27/12/2024
Memorable Climbs from 2024 |
Some photographs from climbs in 2024 that stick in my mind. Not for their subjective difficulty but for the whole experience around the climbs. I have been summer and winter climbing now for over 30 years now. (Gulp) and climbing still inspires, confounds, puzzles and energises me and brings me joy!
Role on the next 12 months of climbing! Pull hard in 2025!
1. Talibalallan. V,6. | An iconic corner line in the Grey Corries. Kev had climbed it before however was keen to climb it again. A long walk in starting in the dark followed by superb climbing and the equally long walk out finishing in the dark. An epic day and great start to 2024 winter season. Cheers Kev!
2. Guillotine, V,6. | Mark, Kev and I had spent a lot of that winter climbing together as a 3. The Loch Avon basin in the depths of Cairngorm is a special place far from the crowds at Snaechde or Lochan.
We’d had to navigate in a white out that morning to find the bottom of the route. Thanks Mark and Kev for a great winter.
3. Gorbachev. E2, 5b. | I can’t remember where I’d heard about this climb at the Staffin Slips. Nevertheless while working in the Skye Cuillin this season I’d hooked up with Jeannie and she’d agreed to belay me and persuaded me to commit to the route. Sometimes you need someone to push you and that day Jeannie provided that boost! Cheers!
4. Steinalder | Our alpine season had been marred by my putting my back out. This route had been on our ‘tick list’ for some time and because of my back it was in doubt! Thanks to a back brace and several painkillers we managed it!!
5. Aireline. | I’ve been spending part of the summer in Cornwall for several years now but had never been to Aire Point! This iconic corner line is ‘only VS’, but packs a punch and has a sting in its tail! A puzzling exit to the corner cost me some skin on my back before I found the ‘graceful’ way!
5. South Groove, E1,5c | Trewavas Cliff, another Cornish crag I’d not visited before. We walked under this line and for some reason it inspired me to climb it. Memorable for the crux which totally puzzled me for a while. Deceptively balancy for the grade. It took some time for me to unlock it.
6. Barbarossa 5c+ | Geyikbayiri in Turkey. Memorable for watching my son Ben climb it. Ben had joined us for a climbing holiday. He’d been away from climbing for a while but was constantly wanting to push himself. This route looked daunting to him. He set off up it and pushed himself through the difficult last moves to the clip. He was definitely pleased with the send! Well done Ben!
7. Brisingr E1, 5b (?). | Despite the doubts about the grade this route on Dragon Rock in Morocco was definitely my favourite route of our recent trip.
Thanks to all my climbing partners this year. Keep pushing and being pushed. Commit and pull hard!
Thanks especially to Maggie for being my anchor, belay, chief cheerleader and colonel-in-chief this year!
Association of Mountaineering Instructors
