Home page Planetmountain.com
Greg Boswell making the first ascent of 'Bring da ruckus' at Lochnagar with Hamish Frost and Jamie Skelton. Graded XII 13, this 2-pitch outing is one of the hardest mixed climbs in Scotland.
Photo by Jamie Skelton
The ominous Shadow Buttress A at Lochnagar in Scotland where on 12/01/2023 Greg Boswell, Hamish Frost and Jamie Skelton made the first ascent of 'Bring da ruckus'. Graded XII 13, this 2-pitch outing is the hardest mixed climbs in Scotland.
Photo by Greg Boswell

Greg Boswell establishes hardest winter climb in Scotland at Lochnagar

by

On Thursday 12/01/2023 Greg Boswell made the first ascent of 'Bring da ruckus' at Lochnagar. Graded XII 13, this 2-pitch outing is one of the hardest mixed climbs in Scotland.

Greg Boswell has made what is likely to be the hardest winter climb in Scotland with his extremely impressive single-day, ground-up first ascent of Bring da ruckus at Lochnagar.

The Scottish mountaineer teamed up with Hamish Frost and Jamie Skelton last Thursday and on reaching the col noticed that the huge black roof on the ominous triangular front face of Shadow Buttress A was in condition. This feature had never been climbed before, not even in summer, and after a herculean effort Boswell managed to breach it on his third attempt. Crossing the roof involves huge, extremely burley moves, and on his first attempt he fell when his axe got caught cutting loose, while on his second attempt he fell getting established over the lip.

Boswell lowered down, pulled the ropes and on his third attempt powered his way through the roof, not knowing what lay in store above. Although getting established over the lip constitutes the technical crux, the next few meters proved serious before he finally placed some gear and reached an adequate belay. Frost and Skelton followed and, braving the snowfall and onset of darkness, the trio climbed another long pitch to reach the end of the difficulties before abseiling back to their rucksacks.

After his ascent, the 31-year-old noted "It was awesome to get on something of this difficulty without knowing anything about what was above. Climbing the route ground up and swinging through the roof on blind, scrittley pick placements, not knowing remotely what was above was a real mental battle!" As to the overall difficulties, Boswell explained "The sustained nature of this route and the power packed and blind crux roof puts it above every other high grade route I’ve climbed in Scotland."

He has proposed the unprecedented grade of XII 13. While XII has already been put forward in the past, it is the tech grade (the second number) that has never been suggested before.

Boswell's winter curriculm is second-to-none and over the years he has amassed numerous bold first ascents such as Banana Wall at Coire an Lochain in 2015 and testing repeats, notably Dave MacLeod's The Hurting (repeated in 2011), Don't Die of Ignorance (repeated in 2012) and Anubis (repeated in 2019). Writing to planetmountain, Boswell explained that Bring da ruckus is "technically harder than anything else I’ve done in Scotland, or on trad gear in general."

Bring da ruckus is a major new addition to Scottish winter climbing. Although Boswell took two falls, it cannot be overstated quite how much ability and commitment this ground-up style, trad and in winter, at a remote crag in the Scottish Highlands, requires.

