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About the Northumbrian Mountaineering Club (NMC) The NMC is a meeting point for climbers, fell walkers and mountaineers of all abilities. Our activities centre on rock-climbing in the summer and snow and ice climbing in the winter. Meets are held regularly throughout the year. The NMC is not, however a commercial organization and does NOT provide instructional courses.
NMC Meets The NMC Members’ handbook (available to all members) and the NMC website list the dates and locations of all meets. This magazine lists the meets arranged for the next few months.
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BMC Public Liability Insurance for climbing incidents. Discounted NMC guide books. Discounted entry at certain indoor climbing walls and shops. Access to the extensive NMC library.
Join the NMC Download a Membership form from: www.thenmc.org.uk Send the signed and completed membership form with a cheque made out to the NMC for the membership fee (see below) to the Membership Secretary at the address shown on the membership form. Membership Fees •Full £25 •Prospective £10.00
Quarterly Magazine Contributions to this magazine are always welcome - photos are especially welcome. Send Contributions to:
Non-members: Are always welcome to attend meets.
magazine@thenmc.org.uk
Note: Winter indoor meets require a minimum of prospective membership (see below) due to venue requirements for third party insurance.
If you received this magazine as a paper copy, you may be interested to learn that you can get it a lot faster and in colour as a free download from our website.
Membership Details Members are Prospective until they fulfill the conditions for Full Membership (see membership form.) Full membership is valid for one year from the end of February. Prospective membership expires at the end of March each year. Membership gets you: • Copy of the quarterly magazine. NMC Quarterly Magazine
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To arrange for email notification that the latest issue of the magazine is ready for you to download, contact the membership secretary at: secretary@thenmc.org.uk
Photos Unless otherwise stated all photos in this issue were taken by the author of the article. October 2008
Committee 2007/2008 President – Peter Bennett Vice Pres. – John Mountain Secretary–Carolyn Horrocks Treasurer – John Mountain Membership – C. Horrocks Access – Richard Pow Hut Co-ord. – Neil Cranston Hut Bookings – Derek Cutts Magazine Ed. – Peter Flegg Social Sec – Sam Judson Librarian – Sam Judson Guide books – John Earl General: Andrew Coverdale, Ben Gibson, Caroline Judson, Adrian Heath & John Dalrymple.
As an affiliate to the BMC, the NMC endorses the following participation statement: The BMC recognises that climbing, hill walking and mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and involvement.
Copyright The contents of this magazine are copyright and may not be reproduced without permission of the NMC. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the editor or the NMC.
Cover Shot Rob Say on Jacob’s Ladder V Diff, Great Wanney, 9 Aug 2006 Photo by John Dalrymple
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What’s in this issue? Weekend meets ................................................... 3 Wednesday evening meets .................................. 3 Guest speakers & socials..................................... 4 Project: the Kyloe HVSs ..................................... 5 NMC news .......................................................... 8 (James) Gordon Mitchell—Obituary .................. 9 New hut key system introduced ........................ 10 Valais Alps 2007—Part 2.................................. 11 CASC update..................................................... 14 Climbing Down-Under in NZ ........................... 15
20/21 March 09
Muir of Inveray—Peter Bennett 01670 515 263
3/4 April 09
Milehouse, Kincraig—Eva Diran 07824 627 772
Wednesday evening meets Wednesday evening indoor meets start from 15 Oct 08, at the excellent wall at Burnside Community College in Wallsend.
The following list shows the weekend climbing/social meets currently arranged.
The club has the wall booked exclusively for NMC members and it’s a great venue for us. Bring all your own equipment.
You MUST contact the meet leader in advance, as accommodation may be limited or already fully booked.
Note: For College insurance purposes all climbers at the wall must be either a Full or Provisional NMC member.
Note: A deposit may be required to reserve your place on a weekend trip.
Changes to sign-in method:
Weekend meets
18/19 Oct 08
Sun 02 Nov 08 20-23 Nov 08
Yorkshire Bouldering— Andrew Coverdale 07502 165 139 MTB meet—Adrian Heath 07903 377 012 Kendal Mountain Film Fest
Sun 07 Dec 09
President’s walk—Peter Bennett 01670 515 263
Sat 6 Dec 09
Christmas gathering—meet for a drink on the quayside before moving on for a meal in La Tasca restaurant—Sam Judson 07793 522 261
27 Dec 08 - 4 Jan 09
The wall is available from 18.00 to 21.00 after which we adjourn to the Shiremoor House Farm Pub for beer, food and chat. NMC Guest Speaker: Es Tresidder 8pm Wed 29 Oct 08 Burnside Community College
Chamonix/Cogne climb/ski/snowboard—Kin Choi 07810 833 179
9/10 Jan 09
Black Rock Cottage—Peter Bennett 01670 515 263
Sat 7 Feb 2009
Ceilidh—a fun get-together in Chillingham Arms pub where you can show off your dancing skills—Sam Judson 07793 522 261
20/21 Feb 09
Members MUST show their NMC membership card at the College reception desk and pay the £4 entrance fee and sign in at the desk.
