mountaineering directions

Fri, Sep 28, 2007

I was reading the Scottish Mountaineering Incidents report on the MC of S website and among the various and interesting statistics that were inferred and deduced from the raw rescue data were these “facts”.

  • Scrambling is the most "dangerous" activity an outdoors enthusiast can do. You're more likely to end up as jam but only if you're a young male.
  • Rock climbing is tending more and more towards indoor climbing.
  • Snow and ice climbing, based on current global warming predictions and associated rescue and participation data will be extinct in Scotland within the next 10 years.
  • More and more people are hillwalking although the percentage of walkers being involved in callouts is more or less constant.
Those are fascinating conclusions. I've paraphrased them here for clarify but that's more or less what the report says. As for the first one, it depends on the scrambler. I've had some hairy scrambles in my time. How you cope with the situations determines how you relate to the outdoors environment. It's called experience and it's the tales of derring-do by the likes of Tom Weir and Hamish MacInnes, on wet slimy Bell routes, sleeping under copies of the Glasgow Herald and having nights in the Arrochar Caves.

As for rock climbing disappearing indoors, well, I can sort of see the point. But the crags of the Lake District are still crowded and I was on the Fiacaill Ridge in the Cairngorms a wee while ago and I could still hear the old familiar shouts of “tight rope”, “watch me here”, “beloooooow” coming from the cliffs across Coire an t-Sneachda! But the indoor scene is gigantic compared to what it was when I started climbing, with my first lead on The Wrinkle. I’ve even soloed a few Diffs but nothing like Kevin Shields, who is showing that outdoor climbing is still as exciting as ever.

Ice climbing? I haven’t done any in years. I had some “sport” on Blaven last year in wee grooves near the summit but on the whole the weather is too warm for too long. My first ice route, Observatory Gully/Gardyloo Gully on the Ben was superb, if an epic of cornice headbutting and screaming blizzards. I even downclimbed Glover’s Chimney once as it was too crowded! But yes, the weather is not favourable to ice climbing any more. I know you can do torquing and all that and I was watching Graeme Ettles torquing up White Magic in the Cairngorms and I just winced at every scrape and hack at the rock face, devoid of ice. It was filmed a long time ago and I remember the watching it when it was first shown and was transfixed by the man’s skill and the situation. I aspired to that. Now, my attitudes have changed and I just can’t see the point of “ice climbing” without ice. Scotland has always been famous for frozen turf routes but I always preferred the big IV routes, steep snow and ice, good protection, sometimes and the added dimension of winter weather.

And so to the last point. Hillwalking is really taking off apparently and the good news is, the number of people needing help due to bad or missing equipment is declining. But the old cherry of navigation is still there. It’s the most common cause of callouts for hillwalkers. Navigation skills or the lack thereof.

So if you’re a young tyro starting out on your outdoor life, scramble up those ridges but make sure you test each hold before you swing from them. Rock climbers, chances are if you stay outside you’ll become more of a philosopher of risk, while ice climbers, well, grab a deckchair and head for the sun.

If you’re new to hillwalking, get yourself down to a navigation day at, say Tiso, or the MC of S. Or check out Glenmore Lodge.

As for me? I’m off along the Blaven - Clach Glas ridge tomorrow!