The dreams ahead

Yeah! Even though I'm sitting typing this with a swollen knee that has kept me up most of the night, it's a big relief to have had my knee finally operated on. A further relief (as illustrated in the surgeons pics above) is that there was no arthritis and it was a simple meniscus cartilage tear. Obviously the recuperation required after operating is a big knock-down in terms of fitness but at least I can now get stuck into the process of building back up towards my climbing dreams.

Talking of which, like most climbers I always have dream/fantasy routes in the back of my mind, most of which of course I never end up going anywhere near. For the last few months I've found it too frustrating to think much about climbing but now with the imagination unleashed my latest obsession is a short little route on the other side of the globe.

Photo by Wiktor Skupinski/ http://www.latitudephotography.com/

Victoria's Secret Deviation was the shortest of the five new routes or variations Raphael Slawinski established on the Stanley Headwall in Canada in the winter of 07/08. He graded it M7++, although I think the story goes that the second ascensionist felt M9 closer to the mark. Or perhaps being entirely trad protected Scottish X might be more appropriate? Whatever, the photo above and write up at the time really burnt into the memory, and whether I get a chance to head out to Canada or not this route will be my motivation over the next few months of physio and rehab. (Here's a report on Raphael's adventures at that time http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web07-08w/newswire-slawinski-stanley-headwall )

The other big excitement at the moment is my new job as Associate Editor of Climb Magazine alongside Dave Pickford the new Chief Editor. This has been my first official week in the post but Dave and I have been grafting away over the past month or so putting in the background work. This shot of a "skyped" business meeting while Dave was in Spain (redpointing some amazing sounding 8b+s) is a nice little vignette I think, with Dave's mad hair summing up the creative side that makes him such an inspirational person to work with.

We've got massive plans for the magazine with many changes and a long term ideal where we hope to make each month's Climb as anticipated as much as each issue of Mountain was or Alpinist is today.

Back for one last big one

Raphael on the first crux of Mr Hulot.

With our stay almost over we returned for one last route at the superb Stanley Headwall, our fifth route here of the trip. Together with Mr Stanley himself, Raphael Slawinski we climbed "The Day After Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot." (M7 WI6). I had read alot about this route and its one I particularly wanted to climb. Raphael made the first free ascent of this 10 years ago and its had hardly any repeats since. The main reason is that its on trad gear.

Nick squirming in the snow up a Scottish 7 chimney on pitch 3

The crux is a slightly leaning smooth corner climbed on tiny slopey hooks and minimal feet. After all the swinging around on steep overhangs particularly at Haffner I felt much more at home here reminding me of some of the things we climb in Scotland. Its interesting to note particularly following recent world wide web interest in modern Scottish mixed climbing how some of these routes would rate in Scottish terms. So my guesses are as follows:

French Reality (guide grade V 5.8 WI6+) M6 WI6 = Scottish VII,7
Nightmare on Wolf Street (guide V M7+ WI6+) M8? WI6+ = IX,9
Drama Queen (guide M7 WI6) M7 WI6 = VIII,8
Terminator (T2 start) (guide M7 WI6+) M7 r/x WI5+ = IX,8
Curtain Call (guide WI6) WI6 = VII,7
Suffer Machine (guide M7 WI5) M7 r WI5 = VIII,9
'Monsieur Hulot (guide M7 WI6) M7 WI6 = VIII,9

One of the interesting things is these are all old hat in terms of the cutting edge. Raphael's recent Victoria's Secret also at Stanley is probably M9, trad and climbed ground up and I guess would rate Scottish grade X. All good inspiration to see what we can do next year in Scotland.

Final holiday snap

Bit of cragging

Nick on Unleash the Frogs M7+, Bear Spirit

After our recent slogging sessions to the base of the bigger cliffs we opted for a few days cragging. First at Bear Spirit a small but fun venue with some exciting ice features and then at Haffner Creek one of the original sport mixed venues. Local guru Raphael Slawinski gave us a tour of "the cave" area at the latter. Both of us (particularly me!) received a bit of a boot up the derriere here as even the "warm up" felt close to M9. It was surprisingly photogenic though with some amazing ice formations deep inside the cave.

Nick working a very fierce M10 at Haffner cave