Es is a young alpinist, mountaineer and runner who also currently holds the record for the Cuillin Traverse (3+ hours). He's recently been to Greenland, and has frequent adventures in Scotland and Chamonix as well. His web site URL is:
http://www.es-on-ice.co.uk/
Inchree——Peter Bennett 01670 515 263
NMC Quarterly Magazine
October 2008
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Guest speakers & socials Our winter series of guest speakers has been arranged by Sam Judson (the Social sec.) These are held in the lecture theatre in Burnside School and start at 20.30 after Wednesday evening climbing.
Beginners' Winter Skills Weekend This weekend will provide you with a basic grounding in winter mountaineering—it is not a climbing course. Both days will be spent in the mountains, with day one learning the skills and day two ascending a peak depending on weather conditions.
Don't forget we're allowed to bring a carryout (can/bottle) in with us—just as long as we do carry it out afterwards. Wed 29 Oct 08
Guest Speaker—Es Tresidder, famous for his winter exploits— see box on page 3 for further details
Wed 19 Nov 08
Member’s slides—bring in a few slides to show of your summer climbing activities
Wed 10 Dec 08
Christmas Quiz by Barry Imerson—your chance to test your climbing and general knowledge skills. Competing in small teams with a prize for the winning team—this is always a fun event.
Wed 17 Dec 08
Guest Speaker —Tim Catterall, NMC member, talks about his summer exploits new routing in the outer Hebrides
Wed 28 Jan 09
AGM—committee members provide feedback on their tasks and future issues, and a new committee is elected. It's your club so come along and have your say!
NMC Quarterly Magazine
October 2008
Course covers: • Winter clothing • Ice axe & crampon use for walking • Winter navigation • Avalanche theory (intro) • Weather • Emergency techniques Requirements: Reasonable fitness with summer walking experience Date: Sat/Sun 3/4 Jan 2009 Location: Alex MacIntyre Memorial Hut, Ballachulish Cost: approx £68 includes accommodation to be paid by 1 Dec 08
Instructor: Tim Hakim (MIC, Winter ML) Bookings: to Richard Pow preferably by email richardpow@talktalk.net or Tel: 01665 570 590
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Project: the Kyloe HVSs John Spencer
With the prospect of decent Bank Holiday weather and a visitor from the north it was clear we needed a project. Now Jim is the Project Übermeister, always coming up with interesting ideas— eg The Northumberland Cracks, Walls and Slabs at Bowden and Kyloe, that sort of thing, not that we ever manage to execute many of them.
technical solution to the initial overhang before accepting there is simply no alternative to the required gymnastic rockover, achieved with a thrutch and a grunt. It used to be a breeze when there was a shed roof to step off! The route eases considerably in the middle section which disappoints slightly but the top overhang provides a suitably thuggish finale. One down, 11 to go. Next up was John’s lead of Threadbare, which has a slightly artificial feel to it. But
The weather forecast promised a breezy day so Kyloe Out was an obvious choice of venue, and for the project Jim came up with the idea of ‘The Kyloe Hard VSs’. The NMC guide lists 12 lines at that grade, which with warm-up and warm down routes tagged on the beginning and the end seemed like a reasonable plan of action. Jim picked up John at Berwick Station and we rendezvoused by the farm. We warmed up on St Ivel, with Jim at the sharp end; not a hard climb but one whose thin first moves are John Leading The Elevator HVS 5a always a reminder that the higher you go, the more independent it Northumberland sandstone is... well, just feels and the top moves are a further what it is – you will know what I mean. It reminder of Northumberland’s was my lead next, on HVS No 1, Saint’s idiosyncrasies, stepping up, as you must, Arete. Like everyone before and since, I on rounded holds covered with a dusting of poodled around for a while trying to find a NMC Quarterly Magazine
October 2008
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fine sandy ball bearings, nothing feeling completely reliable. Number 3: Devil’s Edge, succumbed to a seemingly effortless assault by Jim with thankfully only muted mutterings about the advantages of a long reach (Jim is, shall we say, somewhat vertically challenged and takes every opportunity to harangue those of us longer of limb about how much easier this or that move must be for us). This is a great route, a real Northumbrian classic and one of the best of its grade in the NE. It was first climbed in 1957 by Geoff Oliver when even we were bairns and most of you, dear readers, weren’t even a twinkle, and it must have been a wild prospect with the amount of old style, pre-cam gear he would have been able to place. Number 4: my lead again, saw us on Active Service. This is a nice line but in grade terms a bit of a damp squib. The first 3 metres now features as a line in the new Bouldering Guide. Furthermore, that other guide1 has downgraded the line to Hard Severe 5b! Whatever, the rockover onto the slab from the arête is a neat move, worth doing and actually protectable with a small cam although the second would probably have to jump backwards to save your ankles. With one third of the project completed it was time for a caffeine and carbo boost before moving onto OB (Overhanging Buttress.) The sun was shining now, although it was chilly and up above, the clouds were scudding across the sky. One of the lovely things about Kyloe, indeed most Northumberland venues, is the view, in this instance a 180 degree panorama sweeping from the Cheviot to the west round to the Tweed valley in the north. Number 5: Lost Property, fell to John’s elegant style. Despite a smattering of dodgy rock in the middle section—and what would Northumberland climbing be without dodgy rock?!—this is a nice line, albeit slightly overshadowed by its 1
neighbours. Jim’s simian assault on Penitent’s Walk was swift and brutal. This is a route where being tall has its disadvantages, as you squat scrunched up under the roof and squirm your way up the slab. Jim was strangely silent about this, of course. This brought us to the halfway mark, but we decided to knock off OB’s two remaining HVSs before lunch. So I launched out on Coldstream Corner, one of my favourite routes anywhere. I usually opt for Birdlime Crack as an (easy) opening pitch to the routes on the upper wall, but we felt compelled to stick to the guide descriptions for this project. The correct start to Coldstream, the line to the right of Birdlime, is actually quite tricky and not all that well protected. However, the crack itself, an orgy of thuggy jugging, is blessed with bomb-proof gear, and along with Penitent’s, is typical Allen Austin fare. The last stop before lunch, Number 8, was The Elevator, an unlikely line which has a real out there feel, whilst being pretty safe for both leader and second, another classic. We took a welcome lunch break underneath OB then decamped to Flake Buttress area where Jim saw off The Pincer without fuss in a matter of minutes. It’s the kind of route on which there’s no point hanging around—small holds, little gear, no resting place. Gargarin’s Groove fell to me, another great line, escapable in the first half, but once you’re onto the hanging slab and pulling on the rattly flake it feels quite imposing. The pull over on flutings, protectable if you have the time, strength or inclination, is a classic Northumberland finish. The finishing line was hoving into view. Deceiver, Number 11, is a not-quiteindependent line on the left of Deception Buttress. Like Gargarin’s it creaks a bit, and whilst not a stunning line is worth the effort. West Wall, meanwhile, climbs out of the gully to the left and is something of an eliminate, although testing of tired arms.
