Classic Ice, Han Solo and Filming…
Classic ice on The Curtain…
Gemini…
So the 5 days of intro climbing at JSMTC Ballachulish was a total blast with Pat and Raj. After our 1st day on White Shark, Aonach Mor we managed the classic Cirrus at Beinn an Dothaidh, Crowberry Gully midweek, then a stonking day on Carn Dearg with The Curtain followed by Gemini (to the top of the ice), then finishing with Deep Cut Chimney back in Glencoe friday morning…not bad. Conditions were exceptional. Thanks to the guys and all the staff at Ballachulish for making it a great stay.
Nick starting up Storm Trooper to reach the Han Solo ice smear..
Saturday morning saw me joining Matt and his crew from Coldhouse Collective…. http://coldhousecollective.com/ … The goal was to get some footage for a Scottish winter climbing project on behalf of Mountain Equipment. Rich Bailey from ME had arranged for Nick Bullock and I to try and climb some good looking stuff on camera.
We managed to film a recent spicy addition to the Ben … http://www.scottishwinter.com/?p=5197 … with Nick cruising the first pitch of Storm Trooper and me sketching up a really thin, steep smear of ice called Han Solo. I was fairly relieved at the top of an “only just enough” pitch and Nick led us out via the top pitch of his own line “Avenging Angel” (note to oneself….not a giveaway!!).
Over the next 3 days we reclimbed a section of the climb as well as bombing up a well formed Mega Route X and a very Euro route called “Feeding Frenzy” just to its left.
Matt’s crew were totally ace. Sandy (of Manzeno Ridge fame) kept us all in stitches, but safe! Rich did a great job getting it all sorted and Nick of course was in his element.
Can’t wait to see what it all looked like!
