YOUNG ALPINIST GROUP
Supported by William Newsom
Scotland, Jan 2025
In January this year nine members of the Young Alpinist Group, along with mentor Tom Livingstone, spent ten days climbing in Scotland. Despite a characteristically challenging start to the trip the team experienced the full spectrum of Scottish mixed climbing, from mountaineering style ridges to technical test pieces.
We also used our time in Scotland to meet, and climb with, representatives from some of our sponsors.
20th Jan
The team assembled in Lagangarbh hut (Glencoe), met Dave and Emma from Petzl and received some Petzl kit training.
21st Jan
Poor conditions in the mountains lead to the team splitting between Tunnel Wall sport crag and Creag Dubh na Caillich drytooling crag. The tunnel wall team saw ascents of Fated Path (7c+), and the drytooling team sampled some Petzl ice tools with Emma and climbed a range of routes including Tech Six (D7), An Runda (D7) and Tech Ten (D7+).
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22nd Jan
With snow on the forecast and falling temperatures we sorted logistics and walked into the CIC Hut on Ben Nevis with heavy bags to spend the next five days.
23rd Jan
Coire na Ciste mixed presented itself in good early season condition. Adam Bowman, James Price and Will Hempstead climbed Apache (VIII 9), Sinead Thin, Gemma Robertson and Anna Soligo climbed Gargoyle Wall (VI 6), and Tom Livingstone and George Ponsenby made the most of the daylight (and some of the night) to climb Kunckleduster Direct (VIII 9) followed by Apache (VIII 9).
That evening Simon Richardson and Roger Webb joined us in the hut to discuss their own extensive new-routing in Scotland and further afield, and how Scottish Winter climbing can provide a stern training ground for alpinism. We also used the opportunity to discuss the YAG programme with Simon in his capacity as present of the Alpine Club. Simon and Roger’s contribution was a real highlight, and a privilege to hear from two climbers with such extensive experience in the mountains. ​
24th Jan
Storm Eowyn swept across the British Isles, widely touted as the storm of the decade. We chose to use this as a rest day.
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25th Jan
Storm Eowyn had brought significant snowfall and built the conditions on Ben Nevis. The tail end of the storm was still in force resulting in severe weather conditions on the mountain. Sinead and James made an attempt at Strident Edge (VI 7), however due to a mistake on the RockFax app they instead climbed Sidewinder (VII 8) with some rests! Iain Ballantyne and Gemma climbed The Sorcerer (VII 8) and Will and Anna climbed Arch Angel (VII 7). Tom and George made an attempt at Metamorphosis (IX 9) which (AFAIK) has not received a second ascent since it was first climbed in 2020 by Tim Miller and Jamie Skelton.
Malcolm Rudge from Mountain Equipment arrived at the hut in the evening after being trapped in the central belt by the storm the previous day.
26th Jan
The weather had settled somewhat but remained ‘Scottish’. The upper buttresses on the mountain started to become quite icy resulting in challenging mixed climbing conditions.
Iain, Will and Malcolm climbed Hobgoblin (VI 7) into Gargoyle Wall (VI 6). Still to realise Sinead and James’ mistake the day previous Michael and Gemma, assisted by the RockFax app, climbed Sidewinder (VII 8) rather than their intended Strident Edge. Tom, James and Anna climbed Sioux Wall (VII 8). George and Sinead climbed The Sorcerer (VII 8).
​​27th Jan
Departure day from the CIC, everybody opted for shorter days. Will and Anna climbed Tower Ridge (IV 3) before Anna’s train back from Inverness. Tom and George pushed their highpoint on Metamorphosis (IX 9) but didn’t make it to the belay at the end of the crux. Sinead, Gemma and James climbed The Clanger (V 5).
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28th Jan
Rest day in Inverness before heading to the Ling Hut in Torridon.
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29th Jan
Mixed weather on Beinn Eighe, with variable conditions. Turf variably frozen despite the crag being heavily rimed / iced requiring careful route choice. Tom, George, Michael and Will all headed to the Eastern Ramparts but found the crag very iced. Tom and George climbed Shang-High (VII 7), whilst Will and Michael climbed Samurai (VII 7) next door. Gemma and James climbed Central Buttress (VI 7) on the Triple Buttress.
30th Jan
Potentially the best weather day of the trip, with views to Skye from the summit of Beinn Eighe. Fatigue was however starting to set in after five days climbing in the previous seven. The remaining YAG split in two groups for the final day. Tom and Michael along with Dan Kingsbury climbed Central Buttress (VI 7), and Gemma, James and George climbed Kami-Kaze (VI 7).
We would like to use this opportunity to thank all of our sponsors - Mountain Equipment, La Sportiva, Petzl, The Alpine Club, The BMC and The Mount Everest Foundation for making these trips possible. We would also like to thank The Scottish Mountaineering Club for use of their huts during the trip.