That Other Guide is of course the Rockfax guide; see Andy Birtwistle’s insightful review at: http://www.climbonline.co.uk/reviews.htm
NMC Quarterly Magazine
October 2008
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so just in case, John had the last, weary lead of the day. So that was that; we packed and left, me heading for Newcastle, Jim and John for Berwick station. One hundred and ninety four metres of prime Northumberland sandstone at or around the 5a/b mark—not bad going for a party with an average age of 56 and a bit! John texted from the train—he’d had a great day, but on perusing his battered copy of the 1979 Northumberland guide had noticed Oxter Wall, listed as HVS. ‘Do I have to come back?’ was his plaintive question. Thankfully no, since the route is graded E1 these days—but we can include that in a future project. The Kyloe and Bowden E1s— now that would be an interesting challenge. Postscript Jim on The Pincer HVS 5b
Now the astute reader will have noticed that 12 HVSs have by now been polished off by our intrepid team. Trouble was, we had no guide and the only one on the crag was a copy of the Other One—which cites Wilfred Prickles as HVS. Unable to reliably recall whether the NMC guide did likewise we felt we had to climb it for good measure. No problem from my point of view as it’s a favourite, and maybe it does merit HVS. The young lad who led it after me certainly made it look HVS as he heaved and wobbled his way up, his gear dropping out behind him as he went. The day’s work was nearly done, but then another senior moment—wasn’t Slab and Groove HVS as well? No guide at all now,
NMC Quarterly Magazine
John’s weary text message prompted a leaf through previous guides, which gave an interesting perspective on the evolution of grades, and on the dark art of sand-bagging as well?? The 1971 (Crystal) guide lists three HVS lines: Coldstream, Penitent’s and The Elevator. By the time of the 1979 (Trouser Legs) guide there were nine, five of which have since been upgraded—Wasted Time and Oxter Wall to E1 5b, Spacewalk and Waverley Wafer to E2 5c, West Wall from Mild Severe (4b) to today’s HVS 5a. Perhaps it’s like A-level grade inflation— Mild Severes ain’t wot they used to be! Anyway by the 1989 guide there were 11, and all remain at the same grade today.
October 2008
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NMC news
Telephone number error Peter Flegg
Winter skills weekend We are lucky to have Tim Hakim as a member—Tim just happens to be a qualified mountaineering instructor and is running the winter skills course (see box on page 4) FREE of charge—the fee attendees pay covers his expenses and the hut costs for the weekend. Any financial surplus from running the course will be gifted to the Club. NOTE: if any club members fancy staying at the hut that weekend but not attending the course they will be very welcome as there are likely to be spare beds. (Although priority will be given to course members). Overnight charge would be the normal fee of £5.50 per night—book with Richard Pow.
Due to an administrative error we have printed NMC member Piotr Bamberski’s telephone number incorrectly in the current year Member’s Handbook. The correct telephone number for Piotr is: 07881 658 019 Back Bowden update The tree felling at the left hand end of the crag at Back Bowden has now been completed. The photo below shows the effects of the clearance. The work was carried out by climber and professional arborist Andy Cowley on 16 August 2008.
British bouldering championships One of our youngest members, Alistair Pow (14) deserves our congratulations on finishing 7th in his age group at this year’s British Bouldering Championships, held in Sheffield in July. This was the first time Alistair has entered the BBC's and coach Andy Earl was delighted that Alistair and two other lads in his squad all achieved top 10 finishes in their debut. See page 19 for a photo of Alistair bouldering. Deadline for the next issue The deadline for contributions to the December issue of the Quarterly Magazine is 7 December 08.
NMC Quarterly Magazine
The new look Merlin Wall at Back Bowden Photo by John Earl
October 2008
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(James) Gordon Mitchell — Obituary
highest of fi equipment, which was rarely silent.
