In very poor visibility, with spindrift flailing across the mountains, we completed a New Year's Day traverse of Ben Nevis up the tourist track and down the CMD. There was some very exciting nav across the final 1/3 of the climb, and the descent off of the ridge was fairly epic. Many thanks to Charlie Beard for all of these photos. Happy 2012!
Another still, cold day in the Lakes so Clay and I thought we'd manage one last trad outing this year. Drove over to Langdale and managed a couple of routes at Raven Crag in Walthwaite before calling it for the day!
“Continuously excellent climbing, brilliant rock, exhilarating situations and a stunning location make this the very best VDiff in the West Country”. Sunset and low tide coincided, although this didn't stop Rob getting drenched on the approach to the first belay. Half way along the route, Rob pointed out that he hadn't bothered to bring a headtorch on this nighttime adventure, requiring an awkward abseil descent to the grassy banks below.
With L'index chair out of action we were limited to picking routes off of the Brévent. Matt and I made our way across the three buttresses of Crakoukass, all of which provide excellent climbing across a fine mix of puzzling moves. I had to french free the 6a/b crack, but of course Blackmore dispatched the moves with no real difficulty beneath me.
Over fourteen days in June 2016, Elliott and I traversed the whole of Iceland from the northern coast at Akureyi to the Skogar in the south. We set off with the warnings of a local driver ringing in our ears and battled the sun, rain, wind, flies, dust, snow and complete isolation of the central highlands. Several hundred kilometres later we arrived, hungry and happy.
The best photos courtesy of Elliott. See the route we took here
Today was a big day out as we crossed over the range to the Finsteraarhornhütte on the opposite side. The steep approach to the col was filled with the same soft snow we had experienced two days previously on the Monch and we were very grateful for the French guided party in front for breaking the trail!
After summiting the Hinter Fiescherhorn we set off down to the hut through the maze of crevasses, serac debris and must-make turns!
