Lee Harrison Climbing

Jack and me could afford a casual start. It was 11am by the time we arrived in the White Cliffs of Dover National Trust car park. There was even time for a slice of cake in the shop. High tide was at 9.20am so much of the morning would be a write-off. We descended the zigzag path to the beach. Waves were still extending the full length of the shore and showering the boulders strewn beneath the cliffs.We waited patiently. Then we ran out of patience... We clambered over the boulders, avoiding waves, sometimes getting soaked by waves. We reached a section of cliff with no boulders that would forced us to pause and wait for the tide to recede a little more. Everything in this area was too steep to consider climbing so we had to press on. There was soon another impassible section. Beyond this the cliffs cut back from the waters edge before reaching the huge section of cliff that collapsed over the summer. We donned our crampons and traversed above the waves to the safety of a strip of ...

With winter approaching it was time to begin the season of chalk again. Having been plagued with shoulder injuries for much of the summer I was keen to ease back into things gently to avoid re-injury. I headed to Saltdean together with Julia, another member from the London Mountaineering Club, who was keen to try some chalk for the first time. We met Kirill and his climbing partner Paul at the crag. Back at Saltdean Julia and me climbed the usual regulars on the West side including Day Dreaming, Back in Time and Back Off Back On (all C5). I also top-roped (there are no bolts) a direct version of Day Dreaming, which climbs through a low jutting roof and offers much better value than the regular line. Kirill and Paul managed between them to climb most of the routes in this part of the crag. Julia climbing Day Dreaming (C5) Julia climbing Back On Back Off (C5) Paul climbing the unnamed route (C5) between Back in Time & St. Jerome Rain struck short...

Rush hour We walked into Lochain today in light of the poor conditions in Coire an t'Sneachda yesterday. Despite the higher elevation conditions proved to be no better with the likes of Fallout Corner in summer condition. Fourth Man looked vaguely climbable however the traverse left out of Sidewinder proved impossible without frozen turf. We continued up Sidewinder instead, which proved no pushover in these conditions, and then bore right into the final gully of Western Route. Summer conditions under snow

A cold snap late in the season lured Kirill and me to Scotland for some winter climbing. With substantial snow earlier in the week, combined with prolonged cold temperatures since then, we felt encouraged to to make the long journey. I was in good form having recently returned from the Alps yet felt I had underachieved with my Scottish winter ascents this season (largely due to fickle weather and conditions) given the amount of training I have put in. 'Early season conditions' were being reported on reliable blogs with routes such as Hoarmaster and Fallout Corner having seen ascents earlier in the week. Blog activity had been suspiciously quiet since then but surely that was due to most the Scottish guides having wrapped their bookings up for the season after many weeks of unseasonably warm weather. We walked into Coire an t'Sneachda, which seemed the obvious choice for these 'early season' conditions. Deep unconsolidated snow spanned the floor ...

We had a classic mixed route all to ourselves today for a change. With a poor weather front imminent late in the day we were keen to get another route climbed prior. A local guide in the Refuge du Plan de l'Aiguille had recommended Frendo-Ravanel to us. Positioned close to the Grands Montets téléphérique station on Aiguille Carrée, it seemed an ideal choice of route for easy access and easy escape were the weather to change for the worse. And if the lift shut again then atleast we could walk down to the valley. We had spent last night on the floor of the Grands Montets téléphérique station, our sleep disturbed twice by prolonged machinery grating loudly in the room next to us. Sunrise over Aiguille du Chardonnet Approaching Frendo-Ravanel in the Argentière Basin The bergschrund of Frendo-Ravanel was a monster. I led up a steep step of ice into a small cove in the bergschrund where I trapped myself under a shal...

Mike and me spent the night on the floor of the Grands Montets Téléphérique Station in preparation for our Frendo-Ravanel  attempt next morning. We were treated to some spectacular views towards the Dru and Mont Blanc massif as the sunset. As darkness fell two lights illuminated from the North Couloir of the Dru. The climbers appeared to still be ascending despite the late hour. Late in the night they would arrive after completing the route. Twice in the night the staff started the station machinery for what seemed like an hour at a time. I would trade camping on the Col du Midi for the floor of the Grands Montets station any night though. Sunset over the Mont Blanc and the Dru from the Grands Montets téléphérique station  Sunset from the Grands Montets téléphérique station Lights of Chamonix View from my sleeping bag in the Grands Montets téléphérique station

The warning signs that we were going to hit Alpine rush hour were evident from the moment we stepped off the téléphérique at the Plan de l'Aiguille the afternoon prior. Every climber including ourselves was planning to climb Le Fil à Plomb on the Rognon du Plan next day. I had not even heard of the route until a few day ago when I had spotted it from the téléphérique during our descent from the Aiguille du Midi. With the Grands Montets station shut due to high winds this seemed to natural plan B. The winter room in the Refuge du Plan de l'Aiguille was over-subscribed with one group having to be turned away. Still, on the plus side we were one of about four groups, which on the grand scale of things was not cause for major concern, provided we didn't begin the route at the same time. Sunset over the Chamonix Aiguilles Sunset over the Refuge du Plan de l'Aiguille My 3am alarm appeared to serve as a cue for everybody to rise and soon there were a dozen or so...