Norman Haighton
Gordon was born in May 1932 and died on 15 August 2008. That he had such a huge circle of friends was a testimony to one of the most gentle, sociable and generous people I have met and it was good to see over a hundred friends turn up for his funeral. He had no close relatives.
Gordon had a lifelong enjoyment of mountains. He was not a man for anything too serious on the crags but he was an avid mountaineer, skier and, latterly, mountain biker. Despite a number of serious
As happened to others, Gordon was one of the first people who welcomed me when I appeared on the NMC scene in 1962 and he went out of his way to be friendly and helpful. He was an impressive sight. He was tall and lanky, with carefully groomed thick black hair, an immaculate grey beard and huge boots, which, together with his polite and cultured way of speaking, immediately conjured up the image of the family doctor or local landowner. Gordon excelled in what these days would be called inter-personal skills. He encouraged the newcomer, drew the outsider into conversation and entertained with his wry sense of humour and regular practical jokes, which were never cruel or malicious. He also followed up his new contacts by calling on them, introducing them to other friends and inviting them out to films, concerts and theatres.
Gordon in 1995
illnesses in the last years of his life he still managed to get out when he could and he was still hiking up reasonably strenuous hills until a few years ago and managing trips on the bike to the end. He really will be missed by a lot of people.
He worked all his life in electronics from his army training, through repairing radios and TVs in Bainbridge’s to his final career as an X-ray engineer with Philips and later in the NHS. Music was his great love and he filled his apartment with the NMC Quarterly Magazine
October 2008
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New hut key system introduced
Please follow these instructions when opening the door: 1. Pull the door back towards you. 2. Present your tag to the silver disc on the door frame 3. Push the door open
Neil Cranston
The Bowderstone cottage and the Hermitage have recently had new electronic lock systems fitted. This means that finally all those members who have been after a key for the past 6 months or so can now have their own key. The new key takes the form of a plastic tag, a bit larger than a 10 pence piece and this tag will open the door to both huts. Full members can obtained a tag from the secretary by supplying a £10 refundable deposit. For members who hold the existing metal keys, these currently will continue to open the hut door, although the plan is to change the lock barrels in January. So you have been warned, IT IS UP TO YOU TO PRESENT YOUR EXISTING KEY IN EXCHANGE FOR A NEW TAG FREE OF CHARGE. Members holding a new key tag who do not re-new their membership will have their tag number deleted from the door system and the tag will then no longer provide access to the hut. Those exmembers can claim their deposit back on return of the tag to the secretary. If you mislay or loose your tag please inform the Secretary so that the tag can be removed from the system and not be used to provide access to the huts. When using the new lock system it is VERY important that the lock latching system does not have any load on it, or it will not open.
NMC Quarterly Magazine
The photo with this article (although not of the Bowderstone hut) gives you an idea of what the plastic key tag and the door frame-mounted silver disc look like. On a lighter note: while we were fitting the new lock system I went over to the hut with an electrician to get some remedial work done, forgetting my key! As we were busy breaking in by removing a pane of
Fob and lock system
glass from one of the windows we heard ‘Good morning can I help you!’ and 2 boys in blue were standing there, with that caught them red-handed look on their faces. After some stammering on my part we managed to convince then that we were actually putting stuff into the property (van full of smoke detectors and Emergency exit lights) not removing it! So it only goes to show that the hut is safer than I would have expected, although I don’t think it’s a regular patrol.
October 2008
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Valais Alps 2007—Part 2 a first unguided Alpine mountaineering expedition Mike Frost
Continued from the previous issue The 'duck walk' and en cheval tactics saw us the last 25 metres southward along the gently uphill sloping and sharply sculpted snow ridge onto the summit of Castor. After the long slog I had not been prepared for being quite so frightened right at the end of the ascent. This combined with tiredness, a mild altitude headache and the sight of the eastward ridge put me in a bad mood at that moment. The facile descent route was cleared of snow by the recent southerly winds, but it didn't look easy enough to be rated facile. Somewhat worryingly it appeared as though footsteps approached along that ridge towards us to within 40 metres of our present position before retreating. I guess I wasn't happy because I anticipated a feeling of being 'out of danger' yet I now knew we weren't. On the plus side the eastward ridge looked
wider and we later discovered that whoever had approached from that direction seemingly wasn't wearing crampons. Broken fluffy cloud below us and around us obscured the views—south into Italy, north into Switzerland and west toward the Matterhorn. With poor views, a cold wind and another party about to follow the last 25m of our route to the summit we paused only briefly for a couple of snaps and to tighten our crampon straps before moving on. The descent down the ridge to the Felikjoch turned out to be straightforward after all but it was cold and my wet gloves froze stiff in the wind. We found a spot out of the wind and had something to eat and drink. Although the insulation on my Camelbak tube had not prevented it from freezing Carolyn's nalgene bottle had not frozen in her pack. Confidence returned quickly at this point and my mood swung round to a contented feeling of achievement. The feeling persisted as the descent to the Quinto Sella hut was marked by footprints and the visibility improved somewhat. We arrived at 15:00.
