UKC

Hello!

So this is a total long shot, but I figured I would give it a go anyways!

My name is Laura, I'm 26 and from Alberta, Canada. I absolutely love waterfall ice climbing, and am starting to get into ski touring, alpine climbing and mountaineering. While I do enjoy rock climbing too, I work in the forestry industry, and therefore my summers are fairly well occupied with intense fieldwork. Summer time off and training hard for rock climbing missions is pretty well impossible....yet, winters I can usually take quite a bit of time off. Hence part of why I found ice climbing to be the perfect winter hobby!

I am considering coming to Scotland for a couple months of climbing this winter. Yes, I know I have the Canadian Rockies practically in my backyard...but I am keen to do some traveling on my time off and definitely keen to check out, experience, and learn in a totally new playground! However, I am hoping to keep trip costs fairly low in order to extend the length of my trip, and also, I don't know any climbers over there. So here is what I propose as an idea:

Would anybody be interested in signing up for 1-3 months of climbing adventures in Scotland/surrounding areas this winter? I am committed to work until February 1st but after that my dates can be very flexible. Currently I can lead WI3 ice confidently, WI4 is coming along, mixed I don't have a lot of mileage in (but enjoy!), and second up to WI5+. Love to give belays I have all my own gear including a lightweight ski touring setup.

What I am looking for in a partner is someone who is safe, patient and easy going (yet intense when necessary), can mentor my abilities, and honestly, is a local! I think what could be a cool idea is (if things work out) we did a sort of climbing exchange - where I spend a winter in Scotland, and then in exchange you would come climb in Canada the following winter (I currently live in the mountains of Smithers BC). The being from the area thing helps in accommodation - nobody likes living out of a van in winter - and makes the cultural experience a lot more fun. Definitely willing to chip in on your rent or whatever for couch surfing space!

If any of this sounds like a fun idea to you, or anyone you know, please send me a personal message. I would love to hear from you!

In reply to LaurafromCanada:

I'd offer in a shot if I was actually local - but I don't think you'll be short of volunteers.

Might be worth looking into huts like the Alex MacIntyre, which is pretty cheap and can give extra options if you don't manage to find accommodation right where you need it.

Also remember that the winter might be really good, or it might be pish. Maybe consider and budget for a side trip to some scandi/euro ice if scotland is too warm. Though proper locals can probably find you something to climb whatever the weather

In reply to LaurafromCanada:

Cant take time off but im always up for days out when the conditions are good (im a phd student in glasgow so my work can be flexible and can get out at short notice).

when you say "scottish ice" do you mean water ice in scotland (there is some but i wouldnt bet your house on it coming in condition in any given winter), or do you mean scottish winter climbing which may or may not involve some ice (guarneteed to find something in condition at some point through any given winter)?

In reply to Webster:

When I think of Scottish ice I'd tend to think of snow ice like you get on the Ben, Meagaidh etc. I'd agree that much of the water ice stuff is only for good long cold spells.

In reply to LaurafromCanada:

Laura

If you've not already done so, you might also put this into the 'lifts wanted/partners wanted' or whatever its called section of the forum.

Being the middle of what passes for summer in the UK, there won't be too many folk watching the winter climbing forum.

In reply to LaurafromCanada:

Yeah, not wanting to put you off, but it is Scotland, and has been noted you could come here for a month or 2 and barely get anything done cos of the conditions...

In reply to JayPee630:


The above is true, but you could also come here and have the trip of your life. Plenty French/Swiss/Italian/Austrian superstars who have been more than once.

In reply to JayPee630:

I reckon your average weekend warrior could get unlucky and not get anything done in 2 months (i'm sure it must of happened to a few folk last winter!). I reckon if you were here for 2 months specifically to climb and you had 7 days a week to choose from and the local knowledge to drive where conditions are best, you could easily get a lot done.

In reply to Michael Gordon:


yeh I agree with you, and im sure most people familiar with british climbing will have that same understanding. just not sure what the OP's understanding of british climbing is, and therefore what their expectations are?

In reply to JayPee630:

Yeah but last winter was crap so this one must be good. Only fair!

In reply to LaurafromCanada:

Hi Laura,
Back in 2000, I spent a season in Canmore, climbed most days due to stable weather and conditions.

Scotland is very different, having said that the rewards are greater! Where were you thinking about staying?

Stuart

In reply to LaurafromCanada:

Hey! Thanks for all the interest, and helpful advice! Awesome! I am starting to get more of a feel for what I could expect and it's that I need to be flexible and pretty much hope for weather we would call bad at home. While waterfall ice is what I am used to back home, I do understand that is not what I would be expecting to find in Scotland. The main climbing goals of this trip would be to 1) improve in mixed climbing 2) try new styles of climbing I'm not used to back home (or can't really find) 3) learn to get creative in less than ideal conditions. I actually don't live too close to the Rockies anymore, but live in the mountains still (Smithers BC)....where there's ice climbing but it's not the same. There for sure are some amazing routes that are quality waterfall ice around, but other stuff is more adventure climbing with thin ice, nowhere to place screws, etc. My hope is that this trip could inspire me to get after some of the harder routes in harder conditions and therefore open up a lot of opportunities back home! However, I do think that budgeting for a backup trip to Scandanavia would be smart too, and would be really great if there were anybody it was set to climb with here that would be interested as well! Although that was my hope of having someone who is local as a mentor....that they would know how to make the most of less than ideal more than a visitor or weekend warrior would (as CMcBain said). In any case, I have some reading to do but this is a great start to see there would be plenty of people to climb with if I did make this happen!

In reply to LaurafromCanada:

Sorry if my post sounded a bit too negative. Anyway, sounds like you've got the right and good attitude to have, reckon you'll have a fantastic time one way or another. Enjoy it!

In reply to LaurafromCanada:
If your here climbing full time no doubt you would get routes done in a month unless it was an extremely poor winter. Local knowledge is pretty important and if you met locals you would soon pick that up. If conditions are poor you can always relocate to the Alps for a week or two.
I live out there in the winter now, near Chamonix, so if you get stuck with poor weather here give me a shout. I mainly ski tour and rock climb due to being lazy now, and too many days cowering in a hood in Scotland in winter.
Fort William is probably best place to go in Scotland, and when it's good it's GREAT.

Good luck,
GF

In reply to LaurafromCanada:

Blog of new routes; http://www.scottishwinter.com/
Guidebook with all the classics;
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scottish-Winter-Climbs-Mountaineering-Guide/dp/0907...

Lots of mostly ice in Norway, Europe and skiing but not far away..
Plenty of forestry in Scotland- perhaps you could work over here !

In reply to LaurafromCanada:

Hi Laura from Canada! I'd love to be able to help but the only thing I can really offer is being local, patient and easy going, missing the key any good at climbing part.

I am very good at retreating from routes though if you need a mentor in that.

To be a bit more constructive, there are two clubs in the Fort William and Glencoe area you could try, one is the polldubh club http://www.polldubhclub.org/ who have a few reasonable winter climbers that may be interested, the other is a page on facebook:
Fort William & Glencoe: Climbing Partners & Outdoor Events https://www.facebook.com/groups/255156191162475/
Where you might be able to get a keen local. Good thing about Fort William is many people are employed in the summer tourist indstry so will generally have less work to do in winter.

Hope that helps! I would offer a place at mine but we'll be building a new climbing wall (or gym for you across the pond types) then and I imagine my house will be pretty full of helpers!