On The Hills
1952. — Britain. Marshall and Stoney at Easter ascended 30 “Munros” in the Cluanie and Glen Shiel district, and Stoney from Crianlarich in September did 19 more. Gowing had a very fine August in the Highlands in the Coigach — Stacpolly area; Mail did the Teallachs and Conival. Both men visited the Inchnadamff Cave of Roaring and cleared up the mystery.
The Continent. Harry and Frank Stembridge, and Watts were ski-ing in Switzerland; Jorgensen and R. L. Holmes in Norway.
Fox, with Bennett of the J.M.C.S., carried through a marvellous season in the Alps, in which were notable Requin (Mayer-Dibona), Dent du Geant (North Face), Mont Maudit (Frontier Ridge), Les Droits (Traverse), Aiguille Verte, Moine Ridge, Col du Plan (N. Side, 7 hours), Weisshorn (N. Ridge) and other four thousanders.
Jones had a brilliant season of good weather and did an astonishing traverse of Charmoz and Grepon, following that of Plan, Crocodile and Caimen.
Spenceley, Scovell and R. L. Holmes climbed Mont Pourri from Bourg St. Maurice over the Col de Chal, spending the night at the Refuge Mont Pourri and returning down the Val de Nancroit to Landry. Bad weather prevented an attack on the Grand Casse, but an ascent of the Grand Motte was made from the Col de Fresse. Spenceley and Scovell, now joined by Arnison of the Fell and Rock then crossed the Col de Galise and the Col Nivolet to Pont at the head of the Val Savaranche. They climbed the Gran Paradiso from the Refugio Victor Emmanuel. Spenceley and Arnison then went up the unspoiled Val d’Ollomond — dinner, bed and breakfast and unlimited wine for two cost them 300 lira (4/-) — and traversed the Grand Combin from the Refugio Amiante to the Panossiere Hut, making a direct descent from the summit through seracs on to the Glacier Maison Blanche.
1953. — Members’ holidays showed a stronger bias than ever towards the Alps, M. Wilson, Scovell and Tallon were at Belalp, Harry and Frank Stembridge with Godley skied in Austria.
Jones camped at Saas and Zermatt, taking in the Zinal Rothorn and the Dent Blanche, Brook was also in Switzerland and Watts, ripe with life in Brussels, restored himself with the Aiguille de Javelle, the Aiguille du Tour, the Pigne d’Arolla and the Haute Route via the Bertol Hut to Zermatt.
Fox and Kelsey had mixed weather but a large programme traversing the Portjergrat, Fletschorn, Rimpfischorn, then to Chamonix and Aiguilles des Glaciers, Aig. de Beranger, Aig. de Bionassey and Aig. du Plan by the Ryan-Lochmatter route. Later Fox with Spenceley did the Mer de Glace face of the Grepon and Spenceley later did the Chardonnet traverse with Neil Mather of the Rucksack Club.
The President recuperated in the Engadine and Evolene and Slingsby made an October journey to the Gran Sasso d’ltalia. C. E. Burrow took a sail through the Lofoten Islands to the far north of Norway in very winterly conditions.
T. Shaw, with seven other members of the Cambridge University Physiological Expedition, visited Spitzbergen. From a base camp at Brucebyen in Billefjord they carried out Physiological, Geographical and Ornithological research. During his stay of three months Shaw made several journeys, including the first crossing of the Norderskjold Glacier. An attempt to reach the east coast at Edlund Fjord by sledging across the ice-cap was foiled by persistent fog.
Britain. David Reed, looking out on to Kanchenjunga while on a business trip to Darjeeling in October, writes about climbing the highest mountain in the Irish Republic in July. This is in fact three mountains in one, Beenkeragh, Carrantuohill (the highest, 3,414 ft.) and Caher, in Macgillicuddy’s Reeks and a much more interesting climb than was to be expected. Oxtoby also spent a fortnight of the early summer exploring this disctrict.
The following description of certain new climbs is taken from the Club Cottage Records.
CRINKLE CRAGS
TERRACE CRACK 200 ft. (about) SEVERE.
An obvious route up a series of cracks to the left of “A” Gully on the summit Crinkle. Of sound rock through and of high angle.
Pitch 1, about 60 ft. Ascend a short wall of 15 ft. from the terrace and go right, into a corner, slight right. A layback crack gives access to a spike from which a pull up brings one into the first crack. This is climbed to a large block vertically above.
Pitch 2. Step left and into crack. This is ascended. About 50 ft. to a pinnacle belay formed by a large detached flake.
Pitch 3, about 30 ft. Step left into a scoop and climb about 15 ft. to a crack, left. This is ascended with the right foot in a vertical crack on the right wall and a wriggling stomach. Traverse left over a bulge (without handholds). This is the crux. Belay on grass ledge.
Pitch 4. Ascend pleasant wall above ledge slightly right on good holds to top of climb and second terrace of crag.
Broken rock leads to the summit of Crinkle Crag or an escape along second terrace may be made to the left.
WETHERLAM
HEN TOR
A prominent buttress on the south shoulder of Wetherlam, facing due East.
Seen from Little Langdale this is a magnificent Buttress distinguished by a deep gulley at its northern (right hand) edge. It is about 4-500 ft. high. It may best be approached via the Tilberthwaite gill paths or directly upwards from the cottage and cutting across the east corrie of Wetherlam. Seen from a distance the buttress looks magnificent; from middle distance a botanist’s paradise; from the foot even worse. The rock is however excellent and of high Angle and vegetation is not troublesome. It is in fact well worth a visit.
The route — about 200-250 feet. V.D. in rubbers, hard severe in boots.
Pitch (1), 50 feet. Starts at Nebulous cairn 15 feet to the left of the lower apex of the buttress on the cleanest-looking part of the rocks. Ascend vertically on small holds to a heather ledge. Belay.
Pitch (2), 40 feet. Continue vertically for 30 feet then slightly left to a grass ledge with a small belay.
Pitch (3), 40 feet. Step right again and chmb on sloping holds, but improving into a small groove above which is a heather ledge. This is unsafe to pull up on and a step on to a small nose, left, enables the upper wall to be reached and then the ledge. This latter requires some gardening but time was short. Belay on flake. Slight right and 8 feet above ledge. Best for line.
Pitch (4), 90 feet of rock. This affords a magnificent finish on a very high angle rock with small but incut holds. Ascend vertically to the belay of pitch (3) and step left then right on to a wobbly but apparently quite sound flake immediately above the belay. Continue vertically on steepening rock to a running belay (spike) in about 70 feet. This is loose, but will stay jammed to a vertical force. Continue upwards for a further 20 to 30 feet to grass ledges. A good stance is available on a small cave at about 110-120 feet above the top of pitch (3) finish.
Broken rock leads in 200-250 feet to the summit. An alternative escape may be obtained along a broad sloping heather ledge to the right and down and thence into the north gulley.
Both these climbs are excellent approaches to the summit Crinkle Crags and Wetherlam respectively.
D. M. Oxtoby
R. Lockwood
P.S.—There are other routes of high standard on Crinkle Crags on the same buttress.