Blog Posts

  • Invernookie

    Invernookie

    The winter season so far this year has been sub-optimal. After a promising and cold start, we’ve been plagued with high winds, warm temperatures, and bugger-all snow. Sub-optimal connies for sending! Last week – there was a break: low temperatures, low winds, good vis? Uni work was to be cast aside – and the M90…

  • T’ Tobasco, Chorizo, and 4* Rock

    T’ Tobasco, Chorizo, and 4* Rock

    When I first saw South Ridge direct in the guidebook, I was awestruck. A 400m VS up this perfect granite crest of rock? What could be better. Lara, Meg, Fergus, and I were camped in Glen Rosa. After a fun evening avoiding midges, we set off in the morning to attempt this beautiful route. I…

  • The Needle and Amethyst Pillar

    The Needle and Amethyst Pillar

    The Needle and Amethyst Pillar The Cairngorms are a vast plateau, with big corries surrounded by steep walls of granite. These cliffs, dark, gloomy, and North facing, are a paradise for climbers. The scale and remoteness of the cliffs offer a level of commitment matched by only a handful of crags in the UK. Certainly…

  • Spigolo Paravincini

    Spigolo Paravincini

    ‘Right Charlie, the route looks pretty steady, mostly about HS, good pegs on the belays, obvious route finding, simple descent – an ideal first alpine route for Chodd’. How wrong I was. Turns out, the Italians love a good sandbag – or perhaps have no real grasp of grades at all? Everything about this route…

  • The Ottoz Hurzler

    The Ottoz Hurzler

    Ottoz Hurzler – Aguille Croux  The Monzino hut is the base used for many of the hard, classic routes up Mont Blanc. From here, you can see the imposing red rock of the Broulliard Pillars, the endless gendarmes of the Peturay Integrale ridge and the remote, and terrifying Freny Pillars. Then there is the Aguille…