Steve and Carolyn on the Grenz Glacier
NMC Quarterly Magazine
October 2008
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The following morning dawned clear. Our limited objective was to traverse to the Gniffeti hut via the Paso del Naso keeping on the Italian side and avoiding the summit ridge on Liskamm altogether. In general routes involving Liskamm were rated Assez Difficle (AD) and we had at no time contemplated them. We were en route that morning at 06:40 and following a clear footprint trail when we encountered a bowel explosion in the snow. From memory the blast radius was 2-3 feet. I could only hope they kept rope, boots and other equipment out of the way! We hurried on.
the Pyramid Vincent. Carolyn sat it out minding the packs as Steve and I climbed the 150m snow slope to the top. Not very difficult but why not collect another 4000er if it's there for the taking? We descended to the Gniffeti hut on a snow trail with an unsettling large ice cliff 100m above us. I felt it wasn't a place to linger, but I don't know if history confirms this. The Gniffeti hut is large but it needed to be—it was Friday and the crowds told of
The steepest ascent of the day came on the side of the 'nose'. We made a misjudgment and continued to tackle the gradient without crampons. Soon we found that the firm ice under 45� of recent snow The view from Queen Margherita hut, Punta Gniffeti 4554 felt much too slippery given the a favourable weather forecast. We had not height being gained and the angle of the booked our places and had to wait an hour slope. Time was lost as we put in ice before the management confirmed that screws for protection whilst we put our there were spare mattresses for us. crampons on. Advancing once more we emerged out of shadow and into sunlight The next morning after breakfast at on the bridge of the nose for an easy 04:30 the hut disgorged roped-up strings of angled snowfield traverse with spectacular people into a crisp pre-dawn. We tramped views. At the other side a steep crevassed up the previous day's descent trail snow slope was avoided by a descent on overtaking and being overtaken by groups the right over mixed snow and rocks into a of Italians. Everyone spread out as we short gully leading onto the snowfield at traversed the east Lisjoch and the bowl at the bottom. This was extensively marked the head of the Grenz glacier to the Queen by footprints and small cairns and I assume Margheritta hut on the summit of the more direct option was threatened by Signalkuppe (4554m) which, as it turned avalanche, crevasses or both. out, was the objective of most people. It was incredibly cold on the windward north It was by then 09:50 and the sun made side of the hut and incredibly warm in the the snow heavy and us extremely warm as sun on the south side. we crossed the snow bowl to the foot of NMC Quarterly Magazine
October 2008
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In hindsight we stayed too long in the hut before descending the Grenz glacier to the Monte Rosa hut. Mostly it was our fault for taking everything off to enjoy a cup of tea in the warm before having to put it all on again, but we were also held back and out of the way whilst a helicopter dropped supplies at the hut. It took 3 hours to reach the rocky moraine above the Monte Rosa hut at 13:20. This was not a late finish by our earlier standards but we finished much lower than on previous days and for the last 45 minutes on the glacier things were quite slushy. There were impressive rumbles as small avalanches fell a kilometre away onto the other side of the glacier from the face of Liskamm. Another source of slight delay was Steve who did not have anti-balling plates fitted to his crampons and was not proficient in the use of the resulting platform boots. Can't blame him really since he's not that old and neither of us had previously seen the need for anti-balling plates. Despite the melting conditions and the snow bridges no other mishaps occurred. Once at the hut the afternoon was spent drying ourselves and our kit in the warm sun with a cold beer. We descended to Zermatt the following day in sunny conditions. This involved crossing the Gorner glacier by following a marked trail on the gravel strewn pockmarked glacial ice that is found low down in summer if snow hasn't recently fallen. An elderly lady came towards us wearing a headscarf, stout shoes and carrying a plastic bag . We were overequiped by comparison and she wanted to know if it was safe to go to the hut. We said yes providing she followed the markers and didn't slip. It was a bit of a dilemma but I think it was right not to discourage her. Carolyn returned to the UK as planned the following day whilst Steve and I stayed on a few days. We added the Strahlhorn to our list of conquests as well as the via ferrata in the valley above Zermatt. We also encountered another NMC member NMC Quarterly Magazine
Alan Hinkes. He doesn't come to many meets these days but I can report he is taller than he looks if you have only seen him from the back of a lecture theatre. He is also quite amiable for a Yorkshireman. At 41 I am a bit younger than him so although I feel it is too soon to start asking for tips there's still time for me to get the 8000ers in.
Navigation Workshop Brush up your navigation skills ready for winter In addition to the winter skills course I'm running for the NMC for free, I'm also running a navigation workshop which might help those whose navigation is a bit rusty. Although it is aimed at walkers it is applicable to anyone who wants to go off the beaten track (like winter climbers) and covers all aspects of navigation including a session on night navigation (very useful for winter climbers!). There is no need for any prior experience. The course fee is ÂŁ49 pp. (This course is not connected to the NMC in any way so not subsidized.)
The course will be based at the King’s Head pub in Allendale. Although the course fee does not include any food, the pub does good food if you want to eat there. Their number is 01434 683 681 The course will be held on Sat 1 Nov 08 and will start at 1pm and finish around 9pm. It will be a mix of indoor and outdoor sessions in both daylight and during the night time. If you have any questions then please don’t hesitate to contact me on 07974 413 562
or
beyond.the.horizon@lineone.net Tim Hakim (MIA & Winter ML)
October 2008
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CASC update John Mountain
First of all an apology. For those of you who were excited at the prospect of attending an Extraordinary General Meeting in July, my apologies at having to pull the plug at the last moment. I returned from my hols in late June to find that no written response to our application had yet appeared. I contacted HM Revenue and Customs to get an update. I was told that there were ‘issues’ that were being looked at by their technical department. It was apparent that the EGM could not take place, given this uncertainty.
