UKC

With all this talk about winter sweepstakes and snow falling up high. It's good to see people are psyched for the swiftly approaching winter.

I thaught it might be interesting to start a post asking what is the main route that individual people want to get done, what winter route are you most psyched for this year?

Post the name of the route and the location (I.e. what coire it is in). Just for a bit of fun.

Cheers Greg.

In reply to Greg Boswell:

I would love to climb The Wand on Creag Meagaidh - inspired by Cubby's photo of Blair Fyffe - but it must have those huge 'shark's mouths' of ice formed. Then I'd like to do some sort of painting of it.

In reply to Jamie Hageman:
Last Post, Point Five and Hadrians would make me very very happy!

I've started my cardio and stairs training in readyness for winter!

In reply to Greg Boswell:

My aim is not to go to the honeypot areas too much.

Alderwand (Ben Alder)

Look C gully (Coire Fee)


Plus a trip to Torridon, Although not sure yet what to do.

cheers

Gaz

In reply to Greg Boswell:

Psyched for easy routes in the NW highlands, as I'm just a beginner. Thinking Fuselage Gully would be fun, and a repeat of the An Teallach traverse, because that was so amazing last Winter.

In reply to Greg Boswell:
I'd settle for Genesis on Bein Bhan as one, Vertigo wall on the dubh loch as 2, Some like it hot on stob coire an laoigh as 3, Neanderthal on lost valley buttress as 4, and anything on the mainchean (sp?) buttress on Fuar tholl.

Then the fall backs would be Nocando crack, central buttress, cumming-crofton, darth vader and something on Lochnagar.

BTW, would be nice to hook-up again.

In reply to Greg Boswell:

My aim is to be fit enough to work this winter. Not been on a route since the Lamp in Sneachda last Feb due to accident.

Personal goal would be three big days based at the CIC hut in January. Not fussy about which routes really, although the NEB would be a great tick.

In reply to Greg Boswell: After the last two years of being stupidly busy, I'll be glad if I can get north of Perth this winter

In reply to Greg Boswell:

Gully of the Gods (Beinn Bhan)
Postern (Shelter Stone)
Kami Kaze (Ben Eighe)
Psychedelic Wall (Ben Nevis)
Pinnacle Face (Lochnagar)

These spring immediately to mind (plus any VII just for the grade tick... anyone recommend something?!)

In reply to Greg Boswell:

Orion Direct (yep, honeypot!).

And you?

In reply to Robert Durran:

'Some like it hot' on Stob coire an laoigh is well worth doing at VII

Pete

In reply to Greg Boswell: Hardish mixed stuff really. Fallout corner, hookers corner, hoarmaster and what have you

In reply to Robert Durran: yep any of those this year would be awesome

Id like to get on Route Major in Carn Etchacan and NE Buttress on the Ben, plus a stack of classic gullys on the Ben!

In reply to Greg Boswell:

Honeypot climbs for me..

Minus 2, Ben Nevis
Eagle Ridge, Lochnagar

Perhaps this season

In reply to Greg Boswell:
Sticil Face
Psychedelic Wall
Astral Highway
Steep Ghyll

In reply to Greg Boswell:

Uuuuuhh... Dream time!

In an ideal world: Blood, Sweat and Frozen Tears; Central Grooves; Un Poco Loco; Neanderthal; Fly Direct; Vertigo Wall; Cornucopia; Shield Direct.

Back in the real world: It'll probably be loads of walking in on shoggy bogs to be encountered by rapidly melting ice and ending up following any random line in the middle of a white-out while raining torrentially.

In reply to Greg Boswell:

Sticil Face. Closest I got to getting it done was 98. I forgot the lunch, so we went to do Nobody's Fault on Hell's Lum. It wasn't nobody. It was mine.

In reply to Greg Boswell: Im lucky enough this winter to be finding myself with plenty of money and no work after december so hoping to really push myself through the grades. Ive set blood sweat and frozen tears as my goal by the end of winter, if i get that far then darth vader is another route that is really motivating me training at the minute.

In reply to Robert Durran:
>> These spring immediately to mind (plus any VII just for the grade tick... anyone recommend something?!)


Just for the grade? Darth Vader is soft.

In reply to Greg Boswell:

I would like petrol to be much cheaper and more Saturdays of (only get 1 off in 6), then further north would be more attainable!

The Prophet, Promised Land and Golgotha, Creag an Soccach, if weather allows.

Fingals Chimney or something close by, Aonach Dubh.

Excalliber and would like to repeat Mean Streak, Aonach Beag.

Climb the last 6m (FWA), on another crag the 30m corner and somewhere else a much longer reach, would straighten out my original intended line?????

Stuart

In reply to Greg Boswell:

Did Point Five last winter so Orion Direct, Sticil Face and maybe Smiths gully Creag Meagaidh.

Just be pleased to get up there with some decent conditions to be honest though, sooo much great stuff left for me to do all over at V.

