Janey and Keith: The Message - What an epic day!

So yesterday - 23rd January 2012 - we woke up bright and early to head up to the norries for a days climbing. I was meant to be at uni but since Keith was off we decided that winter climbing was a much better option - I was wrong.

We set off pretty early, around 5.15am hopeing to get up there sharp and get two routes done on Mess of Pottage. However, about 20miles from aviemore there was a massive traffic jam on the A9, fire trucks, ambulances and police cars heading further up the road with flashing lights. It had been snowing as we were driving, so must have been some sort of accident, I don't know. After sitting in the car at a stand hill for a good twenty minutes, my trusty blackberry (this things survived being thrown in a river!) showed us an alternate route. Luckily we had come to a stop 50 metres or so before a U-turn. So we turned around, drove 5 miles back towards Edinburgh, and did a massive 30minute detour through Newtonmore. Very annoying but oh well! Finally made it to Cairngorm car park at 8.30am, yes thats over 3 hours to get to aviemore!

After a lot of faff we finally began the walk in around 9, in the snow!

Keith walking in to the coire base

After having a look at what lines were free we opted for The Message (IV 6 ***). It was very busy for a Monday, we had forgotten about the international meet. After a bit of queueing due to the first pitch being shared with a few other routes, we began climbing.

I (Janey) led the first pitch which began with about 20 metres of easy ground (and no gear), followed by 10 metres of harder climbing, probably around a hard tech 4 in the current conditions. Quite reachy, as most things are for me. Upon reaching the belay it was climbing gloves off, and mittens (with hotties hand warmers inside) on. My new awesome method for hot ache avoidance.

Janey on pitch 1

Then Keith set off on the crux pitch.

I first attempted the left hand branch after the belay but decided against due to lack of gear so repositioned and attacked the right hand groove. This consisted of dodgy torques and magic to stay on as there was no neve under the powder blanket covering the ledge above, then it was on and upwards to the crux section. Securing a thread on a mahoosive block at the bottom of the corner crack I felt quite at ease, until I was a few metres further up where I would have much prefered some euro style bolts, but no, I had to make do with a shit looking nut in an iced up crack, yummy. The climbing was all straight forward being good hooks in snow and ice covered rock and rests available by wedging myself into the corner. But it felt a little reachy for me so I knew I'd be shouted at soon enough. After a good hex (provided I didn't pull it up and out of its seating) and a piece of negligible in-situ sling connected to a miniscule battered nut which was probably the same age as a fine red wine I pulled round the next mantle and into the belay bay and it was Janey's turn to second.

Keith starting the crux pitch

I stripped the belay and began to second Keith up the 'easy' variation. This was not the case, it turns out the 'easy' variation is only easy if you're a lanky bastard. I couldnt reach any of the hooks I saw Keith use, and after attempting to pull on a slopey powdered covered ledge, my axes blew and I had ruined the onsight. A lot of angry words were shouted of course. Tears nearly came out too, but I have been very good at controlling them winter climbing recently!

I then decided to climb the side Keith had decided against. This was much easier! It was probably technically harder, but I could reach things, what a bonus! I had to yard on Keiths sling at the top of that section to get back round to the right and downclimb slightly to retrieve the gear from the section he climbed. Oh well. The actual crux wasn't really the crux for me, I found it super reachy in places, but fairly straight forward. Just a matter of pulling hard. When making it to the next belay it was getting dark and I was in a very bad mood having fallen off, so the headtorches came out and I made Keith lead the top pitch. The top pitch was lovely, we went a bit further right than we were meant to but it was awesome climbing and not too reachy, just a shame it wasnt light for maximum enjoyment.

Keith on the crux

Naving off the plateau was horrid, white out and super windy. We were both so tired by this point, starving, freezing, and just dying to get back to the car. It was a struggle.

Walking down the ski slopes seemed to be never ending and took forever. The ski centre never had their lights on either, so it felt like we were miles away right up until we were 100 metres from the car park!

Getting our boots off and munching on our sandwiches was such a good feeling, and soon we were driving out the car park when we had our near death experience.

The roads were super icy and snowy, having snowed after the ski centre shut, so no plowing or gritting, although really they should have gritted before they left! Ridiculous. Anyway, the next thing we know the car is sliding out of control towards a rocky hilly drop! We started to shit ourselves and after 15metres of sliding, Keith finally got the car to stop literally ONE inch from the edge. So so scary. I was on the phone to Keith's dads girlfriend at the time informing her that we would be late back to pick up our puppy pal, and she heard all of the commotion. This then led to me being put on the phone to Keith's dad to be lectured about the roads. The exact words were 'Tell Keith to get off the gas, if he doesn't listen to you, whack him in ears...they're big enough' hahaha! Keith wasn't happy when he found out what was said.

All in all the day was a bit of an epic. Kind of wish I had just went to uni, when freezing on the route and naving in the cold the thought of being sat in a warm lecture theatre staring at equations was rather appealing! Keith did very well to onsight his first tech 6 though.