Ignoring other minor points raised by HMRC, I felt that the above Issues made it unlikely that our Club would ever qualify for CASC unless the Club abandons a number of important principles. At the Committee Meeting on 2nd September, I therefore recommended to the Committee that we should cease this quest. This recommendation was accepted unanimously.
A letter from HMRC arrived in July, and further correspondence between myself and HMRC has flushed out several problems with our Club’s Rules and Constitution, so far as qualifying for CASC status is concerned. The key Issues are: 1. Our policy on under-18 membership, which requires the member to have a specific person in the Club who is responsible for them, ie parent or someone acting in that capacity. HMRC regards this as being discriminatory and requires us to accept all comers under 18. To comply, the Club as a Body would need to take this responsibility. This would involve CRB checks and the appointment of a Youth Officer for starters. Under-18s turning up unannounced at a meet with no CRBchecked person present would prove awkward, to say nothing of under-18 use of the Bowderstone Hut with no ‘approved’ person present. 2. HMRC has stated that the provision of initial training to novices is a fundamental requirement of the CASC scheme. We do not set out to do this, although many (most?) folks in the Club will at some stage have benefited from advice/techniques from other members. The Club as a body however has never set out to provide formal training, and in the increasingly NMC Quarterly Magazine
litigious society in which we live, it becomes less and less likely that we would want to do this. I did speak to HMRC and pointed out that the consequences of incorrect training in our sport, might have rather more serious consequences than in many other sports.
I have personal regrets over this decision, not the least because of the effort I have invested in seeking CASC registration. However, not all of the work need be jettisoned. The Committee did feel that separating the Club’s guiding principles into discrete Constitution and Rules is a good idea. Also, my draft Constitution and Rules has incorporated updates that are of benefit. So, I have offered to recast these documents again, removing redundant CASC clauses. Assuming the Committee approve my updated drafts, then these will be put to the AGM in January 2009 for general approval. There will be other minor tasks for me to attend to. I’m sure some of you will already be thinking ‘Given all this crap, has ANY mountaineering club managed to gain CASC status?’ or, maybe, ‘What does the BMC have to say about these shenanigans, given that they have published a paper about CASCs?’ Dear reader, I will try to find answers to these questions! Thanks for your attention, and once again my apologies that a more fruitful outcome has not been possible.
October 2008
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Climbing Down-Under in NZ Adrian Heath
New Zealand is well known for its multitude of so-called 'adrenaline' sports for the keen tourist, as well as plenty of cracking scenery, great tramps, and of course winter sports. Less well known is the magnitude of the Southern Alps, and the first class summer and winter mountaineering, and rock climbing opportunities they present. Of course I'm biased, but I think you'll find others who agree.
Climate
The Southern Alps is a 500km long mountain chain that forms the backbone of the South Island. It was formed by the tectonic uplift that results from the Australasian plate being crushed beneath the Pacific plate, giving rise to the main alpine fault that is clearly visible from the air for the length of the island. The mountains reach their highest point in the central high country, where the highest peak, Aoraki/Mt Cook (the peak has two Maori names: Aoraki and Aorangi), rises to 3450m above sea level, and there are over 100 peaks that reach over 3000m (10,000ft for imperial folk). The downside to all the seismic activity is of course that we get a lot of earthquakes (not something to be mulled over while crawling up a mountain, and the rock is often quite fractured and loose on the less-steep routes. In 1992, Mt Cook illustrated this in spectacular fashion when the top 10m plummeted 2000m to the Tasman Glacier below, the remains of which are still visible as a big black stain on the glacier. It is usual to do alpine starts as early as midnight when climbing Cook, however for some reason no-one had done so on this morning and luckily no-one was caught in the massive 12 million cubic meter rock avalanche that followed, although it passed a mere 300m from the main alpine hut, at an estimated speed of 200km/hr. There are, however, some areas of excellent rock, including limestone, various volcanic rocks (on active volcanoes if you want), and granite. Rock NMC Quarterly Magazine
climbing is split between the low lying crags, where there are plenty of bolted sport routes, and the higher mountain areas where climbing is mostly traditional. Sadly (to some) there is not the strict anti-bolting ethic that has prevailed in the UK, although bolting is now much less liberal.
It's fantastic of course! Ok, honestly... It all depends really. It depends on things like El Nino and La Nina; where you are—east, west, north, south; and Hughey. El Nino and La Nina are climatic cycles that originate in the ocean currents off South America, resulting in changes to our weather, ranging from hot drought to cold rain and floods. Generally though, normal summers are hot and dry in the east, and a bit wetter in the west. The east coast of the south island often suffers from the Fohn wind in early summer—strong, hot northwesterlies that blow incessantly off the mountains, making people cranky. Of course 'normal' these days is open to interpretation. Location is everything. The prevailing weather systems all come from the west— off Australia and the Tasman sea, or from the Southern ocean, so in general the west coast is wet (it gets up to 8m of rainfall a year in the south) and the east coast is hotter and drier. The reason is the Southern Alps—W or NW winds blow over them, rise and cool, and dump all the water on the west coast and mountains. Then the dry air descends and warms before blowing over the east coast. Easterly and southerly winds produce the opposite effect, and can be pretty gloomy in the east, and they are generally colder. The bonus of course is that you can often pick a side that will be clear and dry, although it isn't always that simple unfortunately. Finally, north is hotter than south, because we're upside down. Oh, and don't forget it's north facing crags that are drier and sunnier. Hughey is the weather god, of course. You'll get to know him.
