News 2008
12/7/2008 Carry on up the Val d'Herens...
Slightly more mixed weather in the Alps this week demonstrated once again how quickly alpine routes can come back into condition after stormy weather. Based out of Evolene in the Swiss Alps, working for Martin Moran, a large group of us managed a fine high level circuit above the Val d' Herens.
Starting with the fine 640m rock ridge of the Dent de Tsalion West Ridge we accessed the high level glacier plateau at the head of the valley and stayed at the spectacularly positioned Bertol Hut. The next day dawned clear but cold and windy and it took only a few hours, making the best of the crisp snow on the glacier, to traverse the Tete Blanche and reach the Caban de la Dent Blanche.
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The South Ridge of the Dent Blanche is an absolute alpine classic. Long, exposed, on good rock and leading to one of the most shapely peaks in the Alps. All 12 of us reached the summit and enjoyed the long but pretty walk back down to Ferpecle and further down the Val d'Herens....
5/7/2008 'Technical Alpine Ascents'....
Another fine week of summer Alpine weather gave good conditions for both mountain rock and North Face Ice. I was working for ISM and we managed a bit of both starting with the lesser know gem of the South Ridge of the Grand Muveran high above Martigny in the Swiss Alps. This gives a full alpine rock ridge feel with pitches up to UK VS and lots of high quality exposed scrambling to the summit of a 3000m peak.
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Taking advantage of the still good early season snow and ice conditions we then went over to Italy to climb the North Face of the Gran Paradiso. With some stiff neve, exposed ice and a fitting summit ridge this gives a great small north face and excellent overall alpine outing. We finished the week with a long limestone rock climb on the Mirroir de Argentine. 14 pitches of quality rock with bolted belays and spaced bolt runners. An excellent week of technical alpine ascents and thanks to Steve and Keirnan for their enthusiasm and effort! |
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27/6/2008 A Traverse of the Gran Paradiso....
Perfect weather with very snowy conditions high on the glaciers and faces continue to give excellent mountaineering conditions in the Alps. British Guide Kathy Murphy and I took a group of 8 'KE' clients on a traverse of the highest peak entirely in Italy - The Gran Paradiso. On the slightly harder routes Steve Monks and ISM clients climbed the Ciarforon N. Face and an Italian team climbed the Paradiso N. Face.
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From the Rifugio Chabod, instead of descending directly into the Valsavaranche, we traversed the impressively engineered 'footpath' crossing the passage Grand Neyron and descended the fixed chains (buried in snow) on the far side. Despite the 1600m of descent to the valley the walk out was a pure pleasure and bombardment of wild flowers, Ibex, Chamois, Marmots and fine views across the Paradiso National Park.
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Last week I completed my IFMGA Guides alpine training course. We had mixed weather and conditions with the fist day in the Aguilles Rouges feeling distinctly like a bad January day in the Northern Cairngoms! We still completed the fine small alpine ridge that leads to the summit of the Aguille Crocheus from the Flegere lift station. Leaving Chamonix in search of less snowy hills we found better conditions on the superb traverse of the Jaggigrat above Saas Grund. Accessed from the excellent new Hosaas Hut this gives a fine AD ridge traverse - all on the crest on good rock and is accessed by an enjoyable 10 pitch Diff / V.Diff giving a great alpine outing. Back in the Chamonix Valley the sun has returned and good summer alpine conditions prevail. Yesterday we completed the traverse of Pointe Lachenal and the Arete de Cosmiques in perfect weather and snow conditions. |
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The snowy start to the alpine summer has kept most teams out of the high hills and searching for low level valley alternatives to their mountaineering plans. Via Ferrata provides an easily accessible yet often spectacular and fun alternative when the mountains are out of condition.....
