As a consolation for our failures on the Großglockner, Will and I stopped by at the Kleiner Barmsteine on our way home. The south ridge was a very fun new way up to a summit I know well.
Will and I first aimed for the Glocknerwand überschreitung, then switched to the Stüdlgrat as the weather window closed, before finally turning back in the early morning with storms on the horizon and bad weather all around. Not all trips to the mountains are successful.
Will missed his flight to Munich, because he's an idiot, but we managed to salvage the rest of the first day with a very fast lap of the Postalm Klettersteig. It winds a course up a very aesthetic and moody gorge, quite different to most other routes I've done to date.
On my annual winter trip to visit Will in Aberdeen, we decided to follow Simon Richardson's advice and chase the ephemeral over to Jenga Buttress on Creagan Coire Cha-no. In proper Scottish conditions I was thankful for Maverick to help us locate the abseil. The route and crag fully deserves a trip over from the car park although it is not recommended if grade III is your limit - as our two hours stood on a belay behind a somewhat nervous party ahead will testify!
Proclaimed in the guidebook as "one of the all-time Mid Wales classic routes", we found the crag at Craig Cywarch in a rather damp, vegetated condition. Undeterred, and hoping never to need return to this Classic Rock destination, we set off of a team ascent and were pleased to see the route improve considerably after the first, dripping pitch. Overall it was a rather cold day, clearly illustrated by the chilling temperature inversion in the valley below.
Our final day on the islands, so I took it easy after a smashing week of Norwegian granite and perfect weather. Ross, Will and Clay climbed Lundeklubben (The Puffin Club) while I had a nap, after which Clay and I followed Ross up Skiløperen, possibly the most impressive looking HVS line I've ever seen.
