College Season – Developing Leading
Posted by Max Hunter on 23rd September, 2014
Louise on Clapham Junction
Setting up a belay on SW Buttress
Last week I kicked off my Autumn season of working with the College (WHC, West Highland College, UHI, University of the Highlands and Islands). I was with Louise, Emily, Angus and Alex, working on ‘developing their leading’.
The weather was terrific (as usual on the West Coast!) – hot, sunny and dry with almost no midges at all. In fact it was so good that Glenmore Lodge came over for a day in Polldubh – to develop the leading skills of their clients – and they rattled through many of the starred classics. It turned in to a very sociable day.
We started on SW Buttress to look at setting up a belay on simple, but multiple anchors, to bring up a second. We moved on to the bottom of Pinnacle Ridge to look at gear placements and setting up a belay using gear with anchors in and out of reach. We then got to the climbing on Clapham Junction, Severe Crack and Pinnacle Ridge – all great climbs, but with some hugely polished holds! The team enjoyed the climbs but with the additional stress of trying to place gear as they climbed.
Later in the day Mark had his unfortunate ‘wee mishap’ and ended up in A&E, with bruised pride and a poorly ankle. Best wishes for a speedy recovery – don’t worry, you’ll be solid before we put the summer trad grading aside and focus on the winter grading system!
Hunter Mountaineering – Louise was back out again on the Saturday, partnered by Magnus and Led by Alan Halewood, up Tower Ridge. Saturday was the Carpe Diem day, where clients could have a day of free guiding on Ben Nevis, as long as they took part in the Carpe Diem opportunity to ‘put something back in’. I was sorry I couldn’t be there – it sounded like a hugely successful event.