On the 1 January Oliver Metherell and Ian Parnell made the first winter
ascent of Sioux Wall on Ben Nevis. Parnell and Metherell swung leads for
four pitches with Parnell successfully on-sight flashing the crux and
Metherell taking one fall on pitch three. Parnell led off into the night for
the final pitch. A grade of VIII, 8 was thought appropriate for the long and
sustained crux pitch. The wall was first climbed by G. Grassam and Ian
Nicholson in 1972 and was graded at HVS. The winter route takes a variation
on the summer route and follows the line of a continuous steep crack for
almost the entire length of the buttress. Metherell and Parnell also
repeated the Davison / Nisbet route Digeridoo (VII,6) at Braeriach.
Coire na Ciste is a superb mixed climbing venue that already contains one of
the best collections of mixed climbs in Europe including Archangel, South
Sea Bubble and Darth Vader.
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