climb was reached at 1pm on the 27^th. Base Camp was reached at 3pm.

 

 

The weather broke the next day.

    

Equipment:

 

For Nick Bullock all clothing, rucksacks, duffels and sleeping bag were supplied by Mammut, they all performed as expected, perfect. The boots used were Vasque 9000. The most comfortable and warm boots I have used.

 

For Matt Helliker all clothing was supplied by Patagonia. Boots by Scarpa and rucksacks and duffels by Osprey. All performed excellent without exception. Hilleburg supplied his tent. 

 

Mammut and D.M.M supplied all hardware and ropes.

 

Stove and Fuel: A Jetboil stove was used on the route. Canisters of propane/butane mix gas was burnt which is now widely available in Hauraz at $5 per cartridge.

 

Food: All the necessary food is available in Hauraz although a few favourites were brought along. High-energy drinks are not available in Hauraz so bring them also.

 

Finance:

 

Below is a summary of the finances for the trip. We were fortunate to receive grants from The MEF/BMC and The sports Council. Patagonia also helped with a donation at the last moment, which helped a lot as the prices of plane tickets have increased, and with not travelling by American airlines we knew extra cash would have to be found for the baggage. The grants and the money from Patagonia eased the financial burden considerably, and if had not been available the trip would not have taken place.

 

Income:      

                   The Mount Everest Foundation  £750

                   The B.M.C/Sports Council        £750

                   Patagonia                                  £500

                   Individual Contributions             £990

 

                   Total                                             £2990

 

Expenditure:                                

                      

                    

 Flights                                     £1500

                    

Excess Baggage.                      £ 160

                    

Travel, Taxi’s, coach’s, etc      £ 100

                    

Insurance                                 £ 700

                    

Food                                        £ 150

                    

Arrierios+donkies                      £ 30

                    

Accommodation                        £ 150

                    

Equipment                                 £ 200

                    

                  

Total                                            £2990         

                    

 

For any other info contact Nick Bullock on nickbullock2003@yahoo.co.uk

 

Nick Bullock and Matt Helliker would like to thank Libby Peter and Stu McAleese for the references. Also the M.E.F./B.M.C. The Sports Council and Patagonia for grants, which made this trip possible.

 

Thanks also to Mammut/D.M.M. Vasque. Patagonia. Ospray and Hilleburg.

           

Struggling a tad at the moment with all this blogging stuff...but i'm inspired to publish, what i hope are some inspirational, motivational shots, something to hopefully getcha going...here you go, see what you think.

I've met up with Ian Parnell, here in Canada and post wrist trauma, felt the need to get out there and do some climbing for myself...too much sitting infront of a laptop and reading about what i should be doing has left me a touch jaded with the whole information maddness going on in the climbing industry. I say industry, because that is how i feel some folk out there view what should be a passion, a lifestyle, adventure.

Ian is out for 3 weeks where we hope to have an adventure or two...good start me thinks.

Stanley Headwall...

Where we climbed French Reality and Nightmare on Wolf street. The latter climb being one of the best full on days out I've had...

Shots in the picture section...

 

After some reports on the internet this winter i felt the need to vent...

 

Colours.

 

‘If you look at something long enough it looses all meaning.’ (Andy Warhol)

 

'I've decided something: Commercial things really do stink. As soon as it becomes commercial for a mass market it really stinks.’ (Andy Warhol)

 

We live in a modern society where time is valuable and information is demanded. Through the medium of the Web the scope is there to make a living and live-out our dreams, to enhance our business-our profile…the product, but at what price? Do we all crave our fifteen minutes? The internet has made information for the climber immediate but we are loosing.

 

News reports on the web are written by whom? An experienced, intelligent climber who wants to share, who has nothing to gain, or is it someone with a business to enhance and a reputation to increase? Who is it sat behind a keyboard tapping out pros worthy of a tabloid newspaper and judging others amongst the by-lines? News is news. Sensational journalism by an unqualified person, misinformed and biased, is not news, its hype. Who is it, brave and anonymous venting fury on the forum without time for contemplation? Who is it telling me the conditions for a climb are good-bad-wrong-right, out-of-condition, or too difficult? Climbing is about freedom of choice and adventure. Climbing is individual expression. Let me decide for myself and the next time you do something that doesn’t fit into my arrogant and opinionated ideals, I’ll promise not post from behind a pseudonym.     

 

Follow the crowds… No thanks.

 

New climbs are now reported before the team is off the hill. What point does this serve? A time of reflection often placates the feeling of euphoria that has us thinking we have just climbed the best and the hardest. Reflection gives a more balanced appraisal. Time allows facts to be confirmed.

