Issue 10. December 2001
FEATURES
The winner of the prose section of the 2001 Mountain Article Competition, Munro-bagging By Cathy Whitfield was included in this edition.
A bheil ùidh agad anns a' Ghàidhlig?by Donald Morris Dh'fhaodadh e a ràdh gur h-e cultur sònraichte a th' ann an streap. Ach, tha diofar mòr eadar na beanntan anns a' Ghaidhealtachd 's na h-Eileanan agus na beanntan ann an dùthchannan eile. Tuigidh mòran streapadairean Mont Blanc anns a' Fhraingis, 's e Meall Geal a th' ann. Chanadh mòran streapadairean gu bheil ùidh aca ann am beanntan. Ach, a bheil ùidh agad ann am beanntan no dìreach ann an streap? Feumaidh sinn seo a thuigsinn, gu bheil Gàidhlig mar phàirt den dualchas! 'S e cur-seachad ùr a th' ann an streap ach mus d' ràinig na streapadairean bha muinntir an àite ag obair air an talamh 's air na beanntan. Thug iad fhèin ainmean air a' Ghaidhealtachd. B' àbhaist dhomh a bhith ag obair ann an Ionad-Spòrs faisg air a' Ghearasdan, còmhla ri streapadairean eile. Gu math tric, bhruidhinneadh sinn ri daoine aig nach eil smùid mu dheidhinn cultar na Ghaidhealtachd. Rinn sinn obair mhath, ach, cha robh cuimhne againn air dà rud: na daoine 's an cànan. Cha robh ùidh aig mòran daoine anns a' Ghàidhlig rud a smaoinich mi a bha gu math neònach ma bha sinn ag obair anns a' Ghaidhealtachd. Na làithean-sa, b' urrainnear a ràdh gum feum a h-uile rud a bhith fasanta, streap cuideachd. Ma choimheadas tu anns na iris-leabhraichean chì thu mòran phìosan mu dheidhinn aodaich no trèanadh. An-diugh, chan eil Gàidhlig fasanta. Sin an trioblaid. Ach, on a thòisich mi ag ionnsachadh na Gàidhlig tha mi a' tuigsinn nam beanntan nas fheàrr. Thàinig e a-steach orm gu bheil na beanntan agus streap ag obair còmhla. Mus do dh' ionnsaich mi Gàidhlig bha mi am beachd gun robh fhios agam dè bha na h-ainmean a' ciallachadh. Ach, cha robh fhios agam idir, bha mi aineolach. Ciamar a b' urrainn dhomh fios a bhith agam mura robh mi a' tuigsinn na cànain idir? Feumaidh mi sin a ràdh. An-diugh, tha cuid a streapadairean am beachd gur h-e pàirc-thèama a th' anns na beanntan ged nach eil ùidh aca ann an cultar no anns na daoine a bha a' fuireach air na beanntan. Tha diofar mòr eadar streap agus cur-seachadan eile. Thathas ag ràdh gu math tric gu bheil na beanntan a' toirt buaidh iriosal oirnn. Tha e inntinneach gu bheil dòigh-smaoineachaidh eadar-dhealaichte aig streapadairean a rugadh agus a thogadh ann an dùthchannan eile. Carson a tha sin? Tha fios againn gu bheil na modhannan streap eadar-dhealaichte gun teagamh. 'S dòcha gun tug na beanntan buaidh air an dòigh-smaoineachaidh. B' fheudar dhaibh tactics diofraichte a chleachdadh a chionn 's gun robh na beanntan diofraichte. Nuair a chithear iomradh air Gàidhlig ann an leabhraichean streap shaoileadh tu gur h-e cànan marbh a th' ann an Gàidhlig. Ach, chan e coire nan streapadairean a th' ann. Tha iad a' leantainn a h-uile duine eile ach 's dòcha gu bheil sinn nas fhèarr, beagan. Ach, tha rudan ag atharrachadh an-dràsta. Bha mo chariad ag iarraidh ainm Gàidhlig a chur air an streap. Dh' ainmich e e "Mach a- seo" Bu chòir dhut a streap, tha e air an taobh sear Sgur na h-Uamha anns a' Chuiltheann. Uill ma-tha, 's dòcha gu bheil beagan ùidh aig a h-uile streapadairean. Chan eil mi làn cinnteach às a sin! Nuair a bha iad a' coiseachd air na beanntan feumaidh gun do smaoinich iad mu dheidhinn dè bha na ainmean-àite a' ciallachadh. Tha mi cinnteach gun iarradh mo charaidean, aig nach eil Gàidhlig, pìos beag Gàidhlig ionnsachadh ach, cuideachd, gu bheil iad a' smaoineachadh gum biodh e ro dhoirbh no mi-fhreagarrach. Chan eil mi cinnteach fhathast dè dh' ionnsaich mi no dè bhios mi ag ionnsachadh mu dheidhinn nam beanntan ach tha fhios 'm gu bheil a' Ghàidhlig a' toirt deagh bhuaidh ormsa gun teagamh. Chan eil e cho riatanach Gàidhlig ionnsachadh ma tha ùidh agad anns na beanntan, ach, nam biodh tu air sin a dhèanamh, bhiodh tu gan tuigsinn ann an dòigh eile. Gaelic has increased my awareness of the other issues that surround the mountains. The relationship between Gaelic and mountaineers is an interesting one. As mountaineers we take pride in our knowledge of the Mountains but maybe sometimes our knowledge is not as complete as it could be. Gaelic can open up a whole new world of information about the Scottish Mountains and lead to a greater appreciation. For those readers interested in Gaelic names (of hills and crags!) check out www.smo.uhi.ac.uk - the Gaelic database for names and words. Here's what it came up with for the MCofS name: Comhairle Streapadaireachdna h-Alba. The Eiger through a lensby Scott Muir Everything feels so unreal watching someone climb through a camera lens. Everything outside the frame of the camera becomes obsolete and any danger is diluted by a creative urge to catch the moment. As you can imagine, it came as a bit of a shock to be struck by a small lump of ice square on the forehead. I took my eye from the viewfinder and un-scrunched the other, squinting slightly in the brighter light. The cold realisation of where we were sent shivers down my spine as the seriousness of what we were doing hit home. I only relaxed a little after reassuring myself that I couldn't be with a better partner than Heinz Zack for this escapade. The next pitch looked great!
