This is a major catch up catch up.

Where have the last four months gone?

February (the month of Marks) did continue like it started, the weather was incredible. Climbing conditions were fantastic and lots got done.

Mark Warner and myself climbed Crowberry gully,IV on the 21st. Brilliant route on the Buachaille Etive Mor.

Mr Warner sending it

Looking back down crowberry gully,I

    

23rd & 24th were spent with Mark Budd, introducing him to winter mountaineering. We spent the 23rd in Coire na Tulaich on the Buachaille, we went up and down the gully's to the right of the col. Steep and calf burning to say the least. The 24th we went up the east ridge of Beinn a'Choarainn,I/II. This was the beginning of a list of ascents of this route. 2 quality days out with a mate who had no experience prior but left Fort William with an idea of what, where, and how to get more experience.

Mark on Old Wall, VS 4b***

25th Mark chambers and myself went full speed after lectures up Glen nevis and went to the easy access Cavalry crack buttress. Old wall, VS 4b*** was climbed, then the last pitch of Heatwave, MS**.


27th saw the same pairing of Mark Chambers and myself head to cavalry crack buttress again, this time the 1st pitch of Heatwave,MS** and 2nd pitch of Storm, HVS.

Me(James) on Heatwave, MS**

The last day of February was spent on the west face of Aonach mor going through winter climbing, tactics, techniques and scenarios with Mark and Scott. It was a very productive day in which personal skills were consolidated and improved. Especially enjoyed the little ice steps we found to practice on.

The first day of March was spent on Tower ridge,IV.  This was a progression from previous day in which we put into practice everything we knew as well as learning more. Moving together and speed is the key to big long routes such as TR. We made the most of having Scott to learn from. We only moved so far up TR before retracing steps and then abseiling into the Douglas boulder gap. Not bad for a couple of days at uni.........

This is studying, honest!

There was a couple of days spent playing on small rocks doing some bouldering because of the vast number of days consecutively on the hill, i learned fast that this is a type of climbing that a) im even more terrible at than others b) it is a very lazy day except for maybe 60secs of effort and 3) im to heavy for it. Going to stick to big routes.

8th of March, Rich Bowman, Kate Wilson and Myself went Munro bagging, we went for the Glenfinnan horse shoe and bagged one summit Sgurr nan Coirechan, but had to cut the day short because of work commitments. A good day all round with good company. May have put Kate of hill walking forever though! 

9th of March, Ailsa and myself attempted the Munro Sgurr A'Mhaoraich. We were both blown of our feet at around 700m so decided to high tail it back down the hill and wander around lower down. Had some interesting encounters with Stags as well.

After this day march went by in a blur of lectures, essay's, reports and studying(real studying) 

April was busy one. UKCC level 1 training and assessment, TCL assessment prep and the assessment, SPA training as well as working, studying and finding the time to get out and play. Its a hard life being here in the outdoor capital of the UK, its not all fun and games.   

May was a month in which stress levels went up and down like a yo-yo while trying to get everything done and dusted for uni while also getting in as much training, climbing and hill days in prep for a trip to Morocco. 

Enjoyed my first experience of climbing at Creag Dubh, Oh my god!!! Steep, in your face and a pump-fest. Went over there with JB and Rich P. Massive learning experience and very social day. Got 3 cracking routes in; Tree Hee, S**, King Bee,VS 5a*** & Phellatio, HVS 5a**. Awesome day and very grateful for the experience.

Ailsa and me spent a soggy day on Beinn Teallach on the 11th, her 2nd Munro and my 94th. A very wet and foul day weather wise but enjoyed the slog and lack of visibility in the company of the Pink lady of the hill.

Morocco was the big event for May, Spent 7 days trekking in the High Atlas mountains with 11 other students and 2 staff members. An inspirational week in an environment that tested me, physically, mentally and emotionally in ways that I have not experienced either in a very long time or never before. 

We had to acclimatize pretty fast but were not pushing ourselves hard for the first 2 days of the trip. I personally found this rather difficult because of my desire to do as much as possible all the time. Sitting doing nothing in the sun doing nothing was not new to me but it was very testing of my patience or lack of it! I fully understood why we sat around for hours wasting the afternoon by the 3rd day of the trip! Which included 5am start, 13 hours, approx. 1300m of ascent, some technical ground and ice, 15 to 20 degrees heat and reaching a 4045m summit. Brutal is the only word to describe the day but it was well worth it. Day four was a little more relaxed and day 5 we summit-ed Toubkal, 4167m. Day 6 we trekked out of the mountains and after one more mountain meal we found ourselves in Marrakesh, a city that needs to be visited to fully understand its chaos. We flew back to Manchester and landed ant 0025hrs. I started work at 1000hrs that day.

Me on the summit of Toubkal. 

Its now 13th of June and this month I have already been up Curved ridge,3. twice. Climbed routes at numerous crags and buttress' up glen nevis, been out on the hill 4 times, been bolt clipping at bennybeg and have just climbed up Central south west buttress on Meall an T-Suidhe.....

8th of June Ailsa and Graham took on curved ridge with me. It was a cracking day with little wind. After the hour and a bit walk in we geared up and got on the route. The buachaille was busy, with many teams on the ridge and routes on rannoch wall. We saw a team on January jigsaw, Agag's groove and CrowBerry ridge. A very social day out, Ailsa's first scrambling experience and 3rd Munro summit went well with a quote I wont forget "I enjoyed that better than walking" I really appreciated both Ailsa & Graham's(Ailsa' Dad) trust and confidence in me. I felt very relaxed and in control on a day that i put the pressure on myself. The pink lady of the hill was out and making easy work of the Grade 3 scrambling. More of the same for the summer i think

Roll on the rest of the summer, and keeping this blog updated regularly. He says again.....................Cheers for now 

James