 

Let’s cut the crap, egos abound, (Including my own). A report written and posted by someone else doesn’t make you innocent, ‘I was just out there doing it for myself.’ Be honest, the report was still posted, and you gave the information knowing it would be. If you really don’t want it reporting, say so.   

 

Alpine routes are special and should be worked for…Climbing through the night, the cold stings, doubt is with you. Muscle fibres ache, but thick and fluid ice flows over the rock easing the fatigue. Crossing from dark to light, the red shimmer, spreading like a bloodshot, breaks the horizon. Jagged crests, silhouetted, their outlines sharp. And with every swing of the axe you’re heartbeat increases. When personal experience and judgement lead you to success, not the track beaten by a million others following the internet report, the taste is the sweetest. The thirst for information is robbing us of the adventure. Consumer climbing is reconstituted offal wrapped in a thin skin of pig intestine and served to the unimaginative.

 

I live for climbing… the experience, the memories, and the people, but I have drunk from the poisoned chalice. Writing comes second to adventure, but as a writer, I have played the game and raised my profile. I want my words to be read. The poison burns, but I can live secure in the knowledge that my motives are honest. Let’s pull the curtain to the side and confess. I have given up a great deal to climb. I live a life with risk and an uncertain future, but I have that most valuable commodity…time. It’s a style of life that most are unable or too afraid to embrace. But now I have the time, it is reported that my achievements are less worthy than someone who only climbs on the weekend? Are the climbs more difficult, more committing and more overhanging on a Saturday and Sunday? I receive free equipment, does this mean my ascents are flawed. Do I climb to pacify the companies who give me equipment; do I risk my life for a free coat, a carabiner and a pair of shoes?

 

Get real…

 

Why Colours?

 

I’ll tell you why.

 

Pastel is for all of the ‘climbers’ that have to have up-to-the-minute reports before being brave. Grey is the climbing experience you will receive for you’re certain ascent. Green is the colour running through the centre of those that want, but are not willing. Brown is the faeces on the forums. Blue is the cold I feel for the lack of substance. Yellow is for the anonymous. Red is rage and black is what I see when I close my eyes.              

 

 

 

   

1. Ignore any pain and climb an Alpine north face.

2. Wait 2 weeks before getting an x-ray and a plaster cast.

3. Listen to the Doctor when he says "Exercise the fingers."

4. Ignore the Doctor when he says "This should really be immobilised for 6 weeks."

5. Run as many of the Welsh 3000ft hills for 2 weeks.

 6. Ignore anybody with sensible advise and anyone who shows concern.

7. Milk the injury for all you can if the interested party is a good looking woman.

8. Ignore all friends who live near any mountains and who may be climbing.

9. Take a big bread knife and remove the plaster cast after two weeks.

10. Go indoor climbing as specified by the physio?

11. Go to Norway and climb easy ice.

Juvsoyla. Rjukan. Norway. 2/3/08 with Kristen Reagan.

12. Recovery.

more pics in the photo section.

Dry tool bouldering isn't a good idea...

3 feet up, a placement ripped and i flew...

Sticking a hand out to cushion the fall hurt...

The following day convinced I'd broken my wrist i booked a ferry...but after a bucket of anti-inflammatory and a bag of frozen peas (that's wrapped around it not eaten) it did feel better...

so...i missed the ferry and...

a good test about 7 days later was climbing the Ginat on the North Face of the Droits. I told Ross Hewitt if i could swing an axe and the ice was not to hard it would be OK...

It was, though making two placements with the left axe because i couldn't pull it free holding the handle as it was too painful did slow things a little...

Near the top i definitely came to the conclusion the wrist was broken no matter what Brodie had been saying about the fact i wasn't in enough pain!...

"I broke my wrist and it was so painful i wouldn't let anyone near it."

But...arriving at the Couvercle hut fourteen hours after starting the climb was OK even if my wrist had swollen a tad...

Anyway, i booked another ferry and caught it this time glad i missed the first one. It would have been more painful to go before climbing one more route. 

The x-ray in Luton A&E showed a fracture straight across the distal head of the Radius...ahh the magic of Ibuprofen...Told you Brodie!

There are a few more pics in the photo section...

 

 

 

Kenton, Ross and I went to ski the Cosmiques Couloir in slightly adverse weather conditions...

We ran away!

The Gros Rognon proved to be a better option...

More pics in the photo section.

 

Ross Hewitt and i went to climb Icelander in the Argentier Basin. Fresh snow on the ski down from the Grande Montets gave cause for concern as the slopes above the climbing are prime for avalanche...

