Climbing & Mountaineering

THe Prow FA

I was out with Guy and Luke today and had my eye on what I think is a new line on Aonach Mor. The Prow to the left of Sterling Bridge has a cool looking groove and hanging crack high in the face. There was a lot of care needed to get to the route today avoiding some funky snow and dodgy pockets of wind slab. There where 2 parties caught in small avalanches that I know of today on the slopes East of Easy Gully, and we witnessed a natural release as well.

The route we climbed had some excellent climbing on it and felt a bit harder and bolder than anything else I had led recently. After discussing it and comparing it to things of similar grades, we can to an easy consensus. The route is described below.

Resting before launching into the crux

Working hard through the thin hooks and feet

The Prow VIII,8** (Adam Hughes, Guy Stevens & Luke Brooks)

Pitch 1. (30m) Start underneath the prow and climb the slab to reach a ramp below the obvious groove. Climb the turfy groove with good gear to make a tricky step right on to a good foothold. Here the Groove narrows and becomes blank. make some thin moves to gain the steep wall out right, and make even thinner moves on poor flat hooks to reach the thin hanging crack/corner. More thin moves up the crack gains some good, but hollow hooks half way up the corner (poor bulldog protects). From here a committing move left leads to a rest on a good turf ledge. Move up and then move right across the face to regain the crack then the arete. Easy climbing leads to a good belay.

Trying to recover, it's steeper than it looks

The angle gear showing how steep it is!

Pitch 2. (25m) Climb the easy snow to the top.

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Comment by Adam Hughes on January 30, 2012 at 8:10: It's the most pumped I've been yet on a winter route, but there was no option to let go. A ground fall from 20ma focuses the mind!

Comment by Dan Mckinlay on January 28, 2012 at 8:16: VIII 8 finally!! Nice work Adam well worth the wait as a new route as well. Brilliant.

Comment by peri on January 27, 2012 at 12:27: nice one Adam

Comment by Adam Hughes on January 27, 2012 at 6:43: Not too bad. I'm East working in gorms. Might see you in the noires if you're over that side.

Comment by Martin Haworth on January 26, 2012 at 22:06: Well done Adam, great effort. I'm heading up tomorrow night, forecast is looking good for the weekend.