Turning around
Objective: NC Gully **(II), Glen Coe
Day 5 dawns and marks our final day on the winter mountaineering course. Thoughts of blisters vanish with excitement as Clive arrives and announces that he thinks we are ready for something a bit tougher – we each trade in our walking ice axe for a pair of technical ice climbing tools from the storeroom at the hotel.
Lay: To be honest my feet are in a bad way today – Ali has done a great job of patching them up with Compede and padding but the long walk in takes its toll. In the grand scale of things the pain isn’t that bad but my heels are red raw – still I only have to get through today and then I can take it easy on my feet for a while.
Progress is slow for me on anything but the flat path – Ali and Jonathan are striding out ahead happily talking together. I am in my own world of pain, finding even the easiest of terrain difficult. Clive has dropped some way back behind me, perhaps to give me some space but I suspect he is assessing my ability to continue. Well that’s fine – I’m not giving up and continue the plod upwards determined to have a crack at some technical climbing.
As we reach the snow line I take the lead and dig deep pushing ahead of our group. Unknown to me Clive raises his concerns with Ali below and they discuss how I would react to being turned around. Ali responds by saying that she knows I won’t quit but if he calls a halt I will respect his decision.
We reach the coire at the foot of NC gully and we stop for a break. Clive takes me to one side – I suspect what he is about to say. We discuss the route – I am more worried by the broken scree leading to the gully rather than the technical climbing. He is kind enough to say that he thinks that he can get me up but since we are already an hour late to this point we will probably be descending the mountain in the dark. The choice is mine – however, I know that there is only one real option – I should descend. We decide that Ali and I will turn around together and Clive and Jonathan will attempt NC Gully alone.
I feel disappointed but it’s the right decision – I encourage Ali to go with them but she is not having any of it – we do it together or not at all. Our party splits and Ali and I make surprisingly quick progress back to the car.
At 4pm we sit in the Landrover and watch as Clive and Jonathan return from a successful ascent. We all head to the Clachaig Inn for a final beer together and to discuss our future plans.
“Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nothing without prudence” - Edward Whymper
Day 5 dawns and marks our final day on the winter mountaineering course. Thoughts of blisters vanish with excitement as Clive arrives and announces that he thinks we are ready for something a bit tougher – we each trade in our walking ice axe for a pair of technical ice climbing tools from the storeroom at the hotel.
Lay: To be honest my feet are in a bad way today – Ali has done a great job of patching them up with Compede and padding but the long walk in takes its toll. In the grand scale of things the pain isn’t that bad but my heels are red raw – still I only have to get through today and then I can take it easy on my feet for a while.
Progress is slow for me on anything but the flat path – Ali and Jonathan are striding out ahead happily talking together. I am in my own world of pain, finding even the easiest of terrain difficult. Clive has dropped some way back behind me, perhaps to give me some space but I suspect he is assessing my ability to continue. Well that’s fine – I’m not giving up and continue the plod upwards determined to have a crack at some technical climbing.
As we reach the snow line I take the lead and dig deep pushing ahead of our group. Unknown to me Clive raises his concerns with Ali below and they discuss how I would react to being turned around. Ali responds by saying that she knows I won’t quit but if he calls a halt I will respect his decision.
We reach the coire at the foot of NC gully and we stop for a break. Clive takes me to one side – I suspect what he is about to say. We discuss the route – I am more worried by the broken scree leading to the gully rather than the technical climbing. He is kind enough to say that he thinks that he can get me up but since we are already an hour late to this point we will probably be descending the mountain in the dark. The choice is mine – however, I know that there is only one real option – I should descend. We decide that Ali and I will turn around together and Clive and Jonathan will attempt NC Gully alone.
I feel disappointed but it’s the right decision – I encourage Ali to go with them but she is not having any of it – we do it together or not at all. Our party splits and Ali and I make surprisingly quick progress back to the car.
At 4pm we sit in the Landrover and watch as Clive and Jonathan return from a successful ascent. We all head to the Clachaig Inn for a final beer together and to discuss our future plans.
“Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nothing without prudence” - Edward Whymper
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