All posts by alantees

Logbook

Scottish Winter Meets 2016, Onich(MI), and Ullapool (CCC)

Leave a comment

 

Scottish Winter Meets 2016, Onich(MI), and Ullapool (CCC)

 

I pretty much missed the first one, having arrived in Onich,( fresh from a fine traverse of Ben Cruachan), on Friday, the last night of the MI meet.   Also almost managed to miss Keith, Billy and Alex on Ben Cruachan, over a combination of changes of plan, and lack of a phone signal.  I caught up with them on the way down.   Weather was fine but the snow was soft and tiring.

 

We had a sociable night in the Inchcree centre, joined by Sandra and Dave and the remaining MI contingent.  I was pretty bushed, so decided not to join the other 8 on the ring of Steall on Saturday, which I thought was a bit ambitious anyway, given the conditions.  Went to climb Buachaille Etive Beg, my last remaining Munroe in Glencoe, only to realise when I got there, that I climbed it last year.  Plan B was to hire a mountain bike at Aonach Mor ( there were none), so it was plan C, coffee and the rugby.  Alas!  Still, the others were soon blown back to Fort William and a congenial evening had by all.

 

I thought we had a plan to do Ledge Route on Sunday, but my lack of a deodorant must have kicked in, with most preferring to go somewhere else or stay in bed.  Mercifully Sandra took pity on this Johnny no friends, and we had a great day out on this easy*** classic route.  Co-incidentally this was the day the young couple disappeared from their tent behind the CIC hut, but we were unaware of the tragedy about to unfold.  An added bonus was the lift we got from the top car park back to the Hobbit.

 

 I went on to meet up with eldest son Chris in Aviemore,  in the morning, picking up the line manager at Inverness Airport, and staying with my brother Jimmy and Mairi.  Had an afternoon walk on the Cat’s Back’ a local hill, and the next day we were joined by Chris, in the aptly named Dufftown, to climb an easy Corbett called Ben Riness.  Easy my ****!  We had to abandon it in the most extreme wind I have ever experienced .The zip pocket in the top of my rucsac blew open twice, with the contents taking off over the Cairngorms so fast I didn’t see them go.  Two hats, goggles, gloves, an iphone bag are missing, presumed lost, (sofar).  We crawled off.

 

Having been entertained to another fine dinner by Mairi, we left for Ullapool and Finbarr.

 

Wednesday dawned wet, but cleared nicely in the afternoon, so Margaret, Finbarr and self had a trip up Stac Polly in lovely conditions, then we moved around the coast to Gruinard Bay for an early start for Ben Dearg Beg.  This is a remote and dramatic peak in Fisherfield with a 3 to 3.5 hour walk in to the base.  We left at 8.00 on Thursday, and did the traverse over the 3 summits dropping to the col at the far side by 2.45.  It took us to 8.00 PM to get out to the road, with the last two and a half hours in darkness. Epic or what?  A great mountain though.

 

Our late arrival caused some consternation amongst the gathered hoardes of Colmcillers who had arrived at the rented house in Ullapool, as apparently some elderly people were reported on Scottish radio to have got into trouble. I don’t know what all the fuss was about as It couldn’t have been us, as we are not old.

 

Keith was back, this time with Sam, and at the house, Sandra, Dave, Les, Ivan, Gerry, PJ and Anthony.  The weather forecast alas was dire, so while we exhausted young folk took a rest, the others tacked Stac Polly in fairly challenging conditions.

 

Saturday’s forecast was no better, but a party of six trogged up the valley and climbed a gully in Ben Dearg with chest deep spindrift.  There was some discussion as to whether it was Orangeman’s gully or Papist’s Passage, before someone lodged a’ Petition of concern’  a decision could not be made, and the matter was put in abeyance.

 

The other six, ably led by ‘Keith the snowplough’, conquered another Corbett called something beginning with E. 

 

The weather, being no better on Sunday, I headed South towards home.