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We
thoroughly enjoyed the steep and 'juggy' via ferrata at Thonon,
near Bonneville in the French Alps which offers the steepest Via
Ferrata pitch in France - most find this a fairly pumpy undertaking
although of course it is not 'unethical' to rest on the equipment
in this sport! Mat impressed a large crowd of onlookers by 'freeing'
this pitch sans pied....as the photo shows! |
| June 2008, A Dream of White Horses....The perfect weather and rock climbing conditions that graced the bi-annual BMC international rock climbing meet in N. Wales continues and Jenny and I made the most of it with a trip into 'Wen Zawn'. |
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This superb crag at Gogarth near Holyhead in Anglesey is home to the great British 'Hard Rock' classic, 'A Dream of White Horses'. This is one of the most intimidating HVS's in the country to 2nd as despite the climbing all being very reasonable there is a lot of exposed traversing, some of it in a downwards direction! It is a superbly atmospheric route with sea cliff exposure, good, but not bombproof, rock, views out to South Stack and inquisitive Seals down in the Zawn below. It was also much windier than anticipated giving a chilly mountaineering feel despite the sunny weather. |
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June 2008, Hard Highland Rock & Alpward Bound....
24th May 2008, Sandstone, Gneiss and Gabro - Warm & Dry Highland Rock.... I've enjoyed another week of perfect weather and conditions working for Martin Moran Mountaineering in the North West Highlands. Melvyn and I found some classic Multi-Pitch VS rock on the S. Face of Sgurr a Chaorachainn (Sword of Gideon) and, at Diabaig, Boab's Corner and 'Evasion'. The latter providing a very fine long sustained first pitch with a slightly bold start. It deserves its star awarded by the new Guide and is worth seeking out as one of the lower grade routes at Diabaig which must be one of the best VS - E2 crags in the country. |
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Later
in the week Phil Ashby and I took a team of 5 folk around the Southern
Cuillin Munro's. Sgurr nan Eag, Sgurr Dubh Mor, Sgurr Alasdair,
Sgurr Mhic Choinich and The Innacessible Pinnacle of Sgurr Dearg.
We split this Southern Round with an idyllic bivvi in Coire Lagan
and a welcome cooling off in the 'warm' waters of Loch Coire a Ghrunda. |
15th May 2008, Cuillin Ridge Traverse & Classic NW Highlands Rock....
The 'uber blocking high' pressure continues over the West Highlands and many teams have been out making the most of it. John came to the Highlands last week on a Martin Moran Mountaineering course and intending to make a complete traverse of the Black Cuillin Ridge on Skye. We warmed up with some introductory rock climbing and an ascent of the brilliant 'Cioch Nose' in the Applecross Hills (see below).
| After a slightly leisurely start for the ridge traverse we hit the semi purgatorial slopes of Garbh Bheinn just as the sun was warming up for a long late spring Highlands day. We still made good time and traversed most of of the Southern half of the Ridge before dropping down to the high spring in Coire na Bannadich for an early supper and water re-fill. |
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This welcome break along with a foot bath and the developing evening alpenglow kept us going over Bannadich and Thormaid and onto the superb bivvi spot between Thormaid and Greadaidh. Here we joined Tony Hanly (Skye based guide) and Mike Pescod (Fort William based Guide) and their clients with whom we would share stories of the day, a few drams of Talisker and much of the next days scrambling. |
After a sunset over the Outer Hebrides and a good nights sleep we had breakfast and an early start with the sun rising over the mainland and Blaven to the East. The scrambling and climbing just keeps on coming on this northern half of the ridge climaxing on the Bhasteir Tooth with a tired but 'airy' ascent of Naismith's Route. Onwards and after 2 long superb days of mountaineering the summit of Sgur nan Gillean and an ambition achieved. |
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A two day traverse of the Black Cuillin Ridge on Skye. The finest
mountaineering expedition in Britain. |
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The Cioch Nose A **** Severe classic of the North West Highlands and, with much superb scrambling on to the summit of Sgurr a Chaorachainn, another one of the most enjoyable mountaineering outings in the British Hills. |
Latest testimonial from Skye Mountaineering Course Here.
4-9th May 2008, Spring Magic on The Isle of Skye....
