... are just some of the things you can expect to encounter if you do a non-stop round of the Munros in 48 days it would seem.
How impressive, and how daft, is that?
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
Sunday, 22 March 2009
From the bunkhouse window
comfortable. After 9 and a half hours sleep the smell of bacon is now
spurring us on.
Here's the view from our room.
Saturday, 21 March 2009
First day on rock in 2009
After a couple of VS climbs, hugging the rock for dear life, I
relaxed a bit and started to remember how to climb. It wasn't cold,
for March, but the wind made for chilly belaying at the top of the
crag towards evening.
Very happy to have led 2 HVS5b on my first day back.
relaxed a bit and started to remember how to climb. It wasn't cold,
for March, but the wind made for chilly belaying at the top of the
crag towards evening.
Very happy to have led 2 HVS5b on my first day back.
We're now in The Angler's Rest in Bamford with pints of Deuchars.
All's well in our world.
Update: The day's tally:
Heather Wall VS 4c (JB lead)
Big Chris HVS 5a (NH)
Tinker's Crack VS 4c (JB)
Townsend's Variation HVS 4c (NH)
Leaning Buttress Direct HVS 5b (JB)
Queersville HVS 5a (NH)
The Flange HVS 5b (JB)
Friday, 13 March 2009
Polar Circus
After a couple of short hours' sleep we were on the road by 1 am. We bowled along the Trans Canada Highway, past juggernauts parked in laybys, their drivers showing more sense than us by sleeping in their cabins, and then turned off northward on the remote Icefields Parkway road. Icy mountains all around us were lit by the near-full moon.
We parked up and set off on a well-packed trail up the hill towards the start of the climb.
As Nick led the first pitch by the light of his head-torch, I hunkered down, grateful for my down-filled jacket, and looked across the moonlit valley. It was around -15℃.
Much more so than in the daytime, I was acutely aware of how vulnerable we were in that dark, starkly beautiful, frozen world. We couldn't afford to make any serious mistakes.
More pitches of climbing followed, interspersed with snow-plods. Some of the snow slopes we traversed were avalanche-prone and would be risky later in the day as temperatures rose. It was good to know that we should be able to by-pass them by abseil on our descent.
The final section of the climb consists of 3 discreet tiers of steep ice, each involving two pitches. This is where the harder climbing started in earnest. As we worked our way up the first tier it began to get light, but temperatures remained low. And because we were now climbing more slowly (we were nearer our technical limit) we were now really feeling the cold - especially when belaying.
We had to stop for long periods so that Nick could warm his numb feet.
After 4 more pitches of climbing, a final monster ice tier reared up into view. Aware that the second pitch of this tier is the crux of the climb, I offered to lead the first. Although easier than Nick's, my pitch would involve sections of vertical ice and I felt nervous. As this photo was taken I was about to take off my down jacket to start the lead, feeling, as usual before a hard lead, like a condemned man.
Here's me leading the pitch.
Nick lead the second (crux) pitch, which involved long sections of vertical ice. Rather him than me...
At the top we both felt completely drained. We didn't take any photos, just ate and drank, exchanging few words,
before starting the long series of abseils down the climb. I can't remember how many abseils we did in the end: nine I think.
After one of them the rope stuck and we couldn't pull it down. Faced with having to prusik all the way back up 50 metres of rope, we eventually devised a way of jerking the rope free.
Here's a view of the upper tiers:
In this photo I'm about to do the free-hanging abseil past "the Pencil", a huge ice column which had collapsed near the top:
We finally arrived back at the car at 7pm, 16 hours after we had left it. We felt shattered but happy as sand boys to have climbed this 700 metre "showpiece of the Canadian Rockies".
I did need that can of Red Bull before the drive home.
*** UPDATE ***
The timing of our ascent was impeccable. Polar Circus avalanched yesterday.
We parked up and set off on a well-packed trail up the hill towards the start of the climb.
As Nick led the first pitch by the light of his head-torch, I hunkered down, grateful for my down-filled jacket, and looked across the moonlit valley. It was around -15℃. Much more so than in the daytime, I was acutely aware of how vulnerable we were in that dark, starkly beautiful, frozen world. We couldn't afford to make any serious mistakes.
