Gear, Mountaineering, Rock climbing, Via ferrata

Helmets for Big Heads

Whether it’s due to excess brains or empty space, I have a larger than average head.   This makes it hard to find any headwear that fits.  Anything marked “one size fits all” does not seem to include me in the definition of “all”.  This might be only an annoyance if I were not a rock climber.  I need a helmet to protect my head from falling rocks, dropped bits of gear, impacts and banging my head against overhangs (which is a habit of mine).  If a helmet is to protect my head properly, then it has to fit properly.  Unfortunately, my big head means that the selection of helmets that will fit me is small. Continue reading Helmets for Big Heads

Unknown's avatarthe Severe climber23 Comments
Rock climbing

The danger of experience

It’s usually true that greater rock climbing experience results in increased rock climbing competence.  However, I worry that there are a small minority of climbers for whom greater rock climbing experience leads to increased risk-taking and occasional bad practice.   What this demonstrates to me is a need to keep an open, questioning mind about my own climbing practice. Continue reading The danger of experience

Unknown's avatarthe Severe climber5 Comments
Hiking, Mountaineering, Rock climbing, Via ferrata

Turning Around the Men in Pyjamas

There are times when there is no doubt that you should tell someone that they’re not properly equipped for a day in the mountains and should turn back.  One example of this happened earlier this month when a stag party attempted to climb Snowdon dressed in pyjamas and trainers, in a storm and by the scrambling route of Crib Goch. Unsurprisingly, this stag party got into trouble and had to be talked down by phone by mountain rescue. Continue reading Turning Around the Men in Pyjamas

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Gear, Rock climbing

There’s no need to shout: using walkie-talkies when rock climbing

Clear communication between climbers is a vital part of climbing safely.  When two climbers are far apart, out of sight of each other or the wind is strong, then shouting is the usual way to communicate climbing commands and it usually works.  However, for those occasions when it doesn’t, I would recommend having walkie-talkies to hand. Continue reading There’s no need to shout: using walkie-talkies when rock climbing

Unknown's avatarthe Severe climber2 Comments
Rock climbing, What they don't tell you in the guidebook

What they don’t tell you in the guidebook – Pinnacle Ridge, Polldubh crags

Pinnacle Ridge is a two-pitch, Severe graded rock climb at Polldubh crags in Glen Nevis in the Scottish Highlands.  It’s a lovely and interesting climb and it feels justified that the guidebook (Scottish Rock, Volume 1, South by Gary Latter) gives it two out of four stars.  The route pretty much follows the crest of the buttress and so I thought route finding would be easy.  However, I was trying to judge the exact positions of rock features by refer to trees. Continue reading What they don’t tell you in the guidebook – Pinnacle Ridge, Polldubh crags

Unknown's avatarthe Severe climber14 Comments
Rock climbing, What they don't tell you in the guidebook

What they don’t tell you in the guidebook – Craig yr Aderyn

Rock climbing guide books are an invaluable resource and are essential to ensure that you don’t end up climbing the wrong route or no route at all (both of which can be scary and/or dangerous).  Unfortunately, the features of the routes that guide books describe do sometimes change.   The route descriptions in the books also need to be quite brief and this lack of detail can sometimes lead to you being surprised by some aspect of a route.  For these reasons, I am starting a regular series of posts on “what they don’t tell you in the guide book.” Continue reading What they don’t tell you in the guidebook – Craig yr Aderyn

Unknown's avatarthe Severe climber2 Comments