With the best conditions in many years due to the cold winter we went to Meagaidh to sample the icefalls of the famous Post Face and the Inner Corrie.
The walk in is about 2 hrs and I developed hot spots on my heals within the first 20 mins which became the worst blisters Ive ever had. With a whole days climbing and a 2 hour walk out my ruined feet would prove quite a bitch.
Especially considering we would be repeating the walk in and out again the next day!
Anyway, the ice was fat and the corrie was busy with all the classics being climbed and everyone taking full advantage of the amazing ice.
I must have seen three climbers with bloody ice wounds on their faces from falling ice missiles. I also dislodged a significant block of ice which missed some poor guy by centmetres. Terrifying!
I took to wearing my goggles at all times to protect my eyes.
Its the one thing I hate about ice climbing but its part of the parcel unfortunately. Seems like madness puting yourself willingly in the line of fire in a thin Scottish gully with ice debris flying down at high speeds.
These missiles really do sound like bullets, making scary whizzing noises, it makes me super nervous and its just a matter of time before you get nailed by something. Ive been knocked out by ice in Chamonix and I went home early with my tail between my legs. It affected me profoundly and i found I just couldnt put the incident to one side like many ice climbers. If the projectile was much bigger I think it would have done permanent damage.
Winter climbing is definitely a love hate thing for me. Give me summer rock climbing any time.
It Sunday as I nurse my heinous case of trench foot and dry off all the soaking winter climbing gear.
Do I really like winter climbing?
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