UKC

We attempted West Chimney today, but I think the through route on pitch 2 must be blocked by rockfall. I am pretty sure we were in the right place, fitted the guidebook description and matches the photo on here, but we went in and there was no way out it is all rock, we dug out all the snow just to make sure but just hit more rock in every direction.

Has anyone else been up recently?

In reply to Elsier:

Where's West Chimney?

In reply to Elsier:

Church door buttress on Bidean nam bian

In reply to Elsier:

That's a shame, popping out of the through route was class.

In reply to Elsier: tech 7 round the outside.. which reminds me, dont get the hype of this route? its pretty pash

In reply to Elsier: Spoke to a friend who was up early this year who confirmed what you said. He reckoned can be climbed on outside at similar grade but he climbs well 'ard so might well be VII.
I did it under heavy powder Erik and really enjoyed it... the big arch and the chimney exit common to a number of the routes there are just one of those spots you want to visit. And the climbing was ok too.

In reply to AlH: its ok Al, i would class it a traditional route. not very technical and kind of unbalanced. has anyone ever done the direct line straight up instead of wallowing in that cave?

In reply to Elsier:

We spent ages excavating the cave just in case there was some small hidden exit, and were climbing as a three so just abbed off as thought we would be short of daylight, but my climbing partner did have a brief attempt at going up the outside first, and it was very hard!

Where is the easiest line on the outside? Is it just right of the cave?

In reply to Erik B: Aye AFAIK one of the locals who works at Joint Services in Ballachullish did it this year.
In reply to Elsier: don't know but as I said he's quite handy.
Al

In reply to AlH: now i didnt really pay attention at the time, but is there not a big snow bay.. WC goes left.. and looming straight above snow bay is mentalness? direct true line to the summit?

In reply to Erik B: Could be.... Someone should really go for a look. Blair did the left side, that leaves?

In reply to AlH: think the postie can claim left side?

In reply to Erik B: Aah, I meant left arete of whole chimney from the bottom. Don't know about left route avoiding cave if that's what you mean.

In reply to AlH: ok, good on wee blair. amazing when you think of all the new lines in Scotland if you open your eyes and mind. remarkeable that the Lochain in the N corries is still giving new crackers

In reply to Erik B: Aye best day I've had this year was early last week finding my own way out of the basin above Vanishing on the side of Tower Ridge. Not hard or long but not knowing what's above but having an inkling that it would work reminds me of what its about.

In reply to Elsier: Climbed it yesterday and went round the outside, which was pretty tough. Climbed the left hand groove above the tunnel. The blocks on the right looked easier, but potentially dangerous. Quite a bit harder than grade IV or V, which is a shame because the rest of the route was nicely sustained and really good. Maybe someone should go there in summer when the blocks are unfrozen and try an uncover the hole from above.

In reply to Pete Graham:

Yeah I didn't like the look of those suspicious blocks on the right either, but when my climbing partner had a look, with me well out of the way, they were actually quite solid, maybe because they were well frozen in place

In reply to Pete Graham:

Would be brilliant if someone restored the route, I've dreamed of doing it for ages, don't think it would be easy though. The blocks that were filling in the cave roof were all pretty substantial

In reply to Elsier:

When I climbed it several years ago, couldn't get through tunnel either.

Instead, on the right wall of tunnel entrance, there's a wide (flake??) crack. I went up this, stood on top, traversed left over slab, easier ground lead to tunnel exit. At the time I thought IV,7 (one move).

Stuart