We dumped climbing kit and donned ski gear...sometimes you have to go with the flow.

Meeting up with Bracey, Dicko and Kenton, a day to remember was on the cards. Two runs from the Grande Montets, The Pas de Chev, the James Bond track into Cham, up the Midi and a Gros Rognon run wasn't a bad 2ND place...it wasn't climbing but it'll do! 

 

More pics including the Nant Blanc face and the Dru in the photo section.

Today Brodie and I put to the test my theory that Nuit Blanche would go from the bottom...

And it did...

Brilliant climbing following the left side this time...

Check out more shots in the photo section...

 

"But its gash weather Matt."

Christ, controlling Matt's (aka, the Golden Retriever, aka The Woof, woof.) enthusiasm is crux of the day.

Glad i didn't listen to the voice in my head that was saying it'll be buried under powder...

Philippe Batoux and Beoit Robert climbed a winter version of the Checchinal/Jager on Point Lachenal in 1998, giving the crux as the 2nd pitch at a grade of M5+. They climbed the original line with rock boots. We found the climbing a tad more sustained than M5+ in present conditions and without rock boots. 

We intended to climb this line but chose to ignore the 'rock boots, 5a, 4c, 5c, 'rock' 4c...abseil descent from the 4th belay and racked up the previous evening with one set of wires, 4 friends, a few pegs and 10 extenders...WRONG!

"Wow, that looks a better line Matt...lets do that hey?"

With skinny rack and empty heads full of enthusiasm we climbed two great direct pitches and a third short pitch before hitting the original line.

Once into the original rock line we though stupidly it would ease off...WRONG!..the climbing, all with axes and crampons intensified with each pitch, the crux being the penultimate 60 metre pitch of steep thrash, overhanging chocks, and desperate gore-tex, friction-aided run-out.

The Woof, woof climbed the final pitch, which was no push-over in the dark. We topped out at about 7 pm, happy, buzzing, but knowing it was going to be a late one back to the valley.

As it happened the Valley Blanche was great...missing the ladders to the Montenvers, was not so great, but the James Bond track was just about in, making the ski down to Cham 'OK'...

Walking through town with ski's, climbing sacks, etc was interesting at 11pm passing groups of folk out-on-the-town.  

Scottish grades for the route for anyone wanting a brilliant memorable day out are as follows;

P1. V/6. 30m. P2. VI/7. 30m. P3. VI/6. 25m. P4. VI/7. 40m. P5. VI/6. 50m. P6. VII/8. 60m. P7. VI/6. 25m.

  Check out more shots in the photo section.

 

Bracey Skyped last night...

"Anyone for Nuit Blanche tomorrow?"

"Yes please."

We rapped in but a gap about 20m up the 1st pitch, made us reconsider... belayed on screws we climbed Nuit Blanche in two pitches from just above the gap...though i suspect with a bit more milage in the arms and a bit less skinning up hills like a man obsessed we would have climbed from the start...(Bloody licra clad ski-racers Bracey...!)

It was great though and good to be out with Jon...

The climb was in great condition and a lot of fun...

Check out more shots in the photo section and one of the climbs on the opposite side. 

 

OK, so new years night at 1230 a.m projectile vomiting beneath the north face of the Droits slowed things for a day or three. Es and I had gone up to climb the Ginat, but the barfing put pay to that.

3rd Jan...Phone rings..It's Brodie. "Right who's up for an unclimbed ice line tomorrow...It's fat....Never formed before...Could be a tad spicy..."

Wow, what a place...Mont Saxonnex...Brodie's home territory...

The Ice line we climbed is in the new Batoux guide books as a dry tool line for the first pitch...nothing goes direct from this...

It does now...and it was awesome...three pitches of pure ice...Pitch 1-5+, 25m P2-6, 30m P3-5 20m...

More shots in the pics section.

 

Es dragged me out to climb 2 days on the trot. Glad he did. A great climb in stonking condition.

The Dru is looking pretty good also...

Check out more pics in the photo section.

Bairdy and I skied up to the head of the Argentier Glacier to climb a new line i had scoped out three years ago with Matt, 'The Golden Retriever' Helliker.

It proved to be easier than i suspected due to really good ice streaks and runnels.

The grade is about Alpine 11/4, the line is direct and atmospheric...well worth it...

We were chuffed.

Back in the apartment...a knock on the door...it's Brodie back from his holiday in Thai Land.

"Hear you've done a new route, lets have a look."

"Yep...did it years ago...never reported it!"

"BASTARD!"

Ahh well, it was a great day out with the old jockroach and a great climb.

check out more pics in the photo section.