More pitches of climbing followed, interspersed with snow-plods. Some of the snow slopes we traversed were avalanche-prone and would be risky later in the day as temperatures rose. It was good to know that we should be able to by-pass them by abseil on our descent.
The final section of the climb consists of 3 discreet tiers of steep ice, each involving two pitches. This is where the harder climbing started in earnest. As we worked our way up the first tier it began to get light, but temperatures remained low. And because we were now climbing more slowly (we were nearer our technical limit) we were now really feeling the cold - especially when belaying. We had to stop for long periods so that Nick could warm his numb feet.
After 4 more pitches of climbing, a final monster ice tier reared up into view. Aware that the second pitch of this tier is the crux of the climb, I offered to lead the first. Although easier than Nick's, my pitch would involve sections of vertical ice and I felt nervous. As this photo was taken I was about to take off my down jacket to start the lead, feeling, as usual before a hard lead, like a condemned man.
Here's me leading the pitch.
Nick lead the second (crux) pitch, which involved long sections of vertical ice. Rather him than me...
At the top we both felt completely drained. We didn't take any photos, just ate and drank, exchanging few words, 
before starting the long series of abseils down the climb. I can't remember how many abseils we did in the end: nine I think. After one of them the rope stuck and we couldn't pull it down. Faced with having to prusik all the way back up 50 metres of rope, we eventually devised a way of jerking the rope free.
Here's a view of the upper tiers:
In this photo I'm about to do the free-hanging abseil past "the Pencil", a huge ice column which had collapsed near the top:
We finally arrived back at the car at 7pm, 16 hours after we had left it. We felt shattered but happy as sand boys to have climbed this 700 metre "showpiece of the Canadian Rockies". 
I did need that can of Red Bull before the drive home.*** UPDATE ***
The timing of our ascent was impeccable. Polar Circus avalanched yesterday.
Wednesday, 11 March 2009
Provisioning
The checkout lady in Safeway must have thought we were having a children's party.
For the drive and the climb:
Soft fruit sweets, 4 packets
Gatorade 1.5l
Gatorade powder 8l
Oat and other energy bars
Cheese for cheese and ham sarnies
For the drive back:
Danish Pastry, SUPERPACK (no prizes for guessing who chose this)
Chocolate chip muffins (oh alright that was me)
Red Bull
Adding Red Bull to the mix at a children's party might lead to a wee bit too much hyperactivity, though.
For the drive and the climb:
Soft fruit sweets, 4 packets
Gatorade 1.5l
Gatorade powder 8l
Oat and other energy bars
Cheese for cheese and ham sarnies
For the drive back:
Danish Pastry, SUPERPACK (no prizes for guessing who chose this)
Chocolate chip muffins (oh alright that was me)
Red Bull
Adding Red Bull to the mix at a children's party might lead to a wee bit too much hyperactivity, though.
Planning for Polar Circus
Tomorrow we are going to try to climb Polar Circus, a 700m (500m of ice) WI5.
The plan is to steal a march on any other climbers who are also intent on this über-classic. It's quite likely that others like us will have delayed their attempt because of the cold but will now be looking to take advantage of tomorrow's warmer temperatures (forecast is for a low tonight of -17°C, high tomorrow of +4°C).
We're spending the day relaxing, eating and drinking lots, so that we're well fueled and hydrated. We'll have dinner at about 4pm, lights out (sacs packed) at 6pm-ish, in the car at about 1 am. We'll arrive in the dark then set off with head-torches for the first few hours of climbing. The guidebook says the climb is often done in 8-10 hours car to car, but I suspect we'll take longer than that, probably arriving back at the car sometime mid-afternoon - which should see us back here sometime in the evening. A pit stop at Craigs' may be needed on the way back...
Nick has started to pace about. I'm getting a few butterflies, now.
The plan is to steal a march on any other climbers who are also intent on this über-classic. It's quite likely that others like us will have delayed their attempt because of the cold but will now be looking to take advantage of tomorrow's warmer temperatures (forecast is for a low tonight of -17°C, high tomorrow of +4°C).