Boswell thanks: SCARPA, Petzl, Sunto, RAB, Leki, Lowe Alpine

Links: FB Greg Boswell, IG Greg Boswell, gregboswell.co.uk

Share


NEWS / Related news:
Vortex added to Cul Mor in Scotland by Greg Boswell & Guy Robertson
24.12.2022
Vortex added to Cul Mor in Scotland by Greg Boswell & Guy Robertson
On 18/12/2022 Greg Boswell and Guy Robertson made the first ascent of Vortex X,10, a testing new winter climb on Cul Mor in NW Scotland
Scottish winter climbing: Greg Boswell, Guy Robertson debut on Nihilist at Lochnagar
12.12.2022
Scottish winter climbing: Greg Boswell, Guy Robertson debut on Nihilist at Lochnagar
Greg Boswell and Guy Robertson have made the first winter ascent of Nihilist IX 9 at Lochnagar in Scotland.
Greg Boswell adds great late winter climbs to Scotland
17.04.2022
Greg Boswell adds great late winter climbs to Scotland
Scottish mountaineer Greg Boswell has made the first ascent of two interesting winter climbs: The Reckoning at An Teallach with Guy Robertson and Fear of the Unknown at Coire an Lochain with Jamie Skelton
Last great icefall climbed on Ben Nevis by Greg Boswell, Hamish Frost, Guy Robertson
10.03.2022
Last great icefall climbed on Ben Nevis by Greg Boswell, Hamish Frost, Guy Robertson
On 6 March 2022 Greg Boswell, Hamish Frost and Guy Robertson made the first ascent of The Fear Factory (350m, WI6R), described as 'the last great unclimbed icefall on Ben Nevis.'
Watch Dave MacLeod soloing the Orion Face Direct on Ben Nevis in Scotland
31.12.2021
Watch Dave MacLeod soloing the Orion Face Direct on Ben Nevis in Scotland
The video of Scottish mountaineer Dave MacLeod soloing the classic Orion Face Direct on Ben Nevis, one of the longest and most famous winter routes in Great Britain.
Dave MacLeod, Iain Small establish Nevermore on Ben Nevis, Scotland
10.12.2020
Dave MacLeod, Iain Small establish Nevermore on Ben Nevis, Scotland
Scottish climbers Dave MacLeod and Iain Small have made the first ascent of the mixed climb Nevermore on Ben Nevis, Scotland.
Greg Boswell climbs Banana Wall in Scotland
09.03.2015
Greg Boswell climbs Banana Wall in Scotland
Climbing together with Masa Sakano, Greg Boswell has made the first ascent of Banana Wall at Coire an Lochain. Graded XII,12, this is only the second winter route of this difficulty in Scotland.
Ben Nevis winter climbing: Point Five Gully and Tower Ridge
04.01.2014
Ben Nevis winter climbing: Point Five Gully and Tower Ridge
Quintessential winter climbing in Scotland: Ben Nevis and the classic routes Point Five Gully and Tower Ridge introduced by the Mountain Guide Mike Pescod.
Important new winter additions to Ben Nevis
18.03.2013
Important new winter additions to Ben Nevis
Two new winter climbs have been added to Ben Nevis in Scotland: Deadly Presence (VIII,7, Iain Small, Doug Hawthorn) and Shooting Star (VI,6, Robin Clothier, Richard Bentley).
MacLeod adds two new winter climbs to Ben Nevis
26.02.2013
MacLeod adds two new winter climbs to Ben Nevis
Dave MacLeod has made the first ascent of two new winter climbs on Ben Nevis in Scotland, White Noise M10+/M11 and The Snotter VIII,8.
New Ben Nevis testpiece by Greg Boswell
06.12.2012
New Ben Nevis testpiece by Greg Boswell
On 29/11/2012 Greg Boswell and Adam Russell made the first ascent of Tomahawk Crack (VIII,9) on Ben Nevis in Scotland.
Don't Die of Ignorance, Greg Boswell video on Ben Nevis
21.02.2012
Don't Die of Ignorance, Greg Boswell video on Ben Nevis
The trailer of the first repeat of Don't Die of Ignorance, XI, 11 Ben Nevis carried out by Greg Boswell.
Don't die of Ignorance, first repeat on Ben Nevis by Boswell and Dunn
31.01.2012
Don't die of Ignorance, first repeat on Ben Nevis by Boswell and Dunn
On 29/01/2012 Greg Boswell and James Dunn made the coveted second ascent of Don't die of Ignorance, XI,11, Ben Nevis, Scotland.

SEARCH news

ZONE

CATEGORY

Full text search

AUTHOR

EXPO / Products
EXPO / Company News
Planetmountain.com logo
Planetmountain.com: climbing, alpinism, mountaineering, trekking, via ferrata, freeride skiing, ski mountaineering, snowboarding and ice climbing worldwide. Furthermore the site contains technical gear reviews, book and film reviews, expert advice, mountain photos, sport climbing competitions.
INFO
The information is indicative and subject to change due to the nature of the mountain environment. Given the inherently risky nature of the activities described within, Planetmountain.com does not assume any responsibility for the use of the information published.
NEWSLETTER

SUBSCRIBE to receive the weekly newsletter with all the latest news from planetmountain.com

Recent Comments Ice
  • L'uomo Volante
    Il 10 giugno 2017, insieme all'amico Michele, decidiamo di r ...
    2017-07-12 / Enrico Maioni
  • Gallo George
    Il 16 luglio 2016, invogliati dalla relazione, ci siamo avve ...
    2017-07-12 / Enrico Maioni
  • All-in
    Francesco Salvaterra e Filippo Mosca 27 gennaio 2017, probab ...
    2017-02-02 / Francesco Salvaterra
  • Una via per te fatta in tre
    Prima ripetizione effettuata il 3/11. Da rettificare la diff ...
    2015-11-13 / maurizio piller%20hoffer