OTHER NEWS

• On Thin Ice
• Super7
• Hostels Galore
• Crieff Tryst
• Munro Society News
• SMC Journal 2005
• Scottish Mountaineering Trust
• JMT Suilven Appeal
• Mountaneering Leadership – Essential Books
• Avalanche Card
• Rob Milne - an appreciation

On Thin Ice

Mick Fowler was once dubbed 'the Mountaineers' Mountaineer' by a poll in the Observer, and his trips from London to the far north west of Scotland to nab coveted first ascents became legendary both before and after he wrote about them in his first book Vertical Pleasure.

Since then a lot more peaks have seen Mick standing at their summit for the first time, climbed in excellent style with his total acceptance of the alpine-style ascent of major Himalayan peaks. So much so that he, and partner Paul Ramsden, received the US 'Golden Piton' award and the French 'Piolet d'Or' in 2002 as the finest alpine achievement of that year.

Still working as a Tax Man, but now based in Derbyshire and with his wife Nicki and father to two children, Tessa and Alec, it still amazes that he finds both the energy and the time for a regular yearly big trip.

On Thin Ice is Mick's second foray into literature, with publishers Baton Wicks, and working with Ken Wilson must in itself have been like tackling a big peak! The result is a cavalcade of adventurous exploits in Nepal, India, Alaska and China (and a few closer to home) packaged in Mick's modest writing style.

Search it out in bookshops and you won't be disappointed. Scottish Mountaineer will feature a review of the book in December.

Super7 New Route Attempt

Oliver Metherell is attempting to become the first in the world to achieve a Super7? But what is it? Oliver explains that it is based on the concept of trying to climb the highest point on each continent – The Seven Summits. That was first achieved by Dick Bass, and has really taken off with climbers around the world striving to add their names to the growing list (a sort of Munro Mania for world mountaineers!). But Oliver thought it would be interesting to add spice to that by achieving a first ascent of a new climbing route on each continent.

“As far as I am aware, nobody has set out to achieve this. I have been inspired by British climbing stars such as Mick Fowler. He has proved that some of the most beautiful and technical challenges lie away from the very highest peaks and I hope to pioneer a new route, in alpine-style, on each continent, not necessarily on the highest peak.

This has gone well so far with an ascent of a new route in New Zealand with James Edwards and Kevin Neal (film maker and producer of 'Hot Aches') on Mt Aspiring (named '24 Hour Party People', 650m Grade VII, ED2) and on Ben Nevis (aka Europe) with 'Right Hand Chimney' 250m Grade VI,7. Oliver's next objective is a new line on a giant 'Eagle Ridge' on Mt Rondoy, in the Huayhash region of Peru, for which he has received a MCofS Expedition Grant.

Catch up with his exploits on www.super7.co.uk

Hostels Galore

Now established as the definitive guide, the 2005 updated version of the Independent Hostel Guide from Backpackers Press is available in bookshops and outdoor shops at £4.95 (ISBN 0-9536185-4-4).

Or you can get it Online from www.independenthostelguide.co.uk and pay by credit card.

Crieff Tryst

Crieff is almost in the centre of Scotland, and was once the main destination for the Drovers bringing cattle to market from the Isle of Skye. The Crieff Drovers Tryst is celebrated nowadays in a festival that includes historical re-enactments, big Highland Coo's (often called Hamish!) and a welter of outdoor action – guided walks (low and high level, easy to hard), cycling, horse riding, orienteering, rock climbing, treasure huts and mountain biking.

Opened this year by author Irvine Butterfield (who penned a book about the Drovers and a re-enactment of the drove) on Saturday 8th at 11.30am in James Square, there follows through the week an art exhibition, The North Men re-enactments, a 'painted-cow' competition, spinning and weaving demonstrations.

There's loads of evening entertainment – quiz night, Ghosts & Ghouls tour, live music (from Gaberlunzie and Mamma's), ceilidh's, a Barn Dance, a Famous Grouse BBQ and live jazz.

Full details and free registration for activities contact 01764 652 578, see www.droverstryst.co.uk or pick up a brochure at a Tourist Information Centre.

Munro Society News:

Early Munroists:
As part of their endeavours to place on record some of the exploits of the earliest Munroists, the Munro Society commissioned Jim Closs to produce a video featuring an interview with Munroist No 56, Jim Cosgrove, in conversation with Irvine Butterfield (the Societies 1st President).

Spritely 92yr old Jim (Cosgrove) was in attendance at the first screening of the film at the Societies AGM in the Birnam Institute. Members who attended the show provided an appreciative audience and were later joined by the general public for the Annual Lecture given by Martin Moran.

The public support has encouraged The Society to revisit Birnam for their 2006 AGM and again the Annual Lecture will be open to the public, so look out for it.

