Hell's Lum Crag, the Cairngorms

With Matt we climbed Brimstone Groove today it's a IV,4 with a couple of stars. First climbed in the summer of October 1958 as a summer rock climb with one point for aid by G Annad, R H Sellers and R Reid, then on the 27th December 1970 S Docherty and K Spence did the first winter ascent which was considered quite a step at the time as it was the first route on the big ice sheet. Today, conditions were typical of Hell's Lum, you think it looks ace and one is easily enticed on and up among the grooves and then the ice axe picks hit rock much of the time or simply pull through the cruddy snow. Higher up the conditions were much better with the turf well frozen and protection easy to find after the recent thaw. Matt climbing up on one of the lower pitches.

Carn Etchacan and Shelter Stone Crag

Matt on the last short but technical pitch which leads to the upper snow slopes.