A week in Scotland: Lessons Learned…

Think of this as me trying to pass on some of the mistakes I've made so others can benefit!

Hydration:

We learned pretty much the hard way about hydration. We didn’t drink enough water on the first day. I take 1litre out on the hill in summer, and 1.5 in winter. This might seem odd, but summer days are usually shorter and I just accept a little dehydration (also my summer rack is heavier so I need to loose the weight somewhere). It is a faff taking off your pack and then digging around to find your water bottle. Maybe keep it outside your bag on the walkin, or use a hydration pouch?

DON’T just not drink because it’s too much hassle.

[Having just read a blog by Andy k (http://www.andy-kirkpatrick.com/blog/view/giving_up_the_drink/) and having spent the weekend carrying 1.5 litres around in my pack up 2 grade IV’s and not drinking a drop, I’m reconsidering taking 1.5 litres on the hill. Also it give me a chance to make something out of foam and duck tape… Watch this space]

(and yes a picture of us drinking beer comes under the heading of "hydration")

Breaking trail:

Scotland had taught me… don’t do it. There is always someone else more eager or dumber than you who’ll go out earlier to break trail. This is defiantly a time to follow not lead. However if you do find yourself being that “eager team” take my advice and find all the other eager teams in the car park and join forces for the walk in, especially if your breaking trail through deep snow. It’ll pay dividends in the end. Having a bigger team means moral is kept up, because chest deep snow is particularly demoralizing. Also you may meet some great people and make some great friends!

Belaying in the line of fire:

This may seem obvious but it isn’t. I mean for rock climbing your mate isn’t usually dropping loads of ice, snow, neve and the occasional rock on you. So when I found a decent belay it didn’t click that I would be underneath Andy at the time. I got pelted with so much snow, ice and other crap that it wasn’t it. It did make belaying more interesting whilst dodging ice, but this fun was ended when a basket ball sized piece hit my head.

I know sometimes you end up stuck belaying beneath someone, but at the base of routes I think it just pays to belay out of the way. Put your hood up, tuck your buff in so nothing can go down your neck and get your goggle on for eye protection. At the same time when you’re climbing try and be as careful as possible not to knock anything off.

(in this picture I was right in the line of fire from all the crap Andy sent down, in future I'll find somewhere better)

Looking for protection:

After reading up loads of stuff on winter climbing, especially by Andy Kirkpatrick it was pointed out, well drilled in to me, that we as modern winter climbers have infinitely more possibilities for protection than they did in the good old days of mountaineering (in hobnailed boots!).

A modern mixed rack with warthogs, pitons, mixed hooks, nuts, superlight rocks, tricams and humble hex’s (or torque nuts) means that you can protect most classic or much climbed routes well. If you take the time to look for pro, chips off the ice and clean out cracks, then those long run-outs will be a little shorter. Also at belays do the same thing. Don’t just accept that crappy peg! If must take it out and replace it. There’ll be something else to belay off and if there really isn’t then take a braced stance.

I should probably say here about leaving stuff alone too. If you find an established belay then you should leave it as it is. Don’t think “hey free stuff” I mean how many more pegs do you need anyway? You’ll only end up taking them out and someone else will have to put them in, increasing rock damage. You should make a call on this when you get to your belay though.

Keep things sharp!:

Ok I’m already getting called “the File” by Andy for my near obsessive re-filing and sharpening on my picks and crampons, but it is important. I couldn’t think of a good analogy for why you should keep your pick sharp. It’s just sensible at the end of the day. This thing is going to be whacked into ice, turf, munge, you name it. If its sharp at the start it’ll take less effort to get the damn thing in. It’ll save you energy.

Anyway it’s relaxing resharpening your picks before another big day out. They don’t have to be needle sharp each time you head off, but just tidy them up and remove any burrs or flat edges.

Make sure you actually swap the gear over!:

Mostly when I rock climb we both carry a rack (unless we’re trying to go light). Therefore each belay requires giving back your leader the gear he placed and moving on with your rack. When winter climbing don’t forget to hand over the rack BUT also check what you’ve got on your harness. I just removed all the gear from Andy’s harness trying to be efficient at one belay. I thought it was then odd when he declined any gear for the next pitch, but I figure it was easy and he knew what he was doing. He then ran out of gear because he thought he still had all the bits from the last pitch, which I’d “helpfully” taken off and re-racked on the bandolier.