Last year was very interesting both in terms of mountains and work. I managed to get out a fair amount but it was not until I was composing this log that I realised that I had not done as many new summits as I would have liked. Perhaps that is because I was so focussed on delivering work for clients of my newly-formed company.
My high point was an ascent of Mount Vinson in Antarctica on Christmas Day, and this now means that I have done six of the seven continental summits (or seven of eight or eight of nine, depending on which list you are using). Just a small matter of ascending a planetary high point to go. I purchased the 1:50000 map of Everest at the RHB auction on Skye in June, so I had better go and climb it.
I started my year's bagging on Mull, shortly after sobering up from a great New Year celebration in Tobermory. After that, my Marilyn bagging seemed to become concentrated on islands. I finally managed to get over to Ailsa Craig - this was the third attempt and I had a great day out there.
In April, my new company started to officially trade but that did not stop me taking some time out at the end of May to nip over to the Western Isles. It is a small world as several other Marilyn baggers, including Mr Woodall, were on the same CalMac sailing out of Ullapool. My 666th Marilyn was Eaval on North Uist - an interesting connection to the number. After this, I headed over to Skye for the meet where I led some fellow baggers up the In Pinn in pretty foul conditions. Well done to you all for making it up. It was particularly nice on the following day to be enjoying the sunshine on the Submarilyn island of Soay, looking up at the Cuillin where we had been drenched the previous day.
I repeated a number of Munros and other summits during the year but it is just nice to get out and have some fresh air and exercise. I led an expedition to Morocco for World Challenge Expeditions in August but there were no summits attained on the trekking route. It was nice experiencing the high Atlas mountains, the sands of the Sahara and getting immersed in the local Moroccan culture. The Moroccan heat was a big contrast to the temperatures in Antarctica - I experienced a temperature range from about minus 60C (including wind chill) to over 50C in 2011.
I should have been doing more training for Antarctica but the last hill outing that I had before that expedition was a quick weekend nipping up the Fiacaill Ridge on Cairn Gorm, followed by a traverse of Liathach and an ascent of Binnein Shuas. Thankfully, I got away with the lack of training for Antarctica, but I will need to get very fit for attempting Earth's planetary high point, which is likely to be fairly crowded.
I am used to ascending Marilyns and seeing either nobody or perhaps a couple of other people. I had a very different experience in the Lake District when I made a 'legal' ascent of Swinside. This was the first time ever that I have felt like I was a rambler - it was interesting being shepherded up the hill and back down. I am glad to report that I safely and successfully achieved the summit. Thanks go to Ann and Rowland Bowker for making this ascent possible.
I will not be finishing the seven summits in 2012 but might do so in 2013. During this year, I hope I can improve my fitness and increase my Marilyn total further. Maybe I'll get the seven summits completed before anyone has finished all of the Marilyns?
