UKBouldering.com

the shizzle => chuffing => Topic started by: GCW on December 10, 2007, 10:41:48 pm

Title: New Winter Route on The Ben
Post by: GCW on December 10, 2007, 10:41:48 pm

For those that like bashing snow and ice with sharp thing.  Cool news of an ascent of a well known line on The Ben

(http://www.highlandguides.com/images/secret6.jpg)

2 minutes of thinking and shaking out, 18 seconds of moving up:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LjRLqXfNuo

No idea of grade yet but a good effort in what looks like good conditions.
I know it ain't bouldering, but it's News for me.

Quote from: http://www.highlandguides.com/winterreports0708.htm

The often eyed but rarely tried (except by one or two very strong teams) crack on the right wall of Number 3 Gully, Ben Nevis had it's first ascent today. The strong team - Turnemater, Ashworth and Scott timed their raid from the South to perfection and experienced superb frosty conditions and great weather for the ascent.

Ashworth described the "approach" pitch as harder than Sioux Wall and the main pitch, led by Andy, as much, much harder than Knuckleduster. The main pitch involved a mind-boggling array of axe techniques from double can openers to wacky arm hooks around tools to effect some kind of rest. This brutally sustained 35m crack pitch ranged from fist to finger width and was fully iced inside meaning the payload of large cams carried was for ballast only!

The route was led entirely on-sight and in perfect style. A fantastic example of the traditional Scottish winter ethic and perhaps the hardest winter route in the UK led in this style. Discuss!

Knuckleduster (http://www.alpinist.com/doc/ALP19/newswire-ben-nevis-knuckleduster-mixed) is VIII, 9 for those that don't know.

Title: Re: New Winter Route on The Ben
Post by: SA Chris on December 11, 2007, 08:18:52 am

Mad shit

Title: Re: New Winter Route on The Ben
Post by: Johnny Brown on December 11, 2007, 10:19:16 am

Wow, looks amazing. WTF is a double can opener? Like elevator dooring with axes?

Title: Re: New Winter Route on The Ben
Post by: dave on December 11, 2007, 10:28:41 am

has that not been done in summer nick then?

Title: Re: New Winter Route on The Ben
Post by: Norton Sharley on December 11, 2007, 10:32:21 am

Anyone got a Ben guide to hand?  What is it in summer?

Title: Re: New Winter Route on The Ben
Post by: Andy B on December 11, 2007, 10:39:15 am

Quote from: http://www.highlandguides.com/winterreports0708.htm

The main pitch involved a mind-boggling array of axe techniques from double can openers to wacky arm hooks around tools to effect some kind of rest.

Fuck, I feel like I have to use "a mind boggling array of axe techniques" to get up a grade IV. You must have to possess a mind that doesn't boggle as easy as mine to get up that sort of stuff.

Title: Re: New Winter Route on The Ben
Post by: dave on December 11, 2007, 10:45:12 am

I don't mind boggling; anyone fancy a game?

(http://www.ils.unc.edu/~ricev/bw/boggle.jpg)

Title: Re: New Winter Route on The Ben
Post by: Andy B on December 11, 2007, 10:48:48 am

I use that game to pretend I'm teaching the kids something.

cat
hat
bat

Title: Re: New Winter Route on The Ben
Post by: SA Chris on December 11, 2007, 10:57:22 am

Quote from: dave on December 11, 2007, 10:45:12 am

I don't mind boggling; anyone fancy a game?

No, but I'll play you scrabble on facebook if you are bored?

Title: Re: New Winter Route on The Ben
Post by: dave on December 11, 2007, 12:44:33 pm

I'll take a raincheck on that cheers. :lol:

Title: Re: New Winter Route on The Ben
Post by: Moo on December 13, 2007, 09:39:09 am

there is no summer route on that line

Title: Re: New Winter Route on The Ben
Post by: GCW on January 02, 2008, 08:58:33 am

Quote from: http://www.abacusmountaineering.com/currentconditions.html

Up on Ben Nevis Ian Parnell, Guy Robertson and Mark Garthwaite did a very quick second ascent of The Secret (Andy Turner's line in Number Three Gully)

Quick repeat.  Not sure if the X,10 is confirmed yet.  More info here (http://www.highlandguides.com/winterreports0708.htm).  Sorry, bit slow on the uptake.

Title: Re: New Winter Route on The Ben
Post by: luckyjez on January 02, 2008, 09:56:19 am

They reckoned solid VIII,8 apparently.