BEN NEVIS
Cold climbs and chilly belays
Back to front BLOG, Dean cutting pieces of peppered sausage and handing them over while I sit sipping mint tea and honey at the shelter on the summit of Ben Nevis.
30 minutes earlier I was dragging my sorry ass out of a cornice from hell like a bummed mole. Last pitch of the day, green gully.
Running out the last pitch while dean belayed, took a couple of screws off my belt, what the F***k 4 ,you know they ain't goin to bite but hey let's go through the motion and pump yourself out while they just push through the crust like a spoon on the top of a creme caramel.
Deans below feeling the long wait, whats he doin,
I'll Tell you dragging my torso along the ridge hoping no fuck wits got a camera.
It was ace, got to my feet and felt epic (money Ben Nevis dot com) not.
4 am start, up for porridge in a pot. Coffee, car north face car park all by 5 am. Walking to the CIC HUT now cool cold suns rising.
Deans new shirt is starting to bead with a bit of frost, the sun is rising over the CIC Hut and the mind is starting to run wild with stories untold. We pass a couple of climbs and chat about future trips, I can see more adventure in the making.
Passing the CIC hut now, lots of people gazing down. We are like fresh meat to a pack of dogs. Up we go our goal, green gully.
Deans picked an absolute superb route, no fresh foot steps ahead, looks like the fresh meat is off and away. Before you now it we are crossing the snow field and pushing hard up into Coire na ciste.
Setting up the first belay, having mint tea and coiling out the ropes. The route looks awesome. First pitch is deans and he leads it in fine style, not a foot out of place. Three tugs and and a shout on the radio, SAFE. I sort myself out, pack the ruck sack and here comes the call, off I go.
Deans stood in a really shit belay stance, oh well alls good and it looks good ahead. Quick swap of the gear, rack. We only brought one rack as it speeds the pitches up less swapping over.
Up and away I go, fine climbing ahead with lots of loose snow packed out in the gully with hidden snow below.
At my stance now, not a placement anywhere. Last run out must be 50 ft plus, not looking just concentrating. Bashin out the rime on the wall, amazin a heritage peg as dean calls them ( piton) in goes a crab and I am clipped on.
Deans off and pushing hard up the crux pitch, 30 foot vertical ice wall. A superb piece of climbing, well lead.
I am off close behind the wall is tough, it's pushing hard to peel you off. I am up and movin well to deans stance. Swap of the gear and the final pitch is mine.
Choice one, right hand over hanging cornice middle over hanging cornice, or really shit left over hanging cornice. You guessed it, lets bash out the left side. I am off, and the rest is just another pub story away.
No comments:
Post a Comment