Past Week

The past week has been a real rollercoaster of 'emotions'. It started last Saturday at the Fort William Film Festival and Diffs entertaining lecture "Climbers I've Shot and Some I'd Like To Shoot" which was followed by a showing of Single Handed. I had to do a short Q&A with Diff afterwards and as usual I was pretty nervous, made even more so by the presense of the legendary Jimmy Marshall and his family. Speaking to Jimmy on the Sunday he told me to stop the dry tool soloing as it was 'dangerous', this after having watched him on the terryfying looking second ascent of Yo-Yo. A review of the festival here http://www.planetfear.com/articles/Fort_William_Mountain_Festival_2010_1090.html

Then it was an appointment at the Sports Injuries clinic on Wednesday to see if they had another opinion. The doctor hardly had to look to be able to tell me my foot is actually broken. CT scan on Thursday and phonecall on Friday confirmed my worst fears, my foot is badly fractured and I'm going to get an operation to put screws in my foot, gutted and angry that I've wasted almost two months pointlessly trying to recover.

Gaz arrived late on Friday for a weeks climbing and I decided that as my foot is knackered anyway I would try at least get to the CIC icefalls. Early start on Saturday morn saw Gaz, a hungover Kaye and myself stumbling up from the North Face carpark.

Kaye walking towards the cascades on the right as the sun crests the Carn Mor Dearg

As I walked in I realised just how much I have been missing the mountains.As we arrived at the crag we decided that Gaz would lead the first route and I would climb up alongside Kaye on her first ice climb. As kaye and I geared up to follow Gaz I went to put on my prosthetic and it broke, I couldn't believe it and what I felt transcended anger. However Kaye took off and dispatched the route no problem.


Kaye and Gaz return from the route

Kaye and I on the way out

On the way back out I ended up in pretty severe pain, to the point I was sweating due to it, Gaz got lumbered with my pack for the last steeper section. As usual though dinner and a pint at Nevisport was all the 1st aid I needed. It was a stunning day to be out on the hill and its always good to be there when people do things for the first time. Now its just a waiting game to see when I get the operation....................