Perthshire is again to the fore as the Society returns to Blair Athol on October 22nd (The Athol Arms Hotel) for the Munro Society Dinner at which the after dinner speaker will be the well known Irish mountaineer, author poet and general raconteur, Dermott Sommers. As the dinner is only open to Society members, this alone is worth joining for.

For a copy of the video contact: John Burdin, Tay View, 15 Ardestie Place, Moniefieth DD5 4PS. Make cheques for £11 (inclusive of p&p) payable to “The Munro Society”.

2005 Scottish Mountaineering Club Journal

The Journal is again available to MCofS members at the discounted rate of £11.95 including postage (RRP £13.95)

Articles are diverse and include such authors as Iain Smart on the cuillin; Graham Little describes an expedition to Lammergeier Spire in the Miyar Nala area of India; Davy Gunn tells tales of guiding in Glen Coe; Stephen Reid explores the Galloway hills; Adam Watson explains why winters are disappearing and John Workman climbs Minus One Direct on the Ben. Finally Dave Broadhead celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Ling Hut. And there is always the Munros and more besides.

Available from: Douglas F. Lang, 580 Perth Road, DUNDEE DD2 1PZ
Cheques should be made in favour of 'Scottish Mountaineering Club'.

The Scottish Mountaineering Trust

Helping others enjoy Scotland's mountains

The trust is a grant making Charity that has been dispersing funds for over 40yrs. All profits from the Scottish Mountaineering Club's climbing and hill walking guides go to the Trust and provide much of its revenue. It supports a wide-ranging category of initiatives, always associated with mountains as long as the hills or hill users benefit. This has included footpath construction and maintenance (between 1994 and 2003 £190,000 has been spent on paths including the Allt a'Mhuillin path on Ben Nevis) core funding to the MCofS for access and conservation work, mountain rescue equipment and facilities, support to expeditions, renovation of club huts, land purchases and mountain education and training.

Most commonly groups or organisation can apply for grants but new ideas and causes are always welcomed, and the trust is keen to encourage applications for education, especially among young people and people with disabilities.

There is no limit to the amount applied for.

Obtain an application form from the Scottish Mountaineering Trust, Willowbank, Tradespark Road, Nairn IV12 5NF or download one at http://www.smc.org.uk/Trust/Trust.htm. Applications are considered in January, June and October. Scottish Charity SCO09117.

JMT Suilven Appeal

The John Muir Trust (JMT) recently launched the Suilven Appeal to help safeguard the mountains of Suilven, Canisp, Cul Mor, Cul Beag and a surrounding 44,500 acres of the Assynt and Drumrunie Estates.

Endorsed by Berghaus, the Appeal aims to raise £500,000 to help the JMT support the conservation of this huge tract of important wild land in addition to enabling the Trust to continue its work on its own properties. The JMT played a major role in helping the Assynt Foundation (a community body and charity registered in Scotland) secure essential funding to secure the purchase.

The area forms the significant core of the Assynt and Coigach National Scenic Area and has four Sites of Special Scientific Interest, a Special Area of Conservation, and a Special Protection Area for breeding birds. It was awarded European Geopark status, is currently being considered as a World Heritage Site and offers a real opportunity to increase the richness and biodiversity of the area as although stunning to look at, its flora and fauna have suffered from years of overgrazing.

John Muir Trust director, Nigel Hawkins, said 'The management of the natural heritage forms a key part of the future management plan for the estates, and JMT – who appoint a director to the board of the Foundation – will give considerable help and advice in the future. Our Suilven Appeal will provide essential funds towards our input to both the purchase and future management of this sublime wild land area with its importance for UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species.'

Mountaineering Leadership
Essential Skills Books from MLTUK

Even if you are not thinking of registering to get your formal Leadership qualifications, but are involved in organising and 'leading' walks or climbing sessions with your local club, with family friends or anyone else who are beginners, you will find these two books from the Mountain Leader Training UK invaluable. As well as the technicalities of the activity, they give you a lot of good advice on how to organise the sessions, safety issues to think about and even the law and risk management.

Rock Climbing £16.99 (incl p&p)
Hill walking £14.99 (incl p&p)

ORDER YOUR COPY USING THE MCofS PUBLICATIONS LIST

Avalanche Card to carry in your rucksack

The MCofS and Avalex produced this small plastic coated aide-memoire for anyone venturing out into the winter hills. Read it all before you go and become more aware of avalanches; carry it in your sac's top pocket and if you need to refresh your memory on the hill you can identify the most prone areas, the warning signs, the weather's affect, safe route choice and travel techniques as well as a 'walking Rutschblock' test to help confirm the snows stability.