Back at Sheidegg: I always reckoned I was more than technically capable of completing the route, however the North Face is notorious for falling rock, spouting waterfalls, storms and deaths. There can be no other alpine face that is so aptly named the "Mortwand". With most other big North Face routes a more straight up affair is to be expected, but the 1938 route should be renamed the "Mort Wanderer" due to its massive traverses, making retreat risky and prolonged. I knew that as a pair, Heinz and I could move very quickly and given good conditions probably complete the face in a day, avoiding unnecessary exposure to objective dangers. But we were here to make a film and were going to have to spend a little more time. It had snowed heavily and the face was plastered. It was going to take at least 5 days to clear, so meantime Will (our main cameraman) and I got fit on the Monch and the Jungfrau whilst Heinz stayed at home in Austria finishing off his latest sport project. Heinz and I had never met before and we hoped that this relationship would lead to a more enjoyable documentary, following the principle that Heckmair and Vorg, Harrer and Kasparek had also never met before, except briefly, until high on the North Face. It was risky not knowing whether we would get on, especially under pressure, but it is difficult not get on with others who share a similar passion. The International Winter meets at Glenmore Lodge were testament to that. The opportunity arose one morning to get onto the face for a look. We jumped on the Jungfraujoch train through the Eiger with the Guides who would be looking after Will. The train stopped, jolting the heads of Japanese and Chinese tourists heading for the "Top of Europe", as we scrambled out into the tunnel. Hans pushed open a small window, illuminating the amazing Stollenloch, the surreal doorway onto the North Face. We decided to venture onto the face for a few pitches. It was great, iced cracks and loads of fresh snow made it feel like Scottish Winter. Getting back onto the train after a few swift abseils and having lunch back at Kliene Scheidegg felt strange, but the afternoon's bolt clipping in the sweltering sun at the Gletscherslucht topped my most bizarre days climbing ever. Time was running short but a weather window opened giving what looked like our only chance. Heinz arrived from Austria almost at the same time as the legendary Anderl Heckmair, now 93 and Trudel his lovely wife. He'd come to be interviewed about those historic few days in 1938. I felt extremely privileged to meet Heckmair, who up until recently was still guiding clients. The village lights looked small in the dark from high on the Eiger trail. We moved fairly quickly under light loads, making full use of the helicopter drop at Death Bivouac that would bring spare batteries and film for the cameras and collect footage already taken. We climbed the easier lower slopes to meet the team at the Stollenloch window where they would begin filming. The climb from there was slow and dangerous, with considerable complexities in finding the optimum camera shots whilst climbing all over each other. With the 'difficult crack' behind us and the 'Hinterstoisser traverse' ahead, Will positioned himself for the best angle. He filmed Heinz delicately balance across the verglassed rock hanging above 2500ft of wall on some tatty old rope. It was difficult to select the best piece of rotting frayed tat to clip into as I began to edge out, looking 20ft to the next bendy peg that Heinz had clipped as a runner. The strand I was holding snapped. I just stayed in balance. I radioed to Heckmair commenting on the exposure of the whole situation, who swiftly replied "There are plenty of big holds up there". I looked around in fright, seeing no big holds, as you do in moments of fear, and my admiration rose for Hinterstoisser. Unclipping the runner, I stepped down and started the next 20 ft along the rest of the traverse…………….. Scott Muir is supported by Berghaus –Scarpa- Grivel – Thorlo – Snugpak – Terra Nova – Extremities - Leki GUEST ARTICLEScottish Disabled Ramblers
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