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gates and don't disturb stock. Some ask that you phone before arriving. Parking is always free, anywhere. The guidebooks will tell you what the story is.
The best time to visit in the summer is probably between January and March, although November, December and April can be good too if you're game. Autumn (March-May) is the most settled, if you don't mind cooler temperatures. For winter sports it is about July or August through to late September. This year the ski-fields have had a bumper season and look like being open through October too, and a few will probably open for some spring skiing at Christmas.
Here are a few of my favourite spots: Port Hills, Christchurch
Access Access to crags is generally straightforward; if on Department of Conservation (DOC) land, then it is usually open, unless for environmental reasons. Most mountain areas and city-side crags fall into this category either as national parks or reserves. Crags on private land can be a little more bothersome, however the majority of land owners are happy to let climbers in provided you close
The Port Hills, only 15mins drive (or a good slog up 300m on a mountain bike) from the city, forms the northern side of the 'crater rim' that surrounds Lyttleton harbour. The crater is the remains of a volcano that blew its top a few thousand years ago and is well extinct now. The views are superb, stretching out over Pegasus Bay towards the distant Kaikoura mountains to the north, Lyttleton harbour and Banks Peninsula to the east and south, and across the Canterbury plains to the Southern Alps to the west. Of course that means some of the crags can be quite exposed on a windy day, or even a little hot on a scorching summers day.
Castle Hill
NMC Quarterly Magazine
October 2008
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Castle Hill Basin Castle Hill is located in a basin nestled in the foothills of the Southern Alps, about an hour and a half drive from Christchurch. The basin lies between the main range of the Southern Alps to the west and the Torlesse range which rises to nearly 2000m on its eastern side. The surrounding mountains produce a unique climate, protecting the area from most of the prevailing winds (and precipitation), making climbing there possible even on fine winter days when it is lousy on the east coast and there is snow on the ground. Of course if that were the case you might be more tempted by one of the nearby skifields. The climbing is mostly smeary bouldering, although there are also a few very fine sport routes for those high friction days when your balance is good. Most of the bolts are 'carrots'—that means a bolt with a domed head that is hammered not quite all the way into a drilled hole without a hanger. You either clip on a keyhole hanger, or take a wire, slip the nut down and hook the wire loop over the head. More secure than it sounds, but sometimes unnerving when they start lifting.
NMC Quarterly Magazine
Some parts of the basin are nature reserve, and all areas should be well looked after by climbers to help ensure that the easy access continues. Brushing is generally not-on, and bolting is no longer allowed. Make sure you have a scrap of carpet or a mat to wipe your shoes on before getting on the rock, and don't even think about littering, anywhere. Ever. Remember, if it’s wet and cloudy in NZ Reference info Guidebooks for the south Island:
There are several different areas in the basin, each with hundreds, if not thousands of problems. The first is Quantum Field, a field full of limestone blobs like a giant frozen lava lamp, rising in height from a couple of meters, to 30-40m at the far end. It is like a three-dimensional climbers maze, and I really have seen the odd person get lost in it. Nearby is Dark Castle (climbing by special permit only) and Wuthering Heights, if you can be bothered walking past Quantum Field and up the hill behind. Just down the road is the cave stream carpark, from where you can reach Spittle Hill, Dry Valley, and Flock Hill. Access has not always been straightforward to Flock Hill due to an arsey landowner with too much money, so it pays to check the situation first. These three offer yet more
problems, with a bit more of a view, and less shelter. At the end of a hard day you can also cool off by walking up through the cave that cave stream runs through. Of course don't do it if there's rain in the hills or you'll get flushed away, and watch out for the giant cave Wetas that drop on your head.
• Climbing New Zealand, By Alastair Lee, Posing Productions. This looks good, although I haven't read it (why would I?). • Port Hills climbing, edited by Lindsay Main. • South Island Rock, by Lindsey Main and Tim Wethey. • Golden Bay Climbs, Simon Middlemas and Mark Watson. • Rock delux: a guide to the best crags and boulders in the South Island, by Kate Sinclair and Ivan Vostinar. Misses stuff out, like any 'best of'. • NZAC mountaineering guidebooks Web info from: • • • • • •
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http://www.cmc.net.nz/ (my local club) http://www.alpineclub.org.nz/ http://www.mojozone.co.nz/ (crag info) http://www.tota.co.nz/castlehill http://www.homepages.paradise.net. nz/hangdog.camp (Paynes Ford info) http://www.softrock.co.nz/ (mountain conditions/reports)
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Christchurch, and you need something to do, slope off for a sneaky day in the sun at Castle Hill.
And Briefly:
Paynes Ford
There are loads of options to choose from in the Alps—from small crags near the road to big mountain routes with a 1-3 day walk-in, and 10-day epics if you want. Too much to go into here, but see my article in the next QM about a trip in the Mount Cook area. Arthurs Pass has loads of good mountaineering and rock routes of all grades, and all within two to three hours of Christchurch. Can be a bit loose in places, but great for weekends away or long tramps. Good for getting pinned down by the weather and rivers and scoring some extra days off work.
