TobyA

lightfromthenorth.blogspot.com

Exiled Brit living in Finland. Former Glasgow resident so maintain a keen interest in Scottish winter climbing despite the obvious geographic difficulties. Have tried just about all types of climbing and am very average at all of them. Have now climbed with a number of RTalkers, including Mike Kann, AJM, Fex Wazner, TobyFK, Terry, Rubbishy, Almost Sane, Horse, HoseyB and MJH. In particular "the other Toby" and myself claim the most ambitious RT 'Picnic' so far, as we held it in Lofoten.

Email TobyA.

Location
Helsinki

Best Climbing Experience
Being about 8 pitches up Vestpillaren on Presten, Lofoten and realising we were going to make it; and everytime I clip an icescrew and the panic subsides.

Favourite Climbing-Related Discussion Topic
Why gritstone is massively over-rated by most Rocktalk users.

Recent Postings

Syria again - strong stomachs only on 21-May-13
Simond Gear on 21-May-13
Lyngen touring; a trip report on 21-May-13
Why is my bike creaking? on 21-May-13
Marmot Nabu jacket - anyone got one? on 21-May-13
NEW ARTICLE: Gear Design Classics on 21-May-13
Flickr has had a facelift on 21-May-13
Sun, mood & deciding whether to live abroad on 17-May-13
Climbing trouser recommendations on 17-May-13
Ice Screw length on 17-May-13
New Jacket on 16-May-13
Climb mag 100 lists on 16-May-13

Click to list all my recent posts.
Currently at number 24 in the Top 40 Posters.

Commercial Webpage
http://lightfromthenorth.blogspot.com

Articles by TobyA

UKC Volunteer
Photo moderator, checking new photo submissions.
Moderator for 39 crags, checking missing climbs added to the logbooks: Southstone Rock, Patamakallio, Kauhala, Nuuksionpää, Nuuksio, Angelniemi, Jaanankallio, Vihti, Vaarala, Haukkakallio ... plus 29 more

Interests Outside Climbing
Politics and social issues: I'll argue about anything anytime really.

Telemark: it doesn't matter if we are slower and fall over more than those on alpine gear, we have more soul and the chicks dig it. And at the end of the day - that's what counts.

Cycling: I ride a lot, mainly commuting, but have recently started to get into cyclocross and bikepacking. I also have a road bike for when I'm feeling a little bit French.

About My Photography
Can just about claim to be a "published photographer" due to having had a few pics in Climb and High over the years.


Chosen as the Featured Gallery on 16-Jun-09.
Click to search for photos of climbers called TobyA.

Click to list photo comments written by me. (250 comments)
I've voted for 5,563 photos, average vote 3.1.
(6% superb - 27% good - 38% average - 24% poor - 3% rubbish)

Anything Else We Should Know
A) HB alloy Offsets are most under-rated bits of climbing pro out there. B) I haven't really climbed "proper" TD - just some nice friendly high up rock routes that get given the grade for being technical. C) I currently have a bit of a 'thing' for arctic Norway.

Routes wishlist: Being vaguely realistic: Stetind South Pillar, Norway. Suuri Leikaus, Olhava. Westering Home, Reiff. Oikea Suora, Nuuksio. Point Five Gully, Ben Nevis. North Wall Groove, the Cobbler. Red Square, Nessclife. Anything at Gogarth. Anything on Cloggy. Anything at Pembroke.

TobyA, 3 kb

Commercial Profile


registered 17/Oct/00
updated 18/Mar/13

Age
38

Been Climbing For
More than 20 years

Best Onsights
Winter - V
Trad - E2
Ice - WI4+
Sport - 6b

Worked Grades
Trad - E2
Bouldering - V3
Sport - 6b+
Trad - n6+

Main Sport/Activity
Trad Rock Climbing

Favourite Crag/Rock
Olhava, Finland
Granite

Best Magazine
Climb (UK)

I Climb...
Several times a week
All over the world

Favourite Climbs
In England Botterills Slab VS 4c Scafell. In Scotland: Scabbard Chimney (winter) V 6 Glencoe. Old Man of Stoer VS 4c. In Europe: Vestpillaren with the Direct Start 6 (E1 5b) Lofoten Norway. In Finland (current home): 'Ruotsalaisten Reitti' 5 (E1 5b) at Olhava; and 'Rock Vandal' 5 (HVS 5a) at Rollarit; 'Ruskeavirta' Korouoma (WI4). An unnamed route on an unnamed peak in Scoresbyland East Greenland (AD).

Latest Climbs
North Buttress (West Route) M
Zig Zags 1
Pukaman Paroni WI5
Undercut Pillar WI4+
Right Fall WI4
Right Fall mixed start M5
Far Left Slab WI2
Left Hand Groove WI2
Mainfall WI3
Beginner's Slab WI2
Curving Gully WI2
One Point Gully WI3
Lepus timidus WI2
Oikea Suora WI4+
One Point Gully WI3
... list all 1335 climbs

Ticklists BETA
Classic Rock 20%
... list all 1 ticklist

Climbs Wishlist
South Pillar E1 5b
Great Gully (Winter) IV
Via Mellano-Perego E2 5b
Thin Ice 5.10b
Black Wall E1 5b
Fionn Buttress VS 4c
Thanatos n7+
Mastodontti E2 5c
... list all 8 climbs

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