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Misty Mountain Hop

climbing adventures in Scotland and abroad

  • Latest Posts
  • Introduction
  • Photo Gallery
    • Cragging in Ardnamurchan
    • Hammer, Etive Slabs
    • Slochd Wall, Beinn a’ Bhuird
    • Hadrian’s Wall Direct, Ben Nevis
    • An Ice Surprise, Lurcher’s Crag
    • Judas Priest, Lochnagar
    • Dinosaur Pink Elephant, Creag an Dubh Loch
    • The Pause, Etive Slabs
    • Dubh Loch Monster, Creag an Dubh Loch
    • Sudgrat, Salbitschijen
    • Gripped for days in Rjukan
    • The Hoarmaster and The Message
    • Parallel Gully A, Lochnagar
    • King Rat, Creag an Dubh Loch
    • No. 6 Gully, Aonach Dubh
    • Deep Cut Chimney, Hell’s Lum
    • K9 and Window Gully, Lurcher’s Crag
    • Coronary Bypass, Coire an Lochain
    • Transept Groove, Lochnagar
    • Gorges du Verdon
    • The Sandpyper Direct, Stag Rocks
    • The Needle and The Pause
    • Winter-lite on Liathach and Beinn Bhan
    • Pygmy Ridge and Ewen Buttress
    • Dolomiti Super Summer
    • Costa del Diabaig
    • Ticks in the Glen, Polldubh Crags
    • Paradise in Patagonia
    • Sunny Curved Ridge, Icy White Line
    • West Buttress and George, Torridon
    • Centrist, Lochnagar
    • Savage Slit and Sidewinder, Lochain
    • Cyclops, Creag an Dubh Loch
    • Chamonix 2015 Trip Report
    • Pas de Friction in Font
    • Dividing Butress, Beinn a’Bhuird
    • Spartan Slab and Butterknife
    • Alpine on An Teallach
    • Winter Sun in Fontainebleau
    • Classic Ice on Ben Nevis
    • The Drool, Eagles Rock
    • Shadow Buttress B, Bells Route, Lochnagar
    • Fontainebleau trip report
    • Chamonix 2014 trip report
    • A precursory glance
    • Page header panoramas
  • Contact Me
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  • Latest Posts
  • Introduction
  • Photo Gallery
    • Cragging in Ardnamurchan
    • Hammer, Etive Slabs
    • Slochd Wall, Beinn a’ Bhuird
    • Hadrian’s Wall Direct, Ben Nevis
    • An Ice Surprise, Lurcher’s Crag
    • Judas Priest, Lochnagar
    • Dinosaur Pink Elephant, Creag an Dubh Loch
    • The Pause, Etive Slabs
    • Dubh Loch Monster, Creag an Dubh Loch
    • Sudgrat, Salbitschijen
    • Gripped for days in Rjukan
    • The Hoarmaster and The Message
    • Parallel Gully A, Lochnagar
    • King Rat, Creag an Dubh Loch
    • No. 6 Gully, Aonach Dubh
    • Deep Cut Chimney, Hell’s Lum
    • K9 and Window Gully, Lurcher’s Crag
    • Coronary Bypass, Coire an Lochain
    • Transept Groove, Lochnagar
    • Gorges du Verdon
    • The Sandpyper Direct, Stag Rocks
    • The Needle and The Pause
    • Winter-lite on Liathach and Beinn Bhan
    • Pygmy Ridge and Ewen Buttress
    • Dolomiti Super Summer
    • Costa del Diabaig
    • Ticks in the Glen, Polldubh Crags
    • Paradise in Patagonia
    • Sunny Curved Ridge, Icy White Line
    • West Buttress and George, Torridon
    • Centrist, Lochnagar
    • Savage Slit and Sidewinder, Lochain
    • Cyclops, Creag an Dubh Loch
    • Chamonix 2015 Trip Report
    • Pas de Friction in Font
    • Dividing Butress, Beinn a’Bhuird
    • Spartan Slab and Butterknife
    • Alpine on An Teallach
    • Winter Sun in Fontainebleau
    • Classic Ice on Ben Nevis
    • The Drool, Eagles Rock
    • Shadow Buttress B, Bells Route, Lochnagar
    • Fontainebleau trip report
    • Chamonix 2014 trip report
    • A precursory glance
    • Page header panoramas
  • Contact Me
  • Raspberry Pi Webserver
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Category Archives: Scottish Winter

Spring Ice Perfection on Hadrian’s Wall Direct, Ben Nevis

4 Apr
scottish winter ice climbing on hadrians wall direct ben nevis

A deep thaw followed by a rapid refreeze in late March saw the high ice routes on Ben Nevis come into superb condition. So when a perfect weather day appeared in the forecast it was a done deal – Andy … Read More »

