The Scottish Mountaineering Club Journal: Volume 51, No.214

The Journal's theme is unfinished business, with stories of unclimbed lines, generation gaps, and the vastness of geological time. It includes reports on new routes, reviews of books, and a summary of the winter climbing season.

Format: Hardback
Length: 400 pages
Publication date: 15 December 2023
Publisher: Scottish Mountaineering Club

The Journal's theme for this year seems to be unfinished business. In the remote region of Galloway, the Wolf Slock presents an unclimbed line that has defied the efforts of Andrew Fraser and his friends. Despite their repeated attempts, they eventually succumb to its challenges. In the Connoisseur's Choice, Fraser and his co-author Stephen Reid recount their adventures and the tale of the Wolf Slock. Moving further north, Kenny Brookman embarks on a remarkable mission to climb 100 routes in a single day at Reiff. Meanwhile, on Islay, Graham Little ropes in a younger partner to fulfill long-standing ambitions. David Almond also bridges the generation gap by introducing his daughter to the joys of winter climbing. After conquering Carnmore, John Allen returns half a century later to confront another formidable challenge—an unclimbed Corbett. He ponders whether we are overly reliant on lists, but in Munro Matters, we celebrate the completion of lists and the achievement of multiple rounds. Did James Hutton have Munro-bagging in mind when he spoke of "no vestige of a beginning and no prospect of an end"? Steven Andrews clarifies in Climbing through Time that Hutton meant the vastness of geological time, as he describes the ancient rocks upon which we climb. Throughout Scotland, new routes are recorded, including many in the Hebrides, where Ian Crofton hints at endless exploration opportunities on the magnificent cliffs of Havenay. Popular features include Simon Richardson's summary of the winter climbing season and 23 authoritative reviews of recent books.

Weight: 710g
Dimension: 142 x 218 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781907233302