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The snow lasted long and late this winter on Skye and only a few weeks ago the Famous Black Cuillin Ridge could be seen in it's fantastic white alpine coat. The arrival of lovely warm spring conditions throughout the Highlands gave a very rapid dispersal of the remaining snow pack and superb conditions for walking, scrambling and climbing on the Skye Ridge. David, Phil, John, David and I had 5 days enjoying different sections of the ridge and 'ticking' some of the classic scrambly Munros. After a shockingly wet start to the week with a soaking on Sgurr Mhadaidh we moved on to dry warm rock on the West Ridge of Sgurr nan Gillean and the E. Ridge of Am Bhasteir. |
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Sgurr Dubh na da Bheinn, Sgurr Greadiadh, Thormaid, Bannadich and the Inaccessible Pinnacle were all also climbed, all in lovely warm and breezy weather. There is a great new path up to the the start of the W. Ridge of Sgurr Dearg now providing the quickest and most pleasant approach to the Inn Pin. The path is accessed by taking an obvious left turn off the BMC Hut - Coire Lagan path at a point directly beneath the start of the ridge. |
26/4/08 'New High Mountain Guides' Steep Skiing Video
Check out our new alpine skiing movie, 'The Col De La Buche'. A short, but quite steep ski mountaineering tour above the Chamonix Valley. The New 'High Mountain Guides' tag refers to Highland Guides running alpine and ski courses in the future and taking on a more relevant name accordingly! The snow conditions in the Alps continue to be good. Promising for a decent amount covering the glaciers and North Faces well into this summer. |
25/4/08 Rock and Ice Climbing Gear For Sale...
We are having a spring clear out of good quality climbing gear here at Highland Guides. View the ebay auctions here and get bidding! Please email me if you have any questions about any of the sale items.
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24/4/08 BMG Logo Now on the Highland Guides Website
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You
will now see the British Mountain Guides Logo on this site. This
reflects Rob recently becoming a member of the BMG and aspirant
IFMGA Guide.
I will be working alongside full Guides in the Alps throughout the
summer so maybe see you out there.... |
13/4/08 Alpine Ski Touring and the Lochaber High Level Route....
It's been a fine snowy month in both the Alps and Scottish Highlands. Check out what we have been up to here at Highland Guides - Day tours in the Chamonix Valley, Ski tours in the Swiss Alps, A winter traverse of the Lochaber High Level Route and a 6 day Denali Training Course.....
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Late April promises more dry and bright weather so keep in touch to find out more about this fantastic time of year when you can climb steep blue ice, warm dry rock or ski the steep and deep here in the Outdoor Capital of the UK.
12/3/08Late season guiding in the Crucible of UK ICE - Ben NevisAs the West Highlands is locked in a cold, showery North Westerly airstream temperatures plummet and the snow keeps falling. Long term forecasts indicate cool temperatures continuing to easter and perhaps beyond. It all bodes well for great late season ice like last year. We have some availability for Ice Guiding from mid March onwards. Contact Rob for more details. |
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8/3/08 British Winter Climbing History Article Postscript thanks to Colin Wells.... 28/2/08 Scottish Winter Climbing History Article.... Read our latest article which is an interesting comparison between the development of Scottish Winter climbing on Ben Nevis, the N. Cairngorms and a discussion of this taking place within an international context. |
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11/2/08 Good Ice Climbing Conditions High on Ben Nevis The West Highlands are settling in to a high pressure weather pattern of frosty, starry nights and mild dry days. This is providing some fine ice high on the Ben not to mention some super views across the Highlands. Check out some more photos and video here. |
22/1/08 Great conditions for easy Ice Climbing in the Cairngorms Lots of folk have been out enjoying the fine wintery conditions in the Cairngorms and throughout much of the Highlands. The Scottish ski industry has a had a welcome boost from good snow conditions and busy pistes, with all resorts giving some excellent skiing. Climbers have been kept happy too with lots of climbable ice on Ben Nevis and in the Cairngorms. For more details and video of some solo cascade climbing in the remote Loch Avon basin click here. |
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10/1/08 Highland Guides Gift Vouchers Now Available What could be a more imaginative, creative and exciting gift than the opportunity to go rock or ice climbing, scrambling or be guided up a mountain? You can now give just that by sending a Highland Guides Gift Voucher. |
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This can be of a value of your choice, see below for some sample ideas and prices. Once you have decided just let us know and we can post a stylish photo card with a range of activity options on. If you know what activity you want to gift we will post a photo and description of the activity and an invitation to discuss and confirm dates..... .....So what are you waiting for? |
8/1/08 - Promising start to Winter 2008