We're spending the day relaxing, eating and drinking lots, so that we're well fueled and hydrated. We'll have dinner at about 4pm, lights out (sacs packed) at 6pm-ish, in the car at about 1 am. We'll arrive in the dark then set off with head-torches for the first few hours of climbing. The guidebook says the climb is often done in 8-10 hours car to car, but I suspect we'll take longer than that, probably arriving back at the car sometime mid-afternoon - which should see us back here sometime in the evening. A pit stop at Craigs' may be needed on the way back...
Nick has started to pace about. I'm getting a few butterflies, now.
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
Finishing Hammer
Here's a photo of Nick outside our home-from-home. Doesn't his jacket make his head look improbably small? Click on the photo to zoom in and have a proper look.
Much umm-ing and ah-ing over breakfast at Craig's this morning as to what we should do today. Eventually we settled on an easy 200m WI3 gully, off Icefields Parkway, described in the guide as being "fun" in a "great setting". It was too cold for anything very much harder, though I suspect Nick was sorely tempted.
The peaks all around shone in the sun as we set off up the slope and into the gully. In the end there were just a few shortish "steps" of grade 3 ice, which we soloed.
As we got higher the views across the frozen Waterfowl Lake to Howse Peak and the White Pyramid were wonderful.
A good day out in crystal-clear, cold air and sunshine.
Calgary
Judging it too cold to climb, after our hearty breakfast we set off to visit Calgary. The drive took us out of the mountains and 100km or so east across the prairies. Our first stop was the Mountain Equipment Co-op. I was going to call it a climbing gear shop, but that's not right, it's huge, more of a gear supermarket. Heaven. I bought a new harness, a couple of T shirts and other stuff.
With over 1 million inhabitants Calgary is the 3rd largest city in Canada by population. In good part a product of oil money, it was also boosted by being host to the 1988 Winter Olympics.
The city centre is a mass of skyscrapers. These are joined up by a warren of indoor walkways, with glass bridges over the highways to interconnect them. There are shopping areas and food outlets within the warren, and even an indoor garden - though that was closed for refurbishment when we visited. This allows the office workers to live most of their day and travel long distances in their shirtsleeves without needing to brave the subzero temperatures outside.
We got lost straight away of course.
I'm sure it's unfair to make a judgement after such a short visit, but my impression of Calgary was of a lot of money but rather less character. We saw perhaps 3 buildings more than half a century old.
On the drive back we stopped at a restaurant/cafe run by Indians on the Chiniki Stoney Nation reservation. The service was chaotic but accompanied by smiles, and the food was real food and tasted good.
With over 1 million inhabitants Calgary is the 3rd largest city in Canada by population. In good part a product of oil money, it was also boosted by being host to the 1988 Winter Olympics. The city centre is a mass of skyscrapers. These are joined up by a warren of indoor walkways, with glass bridges over the highways to interconnect them. There are shopping areas and food outlets within the warren, and even an indoor garden - though that was closed for refurbishment when we visited. This allows the office workers to live most of their day and travel long distances in their shirtsleeves without needing to brave the subzero temperatures outside.
We got lost straight away of course.
I'm sure it's unfair to make a judgement after such a short visit, but my impression of Calgary was of a lot of money but rather less character. We saw perhaps 3 buildings more than half a century old.
On the drive back we stopped at a restaurant/cafe run by Indians on the Chiniki Stoney Nation reservation. The service was chaotic but accompanied by smiles, and the food was real food and tasted good.
Blueberry pancakes & ice cream
Just thought you might like to see what Nick had for breakfast.
Here it is in close-up.
Monday, 9 March 2009
Canadian machines
Canadians operate some impressive machines. I've posted photos of some already (sad I know). Juggernauts crossing Canada along the Trans-Canada Highway. Snow ploughs running in tandem, clearing both carriageways at once. Double-decker container trains, a kilometer long, running parallel to the highway along the Canadian Pacific Railway , two engines at the front and one at the back to power them over the Rocky Mountain passes.
Even the smaller machines impress. This one, parked in our parking lot, can travel by road AND by rail. Nick saw it running along the railway tracks earlier.
Even the smaller machines impress. This one, parked in our parking lot, can travel by road AND by rail. Nick saw it running along the railway tracks earlier.
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