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1. Mort IX, 9 Lochnagar
FA: Brian Davidson (led both hard pitches)
Repeats: unrepeated
Style: This has all the ingredients of the country's hardest climb:
long, serious, technical, powerful and requiring peculiar conditions.
Comments: required many attempts and a 50ft fall before success.
An onsight at the first attempt without the unusual ice on the third
pitch is clearly the most glaring challenge out there for the winter
warriors. A repeat attempt reduced Alan Mullin to tears and vomiting!
2. Happy Tyroleans IX, 10 Coire an Lochain
FA: Florian Shranz and party 2000
Repeats: unrepeated
Style: Desperate and sustained overhanging wall and groove climbing
on mostly good hooks to the crux, then a VERY hard pull. Safe.
Comments: should perhaps be in the sport list as the main pitch
was toproped and led with three preplaced pegs. However, the top
pitch was onsighted and most of the other gear was placed on lead.
Should receive a ground up ascent soon if the right conditions and
the right person meet. Would be No. 3 if on the sport list.
3. Demon Direct IX, 9 Coire an Lochain
FA: Alan Mullin & Steve Paget 2001
Repeats: unrepeated
Style: similar to, but possibly slightly easier than the above route
due to a no hands rest at half height. Safe, apart from a gritstone
like serious start above a threatening ledge.
Comments: The first ascent was the culmination of three years of
effort and training by the determined Mr Mullin. "Yi dae six wanarm
poolups mate an if ye faw aff yir gonnae brek boff yer legs mate!"
- Alan Mullin.
4. The Steeple IX, 9 Shelterstone
FA: Alan Mullin & Steve Paget 1999
Repeats: unrepeated
Style: a very long, sustained climb, but still with very high standard
climbing on the crux corner.
Comments: A big all round challenge of skill, fitness, determination
and logistics. Mullin and Paget opted to climb it in one push over
24 hours, mostly in darkness. Two aid points were used, but this
was still an impressive ascent of a still controversial winter challenge.
5. The Duel IX, 9 Glen Coe
FA: Dave Cuthbertson & Rab Anderson 1999
Repeats: unrepeated
Style: an intricate, technical and bold wall climb which is not
as strenuous as many others on the list. Would be ascentionists
will need devious technical skills, patience and a confident approach,
but not one arm pull up strength.
Comments: Has been onsighted and reversed past the crux in heavy
verglas conditions by MacLeod, without the side runner. This should
definitely be eliminated on any future ascents to improve the route's
quality. The crux pitch took five hours to complete, at the seventh
attempt.
6. Guerdon Grooves IX, 9 Glen Coe
FA: Dave Cuthbertson, Arthur Paul 1984
Repeats: unrepeated
Style: Has been described as a winter Indian Face. Stories of long,
thin, precarious and death defying have built up a massive reputation
and aura surrounding the route. Cubby seems indecisive about whether
it deserves such dread, so it's probably safe to say its 'death'.
Comments: The last of Cubby's legendary unrepeated big routes. If
his other big routes are anything to go by, it's not really any
surprise that no one has taken up the challenge of the 'other' big
repeat to do on the Scottish winter scene.
7. Torqueing Corpse IX, 8 Lochnagar
FA: Graeme Livingstone, Mark Charlton 1980s
Repeats: unrepeated
Style: All that we really know about this slightly mysterious route
is that it's steep, hard and very, very dangerous (and that's coming
from of the boldest climbers of their period).
Comments: Despite being around for ages and often talked about,
this is another climb which has been left well alone by the Lochnagar
locals and anyone else for that matter. Stories of belayers being
reduced to tears and the ominous name haven't helped. Like the above
route, the IX grade was applied years after the first ascent, so
we will only find out if it really deserves its place in the top
ten when someone sticks their neck out and does it.
8. The Needle - Bad Karma IX,8 Shelterstone
FA: Alan Mullin & Steve Paget 1997
Repeats: unrepeated Style: Another marathon 17hour push with sustained
desperate climbing on a big cliff.
Comments: Another controversial winter target but questions about
its suitability aside, it remains clear that few or none of the
current activists have taken the bull by the horns and made a repeat.
9. and 10. With no more IXs to fill the top ten (appalling!)
it is impossible to choose between the multitudes of VIIIs out there.
It is worth mentioning that there have doubtlessly been many IX
efforts accomplished by unsung heroes battling up VIIIs in dreadful
storm and heavy conditions. Given the frustrating patterns in climbing
conditions over the past few seasons, it is clearly a big ask to
go out and climb IX or even VII every weekend. Perhaps this year
some of the usual suspects, or even some new young tigers will take
the above list by the scruff of the neck and make the list writer's
job much easier!
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