Simon Richardson reports about the first ascent of Perfect Storm, a new 700m climb established together with Michael Rinn over 8 days up Pointe Louis Amédé on the Miage Face on the Italian side of Mont Blanc (4807 m).
The winter mountaineering season in Scotland has begun in earnest with three notable ascents on Ben Nevis, Hell’s Lum Crag in the Cairngorms and at Beinn Heasgairnich in the Southern Highlands.
The trip report by Simon Richardson who from 4 - 6 August together with Michael Rinn made the first ascent of Game of Thrones (ED2, 1250m), the first route up the South-West Face of Monarch Mountain (3572m) in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia in Canada.
On 08/02/2017 Greg Boswell and Scott Grosdanof made the first ascent of Intravenous Fly Trap, a difficult new mixed climb at Coire an Lochain in the Cairngorms, Scotland.
On the remote island of South Georgia (Southern Atlantic Ocean) Stephen Venables, Skip Novak, Crag Jones, Henry Chaplin, David Lund and Simon Richardson climbed 8 mountains, including the first ascent of the spectacular Starbuck peak and the remote and difficult Mount Baume, one of the highest unclimbed peaks on the island.
Interview with Simon Richardson who, together with Michael Rinn, made the first ascent of Diamond Ridge (1600m, 5c, AO) from 28 - 30 July 2016. This new alpine climb breaches the SSE Face of Grandes Jorasses (Mont Blanc massif).
In October 2015 alpinists Hayden Kennedy (USA), Urban Novak (SLO), Manu Pellissier (FRA) and Marko Prezelj (SLO) made the first ascent of the East Face of Cerro Kishtwar (6173m), as well as climbing a new route up the South Ridge of Chomochior (6278m) in Indian Kashmir Himalayas.
On 02/02/2015 Greg Boswell, Uisdean Hawthorn and Guy Robertson made the first winter ascent of The Messiah on Beinn Bhan in Scotland. This is the third onsight ascent of a Scottish grade X route in a fortnight.
At Creag an Dubh Loch in Scotland Greg Boswell and Guy Robertson made the first ascent, onsight, of Range War X/10. This is only the second route of this difficulty to be ascended in this style, after their The Greatest Show on Earth at Cul Mor.
The winter climbing season in Scotland has begun with three noteworthy ascent: the first winter ascent of Boggle of Beinn Eighe by Martin Moran and Robin Thomas and the first repeats of Tomahawk Crack on Ben Nevis (Will Sim and Andy Inglis) and Culloden on Creag an Dubh Loch (Guy Robertson and Greg Boswell).
On February 28 Olov Isaksson from Sweden and Karin Zgraggen from Switzerland made the first ascent of Eggäschpili (IX,9) on Stob Coire nan Lochan in Glen Coe, Scotland.
Tito Arosio from Italy reports about the BMC International Winter Climbing Meet that took place in Scotland from 26 January to 2 February 2014.
On 11 January four new routes were added to Creag an Dubh Loch in Scotland by Nick Bullock, Greg Boswell, Callum Johnson, Uisdean Hawthorn, Simon Richardson, Guy Robertson, Will Sim and Iain Small.
On 7 December Greg Boswell made the first winter ascent of The Demon (IX, 9) at Coire an Lochain in the Northern Corries, Scotland.
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).
A report of the recent new winter routes climbed in Scotland which include Shooting the Breeze (IX,8 Guy Robertson, Greg Boswell) and Immortal Memory (IX,9 Guy Robertson, Jason Currie) on Beinn Eighe, Vapourizer (VIII,8 Guy Robertson, Greg Boswell) on Creag an Dubh Loch, No Success Like Failure (IX,8 Simon Richardson, Iain Small) on Ben Nevis and Suspended Animation (VIII,9 Martin Moran, Pete Maccpherson) on Beinn Bhan.
On 29/11/2012 Greg Boswell and Adam Russell made the first ascent of Tomahawk Crack (VIII,9) on Ben Nevis in Scotland.
The aluminium marker at the top of Number Four Gully on Ben Nevis is being reviewed by the land owners, the John Muir Trust.
Scottish climber Doug Lang died in avalanche in Corrie Fee on 18/03/2011 aged 69. Simon Richardson remembers the man who played a leading role in the Scottish mountainering for over 50 years.
A series of hard repeats and first ascents on Ben Nevis, Coire an t-Sneachda and Lochnagar, including the second ascent of The Hurting (XI,11 Dave MacLeod, 2005) by Andy Turner.
