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| The West Face, Aonach Dubh as we walked in. 09/03/2013 (Photo: A J Thorley) |
The good winter climbing conditions are continuing throughout the Highlands of Scotland, but unfortunately the weather is not. It was another one of those early morning starts and once ready we were off, 1st calling into The Green Welly Stop at Tyndrum to meet friends and swap cars before continuing further north in to Glen Coe for the days adventure.
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| The walk into Coire Nam Beith with members of mountain rescue. Stob Coire Nam Beith, North Face in the background. 09/03/2013 (Photo: A J Thorley) |
We stopped at the car park (NN139567) just at the entrance to Achnambeithach opposite the turn off for the Clachaig Inn, just off the A82 that runs through Glen Coe this was to be the starting point of the day. The car park was busy with folk from mountain rescue, at 1st we thought this was a training exercise but we soon found out otherwise after chatting to some of the team members. Unfortunately a climber had fallen the previous day and due to the extreme weather conditions on that day the body of the climber had to be left over night until better weather could allow the mountain rescue team to recover the climber's body today. More information here.
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| Approaching Church Door Buttress? 09/03/2013 (Photo: A J Thorley) |
Putting this unfortunate incident to the backs of our minds we sorted and divided the climbing equipment equally between us before starting the steep ascent into Coire Nam Beith. Leaving the car park we walked a short distance west along the road and crossed over the river where a small hop over the crash barrier leads to the gate (NN137566) and public access to the hillside. The foot path ascends steeply in a southerly direction along side Allt Coire Nam Beitheach until a levelling is reached just in front of the North Face of Stob Coire Nam Beith (NN139546), this also marks the entrance to Coire Nam Beith (NN140551). Here the foot path also changes direction and leads in a southeasterly direction deeper into the coire towards our target for the day Church Door Buttress (NN143544).
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| Iain starting the approach to Crypt Route IV, 6***, Church Door Buttress. 09/03/2013 (Photo: A J Thorley) |
We stopped below the steep approach slopes in what seemed like worsening weather to don the crampons and get the ice axes out before making our approach to below the crags. Iain suggested that before we move on we should offer assistance to the mountain rescue team if they required it, I agreed this was good idea, especially considering all that mountain rescue do to keep us safe. After a brief chat with one of the team leaders our offer of assistance was politely declined, I must confess I felt quite relieved especially after the incident I was involved with last year in Wales, see here. Waving farewell to the mountain rescue team and wishing them safe passage we continued up the steep approach slopes to below the crags.
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| My view of the start of Crypt Route IV,6***, Church Door Butttress. 09/03/2013 (Photo: A J Thorley) |
Arriving below the crags we were not sure where we were the high winds and fierce gusts were blowing the powder snow everywhere, this combined with low cloud was making for difficult route finding. Eventually we decided that we were below Diamond Buttress so moving further up under the crags we passed over Central Gully I/II** and under Collies Pinnacle two unmistakable features even in the worst of weather we did manage to identify. We found a nice area just at the foot of Church Door Buttress to gear up, eat and drink before starting the climb. Once ready Iain led off up the gully to the start of Crypt Route IV,6***, he soon disappeared into the whiteness above leaving me at my stance surrounded by the impressive cliffs of Church Door Buttress. It was strange standing there attached to a small spike of rock being battered by the fierce winds and snow flurries all alone in my own little world. I could not hear a thing from above over the noise from the wind so when the ropes tightened I took this as my signal to climb and sure enough as I climbed the ropes were taken in and I was soon with Iain at his perch just below the entrance to Crypt Route.
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| Iain just before leaving the 2nd belay stance of Crypt Route IV,^***, Church Door Buttress. 09/03/2013 (Photo: A J Thorley) |
Iain in his normal happy go lucky manner suggested that I lead on but unfortunately for me the 1st of many bouts of the hot aches had just set in. I cut a stance in the snow best I could and then helped Iain to change the belay over so he could lead on whilst hopefully I recovered from the hot aches. He soon disappeared full of his usual enthusiasm into Crypt Route. I could for a little while hear his grunts and shouts of "come on!" As he got to grips with things somewhere in the darkness in front and above me. But the wind seemed to be increasing and now I was getting a serious battering. All I could was stare up into the abyss above me and hope Iain was ok as I stood there in my own little world watching my gloves and jacket turn to ice. As with the 1st pitch I could not hear a thing and took the tightening of the ropes as my signal to start climbing.
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| My view of Aonach Dubh through the keyhole from the 2nd belay stance of Crypt Route IV,6***, Church Door Buttress. 09/03/2012 (Photo: A J Thorley) |
I dismantled the belay stance and then started the climb into Crypt Route, it dawned on me almost straight away just how cold I had become. My movement was clumsy and I felt uncoordinated but I was determined. The initial ice pitch I managed without difficulty but then the steepening came and the terrain changed to almost over hanging iced up rock. I found the good hooks that Iain must have used and then manged to bridge across the chimney. This method served me well until I came to a leftward move to gain the belay stance above me. I can only describe this move as the most awkward mountaineering move I think I have ever had to do in my life. Not only is it awkward it is also strenuous. At this point I started to get frustrated, the hot aches were coming on and I was loosing the grip on my axes. I lost my footing and in my frustration put a crampon point through the back of my over trousers into my calf which then with even more frustration got caught in the upper of my boot. I was in a proper pickle in the most silly of positions. Eventually with some calming words from Iain I wriggled my way free from my own crampon trap and some how managed to wriggle up to his stance where I was then just to add insult to injury completely overwhelmed with the hot aches.
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| Diamond Buttress & Church Door Buttress, Bidean Nam Bian. 09/03/2013 (Photo: A J Thorley) |
Patiently Iain waited for me to recover from the hot aches before suggesting that we abseil down, I was determined to continue and now sheltered from the wind I felt a lot better. It took a while for the sickness and the dizziness to pass but once it did I felt good and again like before helped Iain to rearrange things so he could lead on. Smiling Iain disappeared some where above me at 1st quickly and then he came to a stop. I could hear the swearing and cursing from above today was not to be our day. After yet more swearing and cursing the call came to take on blue. Iain was stuck and he was going to have to use all his skills and imagination to get down from where he was. Eventually the call came to give him slack and some how not sure how he managed to get back to the belay where with a smile he said, "shall we abseil out of here?" I agreed and using the insitu tat we made our abseil retreat from Crypt Route. A word of warning to anybody that tries this, it is almost as difficult as climbing up into it in the 1st place!
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| The Aonach Eagach ridge as we walked out. 09/03/2013 (Photo: A J Thorley) |
Returning to the rucksacks we ate and drank a little then made our escape back down into the safety of the corrie below. We found a nice little spot coiled the ropes and packed the climbing equipment away before descending back along the foot path back to the car. Whilst packing the gear in to the car Iain declared, "same again next week?" with that happy go lucky smile. "How could I refuse!?" I replied!
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