In reply to Robert Durran:

Headfault VII,7 (V,7 in my book).

Stuart

In reply to Greg Boswell: devils appendix

In reply to Greg Boswell:

With a good following wind, would like to do Great Central Groove on the Brack. On a more realistic list - Menage a Trois, something on Wyvis, 1959 Face route.

So Greg, what's your main route you're psyched for?

In reply to Greg Boswell: I did my first ever IV lead as my last route last winter (seconded plenty before that) so I'd like to do way more leads. Want to do

West Buttress on Beinn Eighe
North East Buttress on the Ben (this would have to be midweek though as I point blank refuse to climb on the Ben on weekends)
North Buttress on the Buachaille
Hidden Ridge on Starav
Kick Start on Creag an Socach

I'd also like to second another few V's but I've only ever done 2, one of which was Indicator Wall (which is really only tech 4 to second) but I've seconded one V6 and found it tough so I'd like to see if I fare any better. It'll probably mean being dragged up something new though as there's only one person I trust enough to climb that hard with.

In reply to Greg Boswell: Oh and I'm still sh*te and terrified of ice climbing (I have calf problems) but I tried climbing a couple of icy routes and gullies last winter so should really try a few more but nothing particular in mind.

In reply to niallk:

Great Central Groove is THE route in the Southern Highlands, can now be climbed without ice (Variation), though much better with.

Stuart

In reply to Greg Boswell:

Just been out with a friend, how could I forget!!

Once In A Lifetime, Cir Mhor. Now, that would be something special, only a Ferry away!

Stuart

In reply to DaveHK:
>(plus any VII just for the grade tick... anyone recommend something?!)

Mmmm. I really hate and have a phobia of awkward chimneys..... what about Babylon? If it's pumpy but safe, could be more my sort of thing?

In reply to Greg Boswell: Well.....BS+FT, Sious Wall / apache, Unicorn, Un Poco Loco, Eagle Ridge, Where Eagles Dare, the Needle..... would do nicely for starters.....or even 3 from 7! Adding in anything on mainreachan (like Eric!) or the cuillin traverse would be cool!!

Andy

In reply to Sonya Mc:
"North East Buttress on the Ben (this would have to be midweek though as I point blank refuse to climb on the Ben on weekends)"

I did NE butress and tower ridge at weekends. TR we only saw people behind us when we started up the douglas gap, for the entire rest of the day the only other people we saw was a glimce of the party well ahead once.

NE butress was similar in that the only people we saw all day were leaving the 40 ft corner as we were going over the man trap.!

We would have had a fairly early start but not silly oclock!

In reply to Stuart the postie:

GCG - what grade would you say without ice. Reasonable gear?

In reply to Greg Boswell:

central icefall direct.

In reply to Greg Boswell:
Having been away from the winter scene and out of the country for a number of years I'm hoping just to ease back into it all with some long III and IV leads. In particuloar there are a number of classic NW lines I've never got round to - March Hare's Gully, Resurrection, Penguin Gully, Poacher's on Laithach. Then I've always wanted to climb a winter line on Ladhar Bheinn and then.... Too much to do really, here's hoping for a good one.

In reply to Greg Boswell:

I only really ever had Point 5 on my winter tick list for the reason of fame and notoriety. When I did it last winter I found it really straightforward with great ice and I was borderline wondering if I would be able to solo it. I was unerwhelmed by the Rogue Pitch. Still a good route overall and I was pleased.

Now I don't have a winter tick list, I just intend taking it as it comes and having a go at things that look good.

In reply to Greg Boswell:
As someone who does ice rather than mixed, it would be more of the Scottish classics for me:

Orion Direct
Hadrian's Wall Direct
Zero Gully
Smith's Gully, Last Post, Wand and Pumpkin on Meagaidh
Emerald Gully, Penguin Gully on Beinn Dearg
Crowberry Gully

I'd be a happy camper with that lot...

Davie

In reply to Will Sim: If it's going to be that cold at 200m ASL, what about this? http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=146491

In reply to Studge:

Great Central Groove, V,6.

Having climbed original line with ice and without (MacFarlanes Variation), the grade is the same for both. I would say the climbing is sustained, ice certainly helps in some places, turf needs to be completely FROZEN.

Reasonable gear, yes, perhaps easier to arrange via above variation, than in ice chimney?

Enjoy

Stuart

In reply to all:

no one got any international intentions? i.e. outside of scotland?!

In reply to Greg Boswell:

Going to be based in Edinburgh for winter so wishlist is a pretty long one! Lots of stuff on the ben...

In reply to Greg Boswell: My wish list:

1. The Ressurection , Fannichs.
2. A partner to do it with.
3. Some ice axes (having sold them to pay the dentist)

In reply to Hannes: good to see some welsh in here. Well done sir.


