Year of publication 1960 - Fell and Rock Climbing Club

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38 SOME SCOTTISH SCRAMBLESlooked at the Eastern Traverse. I started on it, scraping andcutting; the soft snow was balling under my crampons.After 40 feet there was a dip, the snow was slightly cornicedand the step down was out of balance; indeed it was themoment de verite. I went back. We tried to the right of theTower but the snow appeared ready to avalanche, so wereturned to its foot once more. The only safe wav wasPigott's Route. This started up a little ice-coated slab.'Should I take my crampons off?''No, it's just like wearing nails,' Eric said casually.The slab led to a steep chimney, then a ledge whichbrought me to an ice-filled crack. I always get nervous atcruces and I was nervous now. Forty-five minutes later and25 feet higher I was on top of the Great Tower. The dyingsun turned the snow to pink, the whirling spindrift from thesummit plateau seemed to beckon us, and ahead stretched anunbroken arete of snow. In the gathering darkness we foughtour way across the Gap and cramponed on to the top. Wewere more than satisfied with our seven hours when weheard later that the parties behind us had been benighted.One day in June we toiled up the Alt a' Mhuillin, had aleisurely lunch, then did the Long Climb; very pleasant, butwe were here for something else; on the Great Buttress ofCam Dearg were two of the most coveted climbs in Scotland,Sassenach and Centurion. Ian* had made the third ascent ofSassenach the previous week, so the next day we turned toCenturion. This was a Downes-Whillans innovation whichhad not yet been repeated throughout.We spun for leads and I started. The tension in my stomachwas like a fist and the words of the typical Rock and Icedescription kept going through my head: words like 'awkwardly',and 'delicately.' The second pitch is a 120-footcrack, one of the most magnificent pitches I have ever done.On the left is a holdless wall, while on the right is a sweep ofsmooth armour-plated slabs that fall to the ground. Ianwas 80 feet up when the rope jammed. I had to untie andclimb down to free it while Ian tied himself to a hastilyinserted piton. At the top of this crack a traverse left and agroove led to an overhung bay with a piton belay: a splendidsituation. We made a difficult exit by the left wall, and from* Ian Clough (Y.M.C.).
Terry Sullivan 39here things went unsteadily by alternate leads to a junctionwith the traverse of Route 2.Breaking through the overhangs above was the crux of theclimb. A very awkward step is made, without handholds,on to a flake. This leads to a smooth slab which is climbedwith more faith than friction. Now, with one pitch to go, thetension was at its highest. I climbed the 'spiky arete' andfrom the 'bulge' I could see the finish. The most tired personin the world could have done that last little layback, and theclimb was over. Without hesitation I say it is the finest routeI have ever done.Three weeks later I was back. Sassenach for the Sassenachswas the theme. The principal feature of the climb is a hugediedre, the entrance to which is barred by a big roof. Theclimbing is quite reasonable until just below the roof. Heremy two friends and I surveyed the problem.Laden with slings, I attacked the initial crack. The firststep was to stand in a jammed knot sling; this brought anothersling into reach. But this second one was old and tatty andthere was no room for another. I looked at the sling, lookedat the belay, breathed deeply, pulled up, and promptly hit myhead on the roof. An etrier was clipped in and I 'rested.'The more I looked at the sling, the worse it appeared, so,deciding that the situation was bad for my nerves, I left forthe 'safety' of a chockstone about 10 feet to the left. Anothersling went round this and more etriers were clipped in to giveboth rest and security. A look round the corner, and I saidto myself:'Ah, layback on that flake, stand on the ledge andI'm up.' I stepped up and started laybacking; the flake wasloose. Back in the etriers, I viewed the situation again. Butthere was no other way. With profound respect for the flake'sstability, I tried once more and it went: the pitch, I mean; theflake is still there to my knowledge.As I was bringing up Alan and Peter,* black clouds beganrolling in and the wind was increasing; when the three of usviewed the big diedre, the rain was lashing at us. After ahurried conference we decided to go on, so I put my socksover my rubbers and started up. The way led up, past, andover the biggest, loosest and dirtiest flake in the world. Allthree of us found this part most harrowing, but except forthis one short passage the rock was quite good. As we gained* Alan Parkin and Peter Drake (J.M.C.S.).
