Friday, November 27, 2009

Winter finally shaping up??

It sounds like winter is close, if not quite there yet in Scotland. I'm still fully booked up with work and family things for a couple of weeks. So it's going to be a bit of a late start for me. Early season (i.e. anything before the new year) always seems to be a lottery, Ive been lucky and had a few isolated memorable days. Thought I'd post this pic as a reminder, to myself if anything, that magic can happen overnight and you can almost out of the blue get conditions and partners to click into place and come away with a start to propel you through the season.This pic was taken by Guy Robertson on the top pitch of The Secret I think just after New Years Day?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

As someone looking to attempt to delve into the scottish grade VII.... got any recommendations for lower end, well protected VII's???

Ian Parnell said...

Hmm, I thought East Face super direct on SCNL was sustained but never desperate, feels committing on crux but not dangerous.

Bulgy if the wide crack isn't lined in ice (so can get big cam) would be a soft touch. I found it committing without Cam, but hard bit is short.

Babylon, has a boldish start (of top pitch), but good bit of gear on crux and above well protected. Climbing is never outrageous. Not done it but sounds like Darth Vadar might fit the bill also (getting easier with repeats?)

Hope that helps