Sam Leary reports on a day’s private guiding…
Gareth and I had a grand day out in Corrie nan Lochan today. He had booked on for private guiding and some winter climbing after getting the snow and ice bug from a JG alpine course last year. As ever the forecast dictated our objectives and we bypassed the normal lead in as we were climbing 1 to 1 and Monday looked like being the best of Gareth’s 3 days. His Alpine experience allowed me to strap him straight onto a route, the lack of rope knowledge was cancelled out by his sound footwork and cramponing (Mac obviously did a good job with him in the alps). Thrown in at the deep end but as you would expect from someone training to be a TA marine he definitely swam not sank, organised and slick with his personal management we were in danger of being on our chosen route first and the knee deep fresh snow was not going to make getting there pleasant. Enter the tactical faff moment, this was genuine as we had a bit of fun trying to uncoil the rope which was doing its best to resemble a rattlesnakes tea party. By the time we had dealt with the offending article another team was blazing a nice trail to the base of Dorsal Arete, phew close one!
Gareth was not fazed by the Scottish weather nor intimidated by the spectacular rock architecture of the corrie and we were soon tied on heading up onto the route. Despite not having done much rope work before the marine took to it like a duck to water. Tying in and belaying posed no problems and he had adjusting clove hitches sorted on the first go. Using two ice axes was another first for him but he was soon swinging away happily and I was struggling to take the rope in fast enough.
There was lots of new skills to be learned and mastered today but by the third pitch we were moving really well with change overs at belays all going very smoothly. In no time at all we were hanging out at the base of the Dorsal fin itself, I gave the options of the slightly easier traverse left or the more spectacular and harder pitch over the fin itself. Always up for a challenge Gareth opted for the more exciting choice and over the fin we went. It proved to be more entertaining than normal due to the snow conditions but after dangling footless from his ice axes Gareth managed to sort his feet out and finish in fine style.
Having never climbed in Scotland Gareth elected to go up to the summit to bag his first munro height UK mountain (unfortunately it’s not in the table as its too close to Bidean). After doing most of the route in the mist our efforts were rewarded as the clouds started to part and fantastic views appeared, the icing on the cake.