And if you want to get some practical tuition sign up for one of the MCofS Avalanche Awareness Courses

ORDER YOUR COPY USING THE MCofS PUBLICATIONS LIST

Rob Milne

An Appreciation by Rab Anderson

On 5 June 2005 Rob Milne (48) suddenly collapsed and died of a heart attack on the way to the summit of Everest, just below the Balcony some 400m short of the summit. This was to be his final peak in his quest to climb the Seven Summits, the highest peak on each of the seven continents.

Rob was born in Montana and moved to Colorado at an early age where he started to climb. He quickly progressed to the big mountains where in 1975 he made the first ascent of the North-East Ridge of Mount Vancouver in the Yukon and a few years later he visited the Kitchatna Spires in Alaska and made some fine ascents.

It was around 1979 when he came to Edinburgh to complete a PhD in Artificial Intelligence that I first met Rob, where he was gaining a reputation as an ice climber with a string of good ascents on The Ben. Rob certainly found the Scottish winter scene to his liking. Our first route together in January 1980 was White Elephant (VII 6) on Creag an Dubh Loch. This was quickly followed by Outgrabe Route (V,5) in Glen Coe and the tone was set for many years to follow. It was whilst we were doing a new route up on the Diamond Buttress of Bidean nam Bian this year that Rob proudly announced that we had climbed 100 winter routes together. Amongst our significant ascents were the West Buttress Direttissima (VII,8) on Beinn Eighe, Inclination (VII,8) and Ravens Edge complete (VII,7) in Glen Coe and the opening up of the Southern Highlands with Deadman's Groove (VII,7) on the Cobbler. In the Cairngorms classics such as Deep Throat (V,6) and The Hoarmaster (V,6) were established. We also made a number of significant repeats in the Cairngorms such as The Migrant (VI,7) and Postern (VI,6).

My enthusiasm for the rigours of Scottish winter climbing was not quite of the same magnitude as Rob's and therefore I was choosy about when I went out. Not so Rob, for he just wanted to climb and as a result there are many others who enjoyed his company on the hills. When the conditions were not good for climbing he would go off hill walking. There was no doubting his boundless energy and enthusiasm for the Scottish hills.

In 1980 he also climbed Denali and the North Face of the Eiger, together with more routes in Scotland but his PhD had been paid for by the US Military, so he moved back to the States and gave them back the years they gave him. This reduced his climbing somewhat but he still managed to keep active and in fact was part of a top American team including Galen Rowel and Andy Embick, which opened everyone's eyes to the potential of Karakorum granite with the first ascent of the beautiful Lukpilla Brakk spire. This was when he scored his full gore-tex shell suit from the US military, which he proudly wore around the Scottish hills for many years. The only problem was that it was camouflaged - fortunately not in white!

Rob became the Chief Artificial Intelligence Scientist at the Pentagon but his sights were firmly set on returning to Scotland, which he did, to establish a highly successful business in Livingston, Intelligent Applications. Rob became one of the leaders in the artificial intelligence and software engineering fields, gaining a string of recognitions and awards. He regularly travelled the globe on business and no matter where he went he would always manage to squeeze in some climbing. It was on such a trip that he climbed Mount Kosciuszko in Australia, one of the peaks that he climbed as part of the Seven Summits objective. There is some debate as to whether Carstenz Pyramid, on which he climbed a new route with Steve Sustad, is in Australasia, or not, so he climbed them both. The other peaks were Acongagua, Elbruz, Kilimanjaro, Vinson, Denali.

Rob was a member of the American Alpine Club, the Alpine Club and more importantly the Scottish Mountaineering Club. Rob's business and IT skills, together with his love of the Scottish Hills stood him in good stead when he took on the role of Convenor for the SMC's Publications Sub Committee. He also took on the role of Editor of the Club's hill walking guides and was behind the latest edition of the Corbetts guide and CD Rom, together with the most recent and highly acclaimed North-West Highlands 'District Guide'.

One of the last times I saw Rob, he was drunk. Not just on alcohol, although there had been a lot of that, but on success. It was the end of the International Winter Climbing Meet at Glenmore Lodge in the Cairngorms and they were having a party. It had been a great week and a lot of climbing was done. Rob was one of the host climbers. In fact Rob had acted as a host on all of the Mountaineering Council of Scotland and British Mountaineering Council International Winter Climbing meets. I am sure that some of the International climbers must have found it a little strange to see that one of their hosts was a smooth shaved American, rather than a bearded and kilted Scotsman. It would not have taken them long to realise that Rob was no ordinary American for he was a local with a great knowledge and understanding of the Scottish Hills and a temperament ideally suited to the task in hand.

In addition to his mountaineering and winter climbing exploits Rob was an avid hill walker and having climbed all 284 Munros and their associated tops he was set to complete the 219 Corbetts and the 89 Donalds in the same year that he completed the Seven Summits. Sadly this was not to be.

Rob leaves a wife and two children. He was a true Scottish Mountaineer and will be missed by many.