Treading the fine line between Scrambling and Rock Climbing
Exploring that potentially dangerous but gloriously confusing grey zone where scrambling and rock climbing overlap
Note: These notes are not meant to be an instructional guide. They are the result of more than 50 years in the mountains. This is what works for me and every person is indeed different. Scrambling unroped is potentially the most dangerous mountain sport of all and a fall on steep ground could well be fatal. If in any doubt take professional instruction before venturing into the scrambling grades and above.
I'm in my early 70s, 50+ years experience, yet still get somewhat nervous when approaching the start of what I know will be exposed mountain terrain. It happened again last week. We were trudging up Cerro Los Machos 3329m in the Sierra Nevada en route to do the incredible "Arista de las Campanitas" ridge to the summit of Veleta. A knife edged switchback ridge over towering drops and all above 3000 metres.
Ascending the easy slopes of Zacatin, the main ridge ahead
To some this route would be a scramble, to some a scramble with occasional rock climbing, to some possibly just climbing. The actual grade is somewhat confusing too as there are so many differing interpretations. I list some of these grades below in reference to the hardest section of "las Campanitas". This route lies at the upper end of the scrambling grade at the point where the rock grades overlap.
- UK (Scrambling): 3S
- UK (Rock): Moderate
- UIAA: II
- Spain: 2
- Aus/NZ: 6
- US: 5.1
Source: Mountain Project - International Climbing Grades
To a confident rock climber this route would almost be a walk in the park. To a regular hiker of good mountain tracks it would possibly be a full on exposed alpine day. It all depends on past experience. And experience doesn't come from reading text books, it comes from getting out there, possibly making mistakes along the way, and coming out the other side intact and with more knowledge.
The initial route over the first summit of Zacatin 3327m is easy enough with very little reason to take hands out of pockets. The excitement builds however descending to the Col before the ascent to the next summit. Ahead lies the knife edged pinnacle of Campanario 3329m, likely the crux of the route.
Putting on my harness and helmet at the Col the famous, wise words of Edward Whymper entered my head...
Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are naught without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste, look well to each step, and from the beginning think what may be the end (Edward Whymper)
Wise words indeed. I quite often recite these internally before venturing onto steep ground. I also ask myself... Is age making me clumsier? Am I still safe? Am I fit enough? All these doubts fade away though once I make that decision to proceed. Then I become mentally alert and concentrated on the immediate ground in front of me. There is a light breeze, the sun is shining, I feel the warmth of the rock and savour the sharp edges and "thank God" holds. There are no thoughts of the mortgage, when the car needs a service or who my football team have bought in the close season. No, it's total concentration on the job in hand. Better than meditation!
Group preparing at the col
The other decision to be made at the Col related to my companions on this scramble. There were six of us in total, oldest 73, youngest 40, average age 59. As the person responsible and the person with the most experience of this route, it fell on me to protect those with less experience. I have to know my team and whom do we need to look after, to give rope protection to? Fortunately, all but one had been with me on the previous visit here and they hadn't required a rope then. The only person who hadn't been with me before was a competent scrambler who also did via ferratas, so had a head for heights.
I always instigate a chat at this point. It's stating the obvious I know, but I reiterate safety, care with loose rock, ask for questions and talk about the importance of asking for help from the rope. At this point Nicola said she would feel more confident on this initial section with a rope. Good for her, no room for egos here. Jane, with her past alpine and mountaineering experience safeguarded the back of the group.
The initial wall of Campanario
2nd pitch of Campanario
So I trailed a rope up the initial steep wall of Campanario, put a sling round a rock and Italian-hitched the rope so I could bring Nicola up. Took a few seconds. The rock climbers reading this might be aghast with the simple belay and protection techniques but you can't do "light and fast" whilst being attached to three different anchor points.
I love this grey area between scrambling and rock climbing as you have to constantly risk assess and perform "what-if" mind games. To me it's fascinating. And, like alpinism, it's important to move as quick as possible.
After a second roped section we arrived on the sharp summit. From then on it was glorious and much easier, unroped scrambling over the remaining peak of Salón 3345m before reaching the final wall up to Veleta summit 3396m. This section of the route is known as "Fidel Fierro" and is marked by two red "FF" letters on the rock. It's slightly easier than the ascent of Campanario, but the holds can be covered in loose grit and dust from the remnants of winter.
Easier slopes leading to Salon
Simple grade 1 terrain leading to Salon
Again, Nicola felt more confident with a rope so I climbed the initial pitch and belayed using a sling round a metal stanchion (used for winter ascents and rescues). The ground dropped away down into the depths below, I can only wonder at how savage this place would be in the winter. The rest of the group followed without a problem. On the final pitch I protected Nicola with just classic belay round the body. It would have been sufficient to have prevented a slip becoming a fall should she have fallen. She didn't of course.
The initial pitch of Fidel Fierro
The final pitch of Fidel Fierro
So our team of four ladies and two old guys emerged onto the summit of Veleta to the astonishment of all the hordes of day trippers, laying in the hot sun and eating their packed lunches. We must have looked funny, groaning with the aches and pains of older age, yet dressed up in the paraphernalia of the rock climber. We joined the summit throng, content with our lot. A complex, dramatic mountain route done safely and without fuss or drama.
The Nomads!
The author