The Southern Alps
This limestone crag is about 10 minutes from Takaka, which is about 1.5 hours from Motueka, not far from Nelson in the Tasman district at the top of the South Island, about 15,000 kilometres from Newcastle. The Tasman area (named after Able Tasman, the Dutchman who found NZ but didn't stop for a look) is known for its sunshine – lots of it, along with hippies galore and lots of arty folk. Takaka is no exception, and so it is lucky that Paynes Ford is also blessed with a river that meanders past the crag with several big swimming holes to cool off in after a long day on the rock. There's even a slackline across one of the holes.
The Darrans
There is only one place to stay when climbing at Paynes Ford. Hangdog camp is a climbers’ camp—cheap and cheerful with a distinctive hippie flavour. It has basic ablutions in tin sheds, an outdoor sink, tin shack eating area, and a communal fire circle for playing bongos and happy-clapping. The hot shower is a dollar a time by honesty-box, but doesn't get a whole lot of use. The best thing about it is that everyone is there to relax, have some fun and climb. It's the mutts nuts. The line of crags rises out of a band of native forest next to the river, providing shade on hot sunny days, and plenty of shelter if it gets breezy. There are around 250 routes with grades ranging from 14 to 30 (that's about 4a to 7a UK technical), mostly bolted, but a few trad routes as well. If you get all climbed out you can always go caving, mountain biking, tramping, kayaking or nearly anything else you can imagine in the surrounding Golden Bay area. Take your pick.
NMC Quarterly Magazine
If you want some big mountain routes on granite, then head south to the Darran mountains, on the way from Te Anau to Milford Sound, near the we(s)t coast. It’s a long drive from Christchurch, best tackled in a series of hops past the many little crags on the way as you pass through the Mackenzie basin, Wanaka, and Queenstown areas. It’s all big and serious, and often a long way from anywhere, so you need to be self-sufficient and know the weather. An avalanche hot-spot in winter and spring. A Bit of Safety If you are going into the mountains, remember to let someone know your intentions, and fill out the DOC intentions books in huts and access points, as they are used to track you down if you don't come out on time. Parties in remote areas need to be self-sufficient as there is no mobile coverage out there and often little chance of bumping into others if anything goes wrong. Some huts do provide mountain radios for emergencies and weather forecasts, but they don't always work if a Kea has eaten the aerial, or it's blown away. Another very effective option is to hire a radio, or carry an EPIRB (emergency beacon), but regardless, you should always be prepared for delays due
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to bad weather, injuries, and flooded rivers, and don't expect instant rescue. You might actually have to eat that emergency food that you never thought you would need. Too many visiting climbers and trampers get into trouble due to being insufficiently prepared or experienced, so take care and get local advice, or even better team up with locals, and have fun.
NMC Guest Speaker:
This is only a small snippet of what is on offer to climbers and mountaineers in the 'land of the Long White Cloud', whatever level you climb at. Whether you want to go cragging in the sun, clip bolts, or get up a big mountain without another soul in sight (except maybe your partner), there is sure to be something that will take your fancy and keep you occupied for more time than you have.
Tim is an NMC member (a past president) who has visited the Outer Hebrides many times. This last summer he went there with a group of friends with climbing gear and kayaks and put up some new routes.
If it’s new routes you're after, then there is plenty of scope for that too, from small crags to big routes on remote mountains – provided you are prepared to get off the beaten track and explore.
Tim Catterall 8pm Wed 17 Dec 08 Burnside Community College Climbing in the Outer Hebrides
the long slog down there for a month or two. If you want any more information, or want to go and need climbing partners, feel free to email me on aheathnz@yahoo.co.nz and I'll hook you up.
I hope this gives you a taster of what's on offer, and might tempt some to make
Alistair Pow at Corbys by Richard Pow
NMC Quarterly Magazine
October 2008
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NMC Guidebooks
Indoor climbing: •
Sunderland wall offers a £1 discount to NMC members off the standard entry price.
NMC Website The NMC has a very informative website
NMC members pay a discounted price for any guidebook published by the NMC.
• No Nobler County A history of the NMC and climbing in Northumberland. Now ONLY £2.00 Hurry while stocks Last!!!
Currently available are the following guides:
Contact Martin Cooper on 0191 252 5707
• Northumberland Climbing Guide Definitive Guide to climbing in Northumberland. £12.50 to members (RRP £18.95)
• Climbing In North East England A guide to the best climbing in South Tyneside, County Durham, East Pennines and North York Moors £17.95 (incl. P&P)
• Northumberland Bouldering Guide
www.thenmc.org.uk The website includes various discussion forums, a photoarchive for members’ climbing photos, online guides for most Northumberland crags and you can also buy from a large range of climbing books available.
£12.50 to members (RRP £19.95) For the above 2 guides add £2 P&P if required. Contact John Earl on 0191 236 5922
Contact Steve Crowe on 0191 584 3361
T-shirts and Fleeces Various styles of T-shirt with printed NMC designs and fleece tops with embroidered logo are available. Order direct on the website (www.thenmc.org.uk) or contact John Dalrymple 07976 276 464.
Have you got a good climbing/mountain-scenery photo to use in this space in future issues? Please send any submissions to me at magazine@thenmc.org.uk
Jon Trafford and Amanda Welch’s Wedding, by John Dalrymple
NMC Quarterly Magazine
October 2008
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