Alpinism, Ice, Scottish Winter 3 Comments

An Ice Surprise – Accidental New Routing on Lurcher’s Crag

28 Feb
scottish winter ice climbing on an ice surprise lurchers crag

Westerly storms had battered the Scottish hills for more than a week, but at least temperatures had fallen and ice had started to form. In these conditions, Lurcher’s Crag in the Northern Cairngorms can be blasted clear of powder and … Read More »

Ice, Scottish Winter Leave a comment

Hell Bent for Winter on Judas Priest, Lochnagar

6 Dec
scottish winter mixed climbing on judas priest lochnagar

Storm Arwen and the following week of cold west and northerly winds has brought many mixed climbing venues into good early season condition. We wanted to climb on a crag facing the prevailing winds in the hope the rock would … Read More »

Scottish Winter, Trad Leave a comment

It All Came Together on The Hoarmaster and The Message

22 Jan
scottish winter mixed climbing on the hoarmaster coire an lochain

When it all comes together there really is nowhere else I would rather be winter climbing than Scotland. Even if that does mean another trip to the ever-reliable Norries… Cold north-westerlies earlier in the week had rimed the buttresses facing … Read More »

Scottish Winter, Trad Leave a comment

More Than We Bargained For on Parallel Gully A, Lochnagar

21 Dec
scottish winter ice mixed climbing on parallel gully a lochnagar

It’s becoming a common theme that my first winter routes are getting later and later and more and more challenging conditions-wise. The start to this season has been characterized by short cold snaps and strong thaws and it was right after one … Read More »

Scottish Winter, Trad 2 Comments

No. 6 – The Number of the Mini Beast

22 Mar
scottish winter ice climbing on no6 gully aonach dubh

As the mini beast from the east reigned windy terror at higher elevations, Ric and I sought shelter at low altitudes on a westerly aspect. We made for the classic No.6 Gully (IV, 4) on Aonach Dubh, which has been reliably in … Read More »

Scottish Winter Leave a comment

Seeing the Light on Deep Cut Chimney, Hell’s Lum

24 Feb
scottish winter ice mixed climbing on deep cut chimney hells lum

After a sharp thaw and hard re-freeze, reports of stellar conditions all over the Highlands were flooding in. Not wanting to miss out, Andy and I hatched plans for the Loch Avon Basin in the heart of the Cairngorms. Having … Read More »

Ice, Scottish Winter Leave a comment

The Dog’s Danglies on K9 and Window Gully

20 Feb
scottish winter ice climbing on window gully and k9 lurchers crag

A week of heavy snow on gale-force south westerlies rendered many approaches to the popular north and east facing crags fairly serious and covered the cliffs themselves in powder. Wanting none of the peril and the arduous clearing required on … Read More »

Ice, Scottish Winter Leave a comment

Getting the Blood Flowing on Coronary Bypass

12 Jan
scottish winter mixed climbing on coronary bypass coire an lochain

Climbing on powder-choked crags was very much the theme during the first week of January, with plenty of snow falling and no thaw-freeze cycles to provide any consolidation. Despite the inevitability of a day of excavation, Andy and I plumbed … Read More »

Scottish Winter Leave a comment

Worth the Wait on Transept Groove, Lochnagar

18 Dec
scottish winter mixed climbing on judas priest lochnagar

The first routes of the season had been climbed at the start of November and despite the conditions getting better and better, prior commitments, injury and illness had prevented me from getting out to capitalise on them. With relentless social … Read More »

Scottish Winter, Trad 3 Comments

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Recent Posts

  • Cragging at the End of the World in Ardnamurchan16 September 2022
  • Nailed by Midges on Hammer, Etive Slabs22 August 2022
  • Beating the Heat on Slochd Wall, Beinn a’ Bhuird19 July 2022
  • Spring Ice Perfection on Hadrian’s Wall Direct, Ben Nevis4 April 2022
  • An Ice Surprise – Accidental New Routing on Lurcher’s Crag28 February 2022

Recent Comments

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    Dave on Beating the Heat on Slochd Wall, Beinn a’ Bhuird

    Wow!

  2. Profile Picture For Dave
    Shaun on Beating the Heat on Slochd Wall, Beinn a’ Bhuird

    Awesome!

  3. Profile Picture For Dave
    phil on Nailed by Midges on Hammer, Etive Slabs

    Hi Guys remember it well , did it in the 80s my mate had tonsillitis and was detreating fast so…

  4. Profile Picture For Dave
    Dave on Nailed by Midges on Hammer, Etive Slabs

    Thanks Joe, I was worried that would be the case haha! We toyed with trying it the day after actually…

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    Joe on Nailed by Midges on Hammer, Etive Slabs

    Swastika is next for you Dave! Katie and I did it last year, E1 5a until the last two pitches…

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