 

Logbook

The hostel and the Hobbit

Leave a comment

Despite a number of cryoffs there will still 7 hardy souls in the Old Monastry Hostel in Letterfrack.  It is rustic but lovely, full of character, warm and cheap.  On Saturday we climbed the Glencullin Ridge on Ben Bury, in deteriorating conditions, getting down safely, saturated and somewhat humbled.  Meal out in the Bards Den.  Sunday was supposed to be worse, so the wimps went home, I had a dry walk by L.Inagh, Valli had a very wet Canoe/swim, and Denis was going for a walk along the Killary track.  Finbarr arrived just in time for the weather to get even worse overnight.  We pulled the wagons into a circle for protection but had to evacuate the area in the morneng just before floods closed the Westport road.  Good call as the sun was out in Sligo and we had a good scramble around Eagle Rock.  I stayed outside Valli’s but another storm ensured little sleep, so I headed up more flooded roads early morning home, Must get more buoyancy fitted to the Hobbit.

Logbook

MI October Meet Glendalough

Leave a comment

Had a great weekend at the MI October gathering in Glendalough. I am not a fan of the Wicklows, but reluctantly have to admit the rock climbing in Glendalough is superb. Did a couple of routes on Hobnail Buttress, Pyramid Route and Hobnail Chimney, with Jack Bergin, both excellent, and the 5 pitch Great Gully Ridge** with Jack and Maeve. I think it deserves***. Bloody cold though.

Logbook

AGM Report and Minutes 2015

Leave a comment

We had the AGM on Saturday night, with a small but select crowd. Minutes to follow with a provisional meets list for the winter. Ivan travelled all the way from Sligo. George and Gerard had been climbing at Kinnego, and were a bit late, but well done to them too.  A good meal was had, and various people went climbing to various places on Sunday.

Download Minutes and Secretary’s report below.
AGM Minutes 2015

Secretary’s Report 2015

Logbook

Owey Dear!

1 Comment

Our miserable climate continues to frustrate, with the midsummer Owey trip being the latest victim. A cold relentless wind, and 2.5 m swell made climbing a dangerous chore, the highlights of the trip being a fantastic meal cooked by Aideen, and a kayak trip around the east of the island on Saturday, when the sea had calmed enough to venture out on the sheltered side of Owey. Located a promising new area to climb, but that will have to wait!

Logbook

Audacious

2 Comments

Just got back from County Down ( Hobbit snag list) and the Mournes in time to see Ireland get beaten by Wales and then go out with Geoff, somewhere- to Malin Head. Venue only decided at the other side of the Foyle Bridge. As it turned out it was a good decision, as we managed three new routes in the Laurentic Area. Audacious (after a wreck) Ajax ( after another wreck) and Navigatourists after the landowner who appears to have gone back to live in London (so might not be about much).

Logbook

Bravehearts 2015

Leave a comment

Bravehearts 2015
All a bit last minute due to the unavailability of the new Hobbit van, but we managed to get booked into the MI accommodation at Inchree Onich for 4 nights, fired the stuff into the car and drove over on Tuesday. Wednesday, Margaret and I did Buachaille Etive Beg with a guy called Russell, as a warm up,( a Munro I had not done before, so not bad for a warm up I suppose). Snow was good but nil visibility!
Met up with Keith and Sandra for Thursday, and Margaret prevailed upon us to do the Corbett on the South side of Lough Leven ( another Garbh Beinn 867m). Nice, and we stayed below the cloud which obscured the N side of the Aonach Eagagh, and the Mamores on either side of us. Alun Richardson did a slide show at night.
It was very sociable at the Inchree centre, and word had it that the Gr 2 at Sron a Lairig was in condition and a great outing, so Keith Sandra and I did it on Friday. No views again, but great fun with lots of variety, including a steep gully variation no one else had tackled. Dave and Sandra arrived.
Creise was one peak in Glencoe I had not done, so it was on the menu for Saturday, again with Keith, Sandra and Dave ( very nice of them as they had done it before). The snow had suddenly sugarified so gully plans were shelved in favour of some nice hollow ice ( Sandra loved it) and mixed rock and snow ( and cloud). The snow improved higher up and the last step to the top of Sron a Creise provided some excitement, before exiting up the crunchy neve on the top. Onwards to Creise, descent, and re-ascent to Meall a Bhuiridh. Took the ski lift back down, just in time to watch Ireland beat France on the telly in the Onich Hotel. All very satisfactory indeed! Topped it off by a St Valentines meal for 6 in the hotel with a happy wife who had just claimed her 72nd Corbett, with Sandra (Kennedy).
On Sunday we were starting to head back. The others had plans for the Aonach Eagagh, but Corbett duty called again so we went South to Glen Lochy to claim the scalp of Beinn Chuirn. The old knees were starting to feel the strain of 5 days solid toil, and the terrain was steep, but at least it was clear ( I always get a good day arriving in Scotland and good day leaving, it’s the bit in between that’s the problem).
Dave and Sandra had kindly offered us accommodation for the night in their new bothy, so we made our way there. They had wimped out of the AE Ridge on the somewhat spurious excuse of food poisoning, but treated us royally in their fabulous new residence ( no resemblance whatsoever to the bothy referred to above) with a superb meal cooked by Sandra ( joke, it was Dave). Thanks to both of them.
Home… A great trip!

