Climbing - DAVE SEARLE

It’s been a Funny Kinda Summer.

08/08/201116/11/2020Leave a comment

Tacul mixed — Kev Avery getting all mixed up on the Tacul Triangle During one of the good weather days we had. This was a funky pitch of Scottish VI6 above the German Gully.

I think the only way to describe this summer is wet. It seems like we haven’t really had more than a handfull of really good weather days to play with so for me getting out and doing the routes I really wanted to do this summer has been quite hard.

However, every cloud has a silver lining and with all this wet weather the mountains have been looking very white which is a good sign for the coming autumn. So rather than worring about what I haven’t been able to do I have been training and enjoying the time when I have made it up out of the valley.

Dave Searle and Ally Swinton in Eiger Shocker!

28/07/201116/11/2020Leave a comment

The funny thing about the Eiger is your perception of what it’s like is very different to how it actually is. I thought it was going to be in a mailstorm of falling rocks whilst pulling on loose holds with Clint Eastwood body belaying me up a ice field with a funny glint in his eye.

I was pleasantly surprised to find the nature of the climbing was very different to that of the Mont Blanc Massif which made it quite interesting and difficult in places. I was however disappointed by the lack of rock fall and gruff film stars.

Here’s how it went….Continue reading

Colton/Macintyre, North Face Of The Grandes Jorasses November 2010.

21/07/201121/07/2011Leave a comment

AA4BEDD6E8F2439E94D05BFCF9E779FE — I LIKE UR FACE! Can I climb it?.........But of course.

So after recent successes on the Ginat With Ally Swinton. Myself, Gav and Jim headed up to the base of the Grandes Jorasses. We had our sights set on the Colton/Macintyre which is the prominent ice line leading right to left up the middle of the face. It features steep thin Alpine ice VI and tricky mixed climbing to join up with the walker spur. The route is 1200m long and pretty steep. After a slight sketch out at the start of the ladders down to the mer de glace as a couple of northern european type people warned of deep soft snow we plowed on up to our bivy site without any hassle, wondering what they had been on (about). After a bit’o smash and cheese we bedded down, waiting for the call of the alarm…..

Here’s some photo’s of our ascent.

Some good photos from past routes…….. and failures!

21/07/201121/07/2011Leave a comment

Me in awe — So thats it... Probably one of the most sort after north faces in the Mont Blanc massif (definatly most climbed). The mighty Tacul triangle. ooooorrrrffff

So to be good at anything in life you need practice. Thats the only reason one would climb on the triangle. For training. So thats what me and Gav and Josh did. We went for some practice warm up mixed climbing time. We did four routes in total and just as if we had been sport climbing i don’t really know the names of them, just the grade. It was fun here’s some photo’s.
Continue reading