When Isi texted me yesterday (while I was out running to the Dam) to ask if I fancied a climb today ‘before all this lovely ice disappears’, the first routes that crossed my mind were The Posse and What’s the Story above Caolasnacon (scene of last Sunday’s misdirected search for ice in the wrong place). So that’s where we went today, although we only had time for the one route in the end… (more…)
10 January 2010
9 January 2010
Buried paths and Abalakov threads
This afternoon, the Ciaran Path to the Blackwater Dam started crisp, delightfully icy and ideal for spiking along at speed before becoming buried by snow, heavy going and almost impossible to follow (too easy to be misled by the deer tracks despite having run it scores of times before) above the frozen lochans. (more…)
6 January 2010
True roadside ice
This afternoon I took a wander up the frozen watercourse spilling from Coire an t-Sionnaich (high on the N flank of Garbh Bheinn) to the bridge above the viaduct at the south-west corner of Kinlochleven. While this is unnamed even on the OS and Harvey 1:25,000 maps, I’d take a fair guess at Allt Coire an t-Sionnaich, but please don’t quote me on that in case I’m wrong! (more…)
4 January 2010
An Steall Ban
This evening I climbed An Steall Ban (more commonly, but quite incorrectly, known as Steall Falls) with Chuck. And, while this stunning (but rarely frozen) 120m Grade III cascade has been both climbable and popular for the past five days or so, it’s looking like we might have got to it just in time. (more…)
2 January 2010
Running on a patchwork quilt
Today, frustrated in my attempts to land a partner to climb the frozen Steall Falls, I took a run along the road to Caolasnacon to look at another fair-sized cascade I’d been told could give good sport before looping round the back of Garbh Bheinn and down to join the Penstock track at the ‘wee’ dam. (more…)
29 December 2009
Running crampon review
Something I’d been thinking about for quite some time (like years!) before this winter’s prolonged cold spell sent me researching seriously and posting some questions to the UKC Forums. Which saw my initial list (based on Needle Sports’ stock) of Kahtoola MICROspikes & KTS, Charlet Moser Spikys and Grivel Spiders augmented by recommendations/suggestions for Yaktrax and various types of studded/spiked shoes. And (to cut a long story short) resulted in me picking up a pair of locally-available Spiders from The Ice Factor to try while ordering a pair of MICROspikes online as well. (more…)
6 December 2009
Mind over matter
A very satisfying run over the Devil’s Staircase to Altnafeadh and back this afternoon… (more…)
8 November 2009
Fraochaidh
Standing between Glen Creran and Glen Duror and being the final hill after Beinn Maol Chaluim on my truly local ‘why have I never done that?’ hit-list, the fine Corbett of Fraochaidh was a much coveted summit. So what better way to spend a clear, cold November Sunday afternoon than running into it from Ballachulish and out again? (more…)
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3 November 2009
Wet, wet, wet!
While I wouldn’t normally bother to report a ‘routine’ training run round a course so short that I rarely run it on its own, tonight’s little outing up past the Grey Mare’s was just a little bit different. (more…)
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25 October 2009
Clippers and grip rests for DMM Flys
Just got back from a soggy trip to Aberdeen, it’s monstrously wet in Lochaber and I’m not going anywhere near the hills despite the apparent ‘waste’ of my last day of holiday. So I’m stuck inside passing the time, but did promise to photograph my ice axes for someone when I got back and thought I’d take this opportunity to describe the modifications I made last year. (more…)
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