9am: At car park waiting for Jim to do my second winter climb, he turns up a couple of mins later we get ready and head off up the hill, as we make our way up we eventually hit snow, the hill is getting steeper and the snow getting thicker and more frozen, at last we stop, we get our crampons and ice axes out and have a quick drink, we head off again up an even steeper hill.
I catch Jim up near the bottom of the route, we gear up and start to make our way to the bottom of our target - Moonshadow. We dig out a step and set up a belay.
The first pitch of Moonshadow looks like a nice easy snow slope from where im standing. Jim sets off steady at first then theres no movement and as I cant see him I don't know what he's up to. After 30 mins or so later the ropes get pulled in and I'm thinking he's setting up a belay. 10mins later all the ropes come back down. What is going on? Two guys appear next to me and I ask them "Can you see him?" They say he's backing off the right hand side now he's moving to the left. That's odd, our route goes to the right. Maybe he's changed his mind and we're doing the left hand route instead of the Twisting Gully Right Fork. A short while later a hear a faint SAFE, "Off belay!" I shout back, strip the belay and set off. The easy snow slope ends at a vertical rock wall. Ok I can do this im not going to fall. I hook my axes on the ledge and pull my self up, then move left and pull myself up over the lip. I did it! Phew! I see Jim over at the belay he's set up. He tells me to set up a belay over on the right, so I find a peg and try to get a sling though it, no luck its frozen and I cant get the ice out. Jim tells me to try and place some gear. I manage to get one in above and one below the peg. I tell Jim I'm not too sure if they're secure enough. He tells me that he went left due to lack of ice, that he would've done the RH part but didn't think I would've liked it. It's his call he's the boss!
Onwards to the second pitch, looks like nice easy climbing up some frozen turf (I've got a lot to learn!) I watch Jim putting a long sling through the rock to back up my dodgy belay, then he sets off up the turf. He's taking his time and I'm freezing. Soon it's my turn. I quickly realise why the sling was placed, as between my belay and the turf was a huge drop down a gully. I edge myself across very carefully and get on to the turf, which turns out to be very steep. Ok I can do this just take your time and work your way up it I tell myself. I come to a hard move so I shout to Jim watch me, I torque one axe into the rock, the other I plant in the turf, get my feet in the right place and try to pull up. I feel my feet slipping, "Shit! Get your feet sorted! I kick my frontpoints into the turf. Thank god!! Jim shouts down and tells me to hold on there till he takes a photo. "Make it quick!!" I shout, as by this time my arms are getting pumped.
Time for the third pitch. Great! Another pitch where I can't see Jim. I pay out the ropes till I feel three pulls. With fingers crossed I take Jim off belay and I set off. I reach the bottom of the chimney. "Oh my god!!" this looks hard. Another wee talking to myself, "Get up it you big Jessie!" I torque my axes in cracks and carefully place my crampons on wee edges and slide my back up one side of the chimney until I can hook my axes over a wedged chockstone. I pull myself up and over the chockstone. What do I do now? Looking over to my right I see some turf, so I swing my right hand axe into the turf, leaving my left hand axe hooked on the rock. Now for my feet, my axes are securely placed so "move come on, move will you" Thud, feet planted! So I pull myself over there, relief swept though me as my body moved on to the turf and I thought how the hell did Jim lead this? The final section of the chimney looms ahead. The wind picks up and blew spindrift up the chimney into my face, so I wait till it abates. Jim shouts to me telling me to get in as far as you can into the chimney then work my way up and left. I struggled to find anything to hook my axes onto, my feet were skating all over the place and the spindrift got worse. I shake my head, I can't do this, I'm tired and scared. I shout for a tight rope tight and Jim helps me up as I'm trying to place my axes. Made it! At last!
Jim tells me to get out of the wind. It's starting to get dark so we ram everything in to our rucsacs and make our way down. It's now 6 pm, so headtorches on, grab a quick bite to eat and drink. It takes us one more hour to get off the mountain and 30mins later to be in the pub for a well deserved meal. Thanks Jim, for a superb day out on a route we thought was Grade III. Jim uses old guides!!
Beth Reed & Jim Hall