Comb and Gardyloo Gully - 13/3/13

On Wednesday, Dave and I headed back to the familiar ground of the Ben to get Comb Gully IV,4 and Gardyloo Gully II/III done.  After gearing up at the hut and an awkward moment when we realised that our intended route was also that of another team (who were fresh out the hut at 0900) we set off on a direct approach to the base of Comb Gully, making our way up through the Gultch, passing under Garadh Gully and straight up to the base of the route.  We did wonder when and if we were going to bump into the other team who had left the hut area 10mins before us, we wondered this right up until about the base of the comb where we seen them gearing up.  We continued to solo up to the narrows where we got a good belay in a vertical crack on the left and Dave had already started off on the first pitch by the time the other two reached the first belay.  They were not happy campers.  Comb Gully itself was very pleasant, never too steep and the steeper sections were relatively short lived.  After we topped out, we had a quick bite to eat at the top of Tower Ridge before down climbing Tower Gully I and traversing across to gain Gardyloo Gully.  Gardyloo had been on the ticklist for quite some time and I can honestly say it is the strangest route I have ever climbed, due to the very narrow ice tunnel!  What a great day!

Dave traversing to Gardyloo 

Getting to used to these top outs! 

Dave below the Comb

Myself enjoying the view. Photo Dave Anderson

Me on the traverse from Tower gully to Gardyloo Gully.  Photo Dave Anderson

the entry to the Cholkstone

Very surreal vertical ice tunnel 

seconding the first pitch of Comb Gully