This year Simon Richardson is the president of the Scottish Mountaineering Club and so I finally had to try really hard make the annual dinner. It all fitted well because on the Thursday before we had a meeting of the Physiological Society in memory of one of my mentors. On Wednesday the 30th I arrived in London with crampons and ice axes and after the meeting on the 30th, I went for a run through grey London early on Friday before flying to Inverness...
In Inverness, Robbie and Katie picked me up, we dined together (thanks!) and at 6.30 h Roger Webb picked me up. It seemed too warm and I had the feeling that all of this would turn into a gear carrying walk. Here is Roger in front but it got colder and colder on our way into Corrie an Sneachda.
In the Corrie we were heading to the Fiacill buttress as Roger wanted to try a route that did not want him to try it. It is the Seam IV,5 (the "what happened" is a long story that is for Roger to tell). It also put some resistance up this time: a strong gust blew Roger's crampons down the corrie, I had some Salomon fast & light boots and crampons that came off three times before I realised what the problem was. Also, I only took one pair of gloves that was by now soaking wet and had turned into a hot ache generator. However, we are both stubborn and also the buttress seemed surprisingly white when the mist lifted for a moment.
The start was in proper winter condition when Roger started climbing...
... and the crux pitch seemed in perfect condition.
The climbing is way below Rogers limit so Roger got his teeth into it...
... and styled his way to the top. Job done.
My hotaches stopped, the crampons stayed on and I followed. Roger happy because the Seam had finally given up and me happy because I did not bring all that heavy gear for nothing.
I really enjoyed the dinner afterwards with legends that included Jimmy Marshall and Greg Strange which I name because he made the first winter ascent of my favourite, the Cumming Crofton. Simon then announced that the president's walk would not be a walk around the local duck pond but an attempt to mass ascend an unrecorded gully line. The SMCers clapped their hands because Simond had just made the "M" in "SMC" a wee bit larger. He named Roger and me as the advance party.
On Sunday the advance party arrived last, geared up last and followed the main group. But mountaineers are problem solvers and so Simon got everyone organised and to the bottom of the cliff, onto a rope and eventually, Roger appeared first out of the gully.
It seems utopic to plan something like this for early December but the stars aligned and it was two pitches of neve as the slush had re-frozen overnight.
Watch out for the team photo which will appear elsewhere. Simon then led the way to the hard-to-find El Alamein bothy. It is just to the right of the climbers in red.
Here are the president's men returning...
... and here we are above Loch Morlich.
A great trip. Thanks to everyone for picking me up, driving me around, feeding me, giving me a place to stay and for taking me out into the hills and for the dinner. Do I miss Scotland? I would if I lived in a big city away from the mountains and the sea.
HW
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