UKC

Young Canadian alpinist Marc-Andre Leclerc recently visited Scotland for the first time as part of a strong Canadian group alongside Paul McSorley, Ian Welsted, Michelle Kadatz and Paul Bride, sampling Scottish winter and coming away with a ticklist that can only be described as "Nae too shabby."

Just like whisky, haggis and Irn-Bru, Scottish winter climbing can be an acquired taste. Though with multiple hard Patagonian first ascents to his name, it's perhaps no surprise that Marc-Andre dealt with the complexity of Scottish winter better than most. We caught up with Marc-Andre to find out what he thought of what Scotland had to offer...

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In reply to UKC Articles:
It cant be understated how amazing it was watching this guy go! I think I'd climbed about 10 meters of a pitch in the time it had taken him to solo Scabbard Chimney and Chimney Route...

In reply to UKC Articles:

wow!

In reply to UKC Articles:

That day on SCNL is particularly impressive - mixed soloing above V is (understandably) quite rare in Scotland. I could be wrong but wouldn't be surprised if Tilt and Central Grooves hadn't been soloed before?

Sounds like a good decision with Darth Vader, though it's not always so easy to have friends close at hand to throw a rope...

In reply to UKC Articles:

Great report, well done Natalie/UKC on this! Impressed by both the mileage and the Central Buttress solo!

In reply to UKC Articles:

Inspiring words.

In reply to Michael Gordon:


I'd say Central Buttress, Tilt, Chimney Route, Gargoyle Wall and Minus Two Buttress were all FSAs.


Definitely lessens the commitment as does carrying a cord, but it's what he'll be used to. Seems DV was the only route he had an issue with though.

In reply to UKC Articles:
Great read.

I also had my first Scottish winter climbing experience at SCNL this year..but I climbed a single grade II in a team of 3.. and was knackered at the end. The list of climbs here boggles the mind.

In reply to UKC Articles:

Sounds like he had an easy week, we recommend everybody to check out his 3 solos in a day on the Stanley Headwall in February
Tony & Sarah

In reply to UKC Articles:

Genuine dude

youtube.com/watch?v=R0nr9pa5To4&

In reply to UKC Articles:

Wow! and Central Buttress - gulp! (Unless I've missed something three times the crux hooking the concerningly flat hold on the first pitch is among the more insecure moves on Scottish mixed... ) ... pity he didn't make it to Ben Eighe!

In reply to buffalo606:

Awesomely Canadian conversation!

In reply to UKC Articles:

F*ck me he soloed Central Buttress! Time marches on, saying he must have a cool and confident head seems like an understatement. That's a hell of a ticklist for a quick visit. Chapeau!
#imnotworthy

In reply to Patrick Roman: Martin Hind (Inverness) has soloed lots and lots of winter routes possibly above grade V, I'll ask him.

In reply to Steve Perry:
Martin probably won't remember many of his soloing routes. They were often unplanned, basically as a result of him detesting early starts so he would solo up behind the people he was supposed to be climbing or the line at the side if it was harder and over take you. Just because he could.

I was told that someone, possibly Paul Tattersall, soloed Central Buttress on Being Eighe back in the day and enjoyed it so much he descended and did it again the same day.

James e

In reply to James Edwards:

I'd heard that story before, one of those things that seemed to get more fantastic every time it was told (but never by Paul himself)!! So I asked him about it a couple years back after he did his double cuillin ridge traverse. The reply is on his site, just scroll down - http://www.gofurtherscotland.co.uk/news/skye-cuillin-ridge-slig2slig

In reply to Tom Knowles:

Good stuff, cheers. Going by that account I don't think he was going back for another ascent!

In reply to UKC Articles:

Wad

In reply to UKC Articles:

Was talking to him for a bit that day on SCNL. Seems like a thoroughly nice fella who was having a great time in Scotland. And as someone said to me 'I'd say he loves everything about climbing, even the shite bits'