As for me ..stick a pin in greg, pete and guy's list from last year and give it a curly wurly


Oh and pray for a whte wales ...so we can have another new guide for 2012/13

In reply to Greg Boswell:

Hi Greg,

I've been thinking of getting on Ichabod on the East Buttress on Scafell this winter. Walked up there a couple of times this summer to have a look. Can't find it in the guide book anywhere, does anyone know if it has been done before and at what grade?

Andy

In reply to Greg Boswell: For me, I'd love to have a crack at Stirling Bomber this winter !

In reply to Petarghh:

Yeah, sterling bomber is an awesome line. It holds the conditions well and is fairly sheltered, so its good for a stormy day (if you like spindrift cascades). But then again that's the joys of winter climbing.

Its hard to choose a route that I'm psyched for the most. I've got some cool looking new lines that I'm keen to try, but I'd have to say "Un Poco Loco direct finish" is one of the lines I'd most like to get on this year. Its such a cool looking lines and the arch feature looks mental.

It's cool to see everyone is so psyched for getting stuck in this winter and I'm keen to hear how everyone gets on.

In reply to oscarsdad:

tick tock tick tock tick tock

In reply to Greg Boswell: It's a long list! Poco Loco and Unicorn in Glen Coe, Citadel and The Needle on Shelter Stone, Vertigo Wall on the Dubh Loch, a rematch with a new line on Meall Garbh and attempts at new stuff elsewhere, Skyscraper Buttress Direct in the Fannichs, Snoopy and/or Enigma on Fuar Tholl, The Sea the Sea on Slioch... If I get round half of that lot I'll be delighted!

In reply to Robert Durran:

Good route, worth doing and reasonably safe. Highest danger factor seemed to be belaying for the top pitch - if you belay at the obvious stance at the end of the rightwards traverse, you'll get impailed if the leader comes off the top pitch. If I was doing it again, I think I'd do the last 2 pitches in one.

In reply to Neil Adams:

I lost the will to do Unicorn after watching the Petzl video... youtube.com/watch?v=uG95yGRaooY&

In reply to Neil Adams: Thats a cracker of tick list man covering every style of route. Its worth waiting for really good conditions for The Citadel ie ice on the slab below the lower crux and not too much snow on the pitch above the upper crux. Has to be one of the best VIIs about. If things are good again on the Shelterstone, think i'll be heading back for another blast

Cheers,

Pete

In reply to petemacpherson: Cheers Pete. I went in for a look last season, a couple of weeks before you got your route there done, but it was pretty bare so we just did Sticil Face instead. Looking forward to another look!

In reply to Stuart the postie:
>
and somewhere else a much longer reach, would straighten out my original intended line?????

Wouldn't happen to be in Glencoe by any chance that longer reach required?

As for Mean Steak a good but scary line! Be prepared to run it out above a nice big spiky rock.

In reply to French Erick: Erick, your wish list almost exactly mirrors mine. Time we should meet up again! (it has been 6 years, nom de dieu!)

In reply to Greg Boswell:
Thanks for getting me thinking... everyone who knows me knows I'm a dreamer and over-optimistic, but here's my wish-list:
Blood Sweat and Frozen Tears on Beinn Eighe
Fidhleirs Nose in Coigach (with the Tower Finish)
Gully of the Gods on Beinn Bhan
Vertigo Wall on Dubh Loch
Cumming Crofton...
Raven's Edge..

Actually, I'm quite looking forward to winter now!!!

In reply to Greg Boswell:

Im hopefully gonnna get in aw aboot crypt route this year. (Bidean Nam Bian)

http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=122143

And seeing as its such a big walk and im all fat and lazy after summer I might even camp/bivi/hole and do a couple routes.

In reply to Greg Boswell:
Deep South gully on Beinn Alligin
Northern Pinnacles on Liathach, followed by a ridge traverse.
Central Gully on Ben Lui.
A few Grade Is or IIs in An Garbh Choire too, on Braeriach. More just to be in that wondrous ampitheatre in the winter. I've only ever looked over at it from afar.

Contemplating a couple of solos too - The Vent and The Runnel. Been up these before, but have never soloed (ropeless) them.

Would love to second up Good Friday climb too.

In reply to CurlyStevo: did ne buttress couple of year ago (sat 1st nov)
we had the route to ourselves, then only other people we saw for the whole day were a pair on tower ridge.

In reply to Greg Boswell: Sticil Face or Devil's Appendix would be amazing!

In reply to Greg Boswell:

apache

but don't hold me to it!

In reply to Greg Boswell:

First winter route for me this year is going to be Savage Slit. No pussying around on grade IVs until Feb this season!!

In reply to Gazlynn: I'll be having a Look C also!

In reply to hexcentric:
If you are fat (and lazy) then I would stay well clear of Crypt Route!

In reply to Greg Boswell: a cool new remote grade III buttress solo carrying skis, ski back to the car..

ill reassess my ambitions when I prove to myself I can do the non-ski walk-in without suffering a heart attack