Logbook

God’s Own Gully

1 Comment

Geoff and I left NWMC to climb Muckish from the gap, and drove around to north side in the hope of some sport in the gullies. First impressions were not good, with the north face swept clean by recent gales, and snow thin on the ground! We followed three guys up the miners track, one of whom branched off to the right, in the direction we intended to go. The ‘Funnel’ had no snow in the chimney and looked more like a rock climb. So we continued past it, into the grandly named ‘Gully of the Gods’ following the lone figure ahead. The loose hail on the slopes became snow- ice in the gully, and as we donned crampons, we looked on in amazement as the ice axeless and cramponless figure above kicked his way up the gully. The hard snow/ice became icier, and still superman remained ahead kicking half inch toe holds into the neve, and avoiding the pure ice by stepping on protruding rocks. It was solid grade 2, with short vertical steps lacquered in thick green ice, and above a steep slope of hard packed snow to the rim. Our ice axes bit in beautifully, and calves groaned as we approached the top, watched from above by batman. Batman’s name was Andrew, from Derry, mightily relieved that he had survived this gully,( that he had done the previous week with no problem at all). Conditions were entirely different this Sunday!
We met up with the other two, and then North West MC at the cross. Lovely conditions (temporarily) on top, made lunch a pleasure, and then we headed down, meeting Kevin Magee plus dog en route. A *** day.

Logbook

Siniolchu Rock Needles Exploratory Expedition 2014.

4 Comments

Having been collected by Jeep from Bagdogra Airport, we spent one night in Gangtok ( the capital of Sikkim), before driving to Mangan, to a homestay for two nights, while Raja bought supplies and hired porters. A rough and exposed track took us to Beh, and the end of the road. Three shortish day’s trek along the 1921 Everest expedition approach track, the same one that Younghusband’s invading army used to access Tibet, and also the route that Buddism came into India, brought us to Tolung, through magnificent primeval jungle, where we spent an uncomfortable night camped among a herd of wild yak.
The main path goes over the Kishong La, but we were bound for the Zumthul Phuk, and 2 exhausting days bushwhacking through a rhodedendron filled gorge, brought us to base camp. Our 15 porters were paid off at this point. They were a cheerful bunch, and how they got the loads through such difficult terrain was a miracle. The next morning was scheduled as a rest day, but we walked up above the camp to discover a beautiful lake, unmarked on any maps, with a glacier flowing from the base of Siniolchu calving icebergs into it.
To the left the Rock Needles towered up into the encroaching cloud. Back at camp, we killed a snowy afternoon by climbing a gully above base. Toothache at night.
The next morning was clear, so we carried loads up to ABC , around the lake, and up the glacier to a spot just below a big buttress at the base of the needles. A vast amphitheatre had opened up around us, festooned with Trango Tower type peaks, none of which looked possible for ordinary mortals. Probably the most amazing place I had ever seen, and such a privilege to be the first climbers ever to see it. Euphoric, we headed back to base camp. It clouded in and snowed again. Spent afternoon and night in bag with severe toothache. Will have to descend with Mindrup and Jack, and try and find a dentist. Shook piles of snow off the tent and packed up. Surprised that Keith also coming down.
Got out to Mangan in two very tough days. Abscess improved as we descended. Got course of 2 antibiotics as an alternative to extraction, and took a taxi to Darjeeling with Jack and Keith, as going back up not an option. Keith went home, while Jack and I kicked around Darjeeling for a week, before being joined by Jimmy, Kevin and Ursula. All except Kevin went off to trek the Singalila Ridge for 3 days, arriving back at the same time as Raja, Thendrup, and Martin. The weather had improved, and they had a few days very successful exploration of the area, reaching 2 new cols, discovering 3 hitherto unknown glaciers, and ascending one minor peak.
After a further day in Darjeeling, we took the overnight Darjeeling Mail Train to Kolkata, where I did the Sujat Mukherjee memorial lecture, had dinner, and flew home.