Page 1 and 2: ft'H. P. SMLSBURY (President, 19.5K
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTSPAGEThe North Face of the G
Page 5 and 6: 2 NORTH FACE OF GRANDES JORASSESpai
Page 7 and 8: 4 NORTH FACE OF GRANDES JORASSESdur
Page 9 and 10: EXTREMES AND EXCESSESHarold DrasdoT
Page 11 and 12: 8 EXTREMES AND EXCESSESget attached
Page 13 and 14: 1(1 EXTREMES AND EXCESSESLater it w
Page 15 and 16: 12 THE EVENING ALPSnice bed here, o
Page 17 and 18: 14 THE EVENING ALPSindeed awaiting
Page 21 and 22: 18 THE EVENING ALPSmaxim: nature ab
Page 23 and 24: 20 THE EVENING ALPSa party of four
Page 25 and 26: 2.2 THE EVENING ALPSCanadian proble
Page 27 and 28: THE MOUNTAINS OF MOURNEPeter Grindl
Page 29 and 30: 26 THE MOUNTAINS OF MOURNEthe Spelg
Page 31 and 32: Peter Grindley 27the line in a very
Page 33 and 34: Peter Grindley 29But this is a digr
Page 35 and 36: G. Oliver 31to the next pitch which
Page 37 and 38: G. Oliver 33Phil Gordon was leading
Page 39 and 40: G. Oliver 35The second pitch, which
Page 41: SOME SCOTTISH SCRAMBLESTerry Sulliv
Page 45 and 46: A BRAKING HITCHJohn C. LythThis hit
Page 47 and 48: John C. Lyth 43
Page 49 and 50: John C. Lyth 45The rope is laid as
Page 51 and 52: CLIMBS OLD AND NEWEAGLE CRAGTRAPEZE
Page 53 and 54: Peter Moffat 49(2) 65 feet. Continu
Page 55 and 56: Peter Moffat 51right, round a rib,
Page 57 and 58: Peter Moffat 53(2) 100 feet. The be
Page 59 and 60: Peter Moffat 55stance with good fla
Page 61 and 62: Peter Moffat 57(2) 70 feet. Travers
Page 63 and 64: Peter Moffat 59(3) 60 feet. Climb u
Page 65 and 66: Peter Moffat 61LANGDALEGIMMER CRAGK
Page 67 and 68: Peter Moffat 63above almost to a ju
Page 69 and 70: Peter Moffat 65(4) 80 feet. This pi
Page 71 and 72: Peter Moffat 67the final overhangin
Page 73 and 74: IN MEMORIAMHENRY BRAITHWAITE, 1906-
Page 75 and 76: IN MEMORIAM 71of an observant and i
Page 77 and 78: IN MEMORIAM 73years all school holi
Page 79 and 80: IN MEMORIAM 75number of years a Lib
Page 81 and 82: IN MEMORIAM 77assert that, protecte
Page 83 and 84: CLIMBS AND EXPEDITIONS 79He carried
Page 85 and 86: CLIMBS AND EXPEDITIONS 81Terry Sull
Page 87 and 88: THE YEAR WITH THE CLUBHarry Ironfie
Page 89 and 90: ANNUAL DINNER, 1959F. H. F. Simpson
Page 91 and 92: ANNUAL DINNER 87John Hirst did anot
Page 93 and 94:
JEKYLL AND HYDE 89While hateful Hyd
Page 95 and 96:
SCOTTISH MEETS 91energetic to scram
Page 97 and 98:
LONDON SECTION, 1959During this yea
Page 99 and 100:
RlSSlANS WITH SOME OK THEIR HOSTS I
Page 101 and 102:
96 EDITOR'S NOTESGimmer where Paul
Page 103:
CLIMBING BOOK 1893-1906A note by J.
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Year of publication 1960 - Fell and Rock Climbing Club

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