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| Neil working hard to get to the base of Scabbard Chimney (V,6***) |
After abseiling down Scabbard Chimney (V,6***) the other day, I was well keen to get up to it and have a go. Neil Pope was free and up for a climb, so we set off. We got to the SCNL car park to find 3 other teams already 40 mins up the path with headtorhes - little did we know at this point that they were about to be breaking trail for us - thanks guys! We got to the snow to discover just how deep it was - consistently up to knee level and often up to waist level. In the coire we found the teams fighting/swimming up to Central Grooves and Raeburn's Route. Our route up to Scabbard Chimney was a little less challenging.
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| Teams working incredibly hard to get to the base of Central Grooves (VII,7****) and Raeburn's Route (IV,4***) |
The first pitch started with the short chimney and was a little awkward. The offwidth crack to follow was rejecting my initial attempts so I brought Neil up to give me time to think. My next effort was a little more determined and I found a brilliant hook, which led to finding the nuts on the left wall, which took me to the proper first belay - awesome - that was the pitch I was worried about, hearing that the thin slab, had caused some leaders to fall off!
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| Neil coming up towards the first belay - finishing the first awkward chimney |
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| After the first short chimney on pitch 1 is this offwidth crack. I was a bit nervous of it, so I belayed at it's base, splitting the pitch into 2. It worked out well after finding a couple of bits of gear and great hooks on the left wall. |
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| Neil arriving at the first belay |
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| The team on the first belay of Central Grooves - 3 people on the hanging stance I think, in the centre of the photo |
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| This is the view up the third pitch (our 4th pitch) from the sentry box belay. |
The next pitch to the sentry box was brilliant too, with excellent climbing - a little less technical than the previous pitch.This led to the main event - the pitch in the photo above. The last pitch was initially a little thin, but the many pegs were helpful, and the hooks were deep. Still I found this less technical than the offwidth crack/slab pitch earlier - but all pitches were ***. A fantastic route. Cheers for a great day Neil.
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| Neil doing the awkward moves to get up this crack to the sentry box belay |
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| Welcome to the sentry box |
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| Neil exiting the difficulties of Scabbard Chimney |
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| Colours are beginning to change on the Aonach Eagach Ridge |
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| 2 quick abseils off |
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| Time to pack away, now that it's in the bag. The team on Central Grooves were on pitch 3 with about an hour of daylight left - behind Neil on the cliff in the photo. |
