Hot Aches - Web Site and Blog Changes

You might have noticed that we have made a few tweaks and changes to our blog and website.

The idea is to integrate the blog and website more closely. Whilst the blog will continue to be the source of up to date news, the website has plenty of information about Hot Aches business as well as our films and photography.

What's new?

We have added an image gallery to the Hot Aches Images page. Some of our favourite shots from around the world.

We have also updated the text and photos on the other information pages.

What's to come?

We will be launching regular podcasts in July; clips from the new movie as well as plenty of previously unseen footage. Tasters of what is to come as well as some classic moments or great climbs that never made it into our previous DVDs.

We will of course be keeping you updated about the major ascents that make it into Committed, and with news about the film's release and tour dates.

Glen Etive

Our filming trip yesterday up to Glen Etive did indeed turn out to be something rather special, a really enjoyable day for many reasons.

Dave 'Cubby' Cuthbertson in Glen Etive, Scotland [photos: Hot Aches Images]

In the new movie Committed you won’t just be seeing the top climbers of the current generation. There are also to be a few special appearances from past masters too; climbers who’s cutting edge routes are now receiving repeats and are still considered to be major test-pieces.

It was a real pleasure to catch up with Cubby in such a beautiful setting and to learn more about the climbing scene over the last thirty years. Dave ‘Cubby’ Cuthbertson was certainly one of Britain’s greatest and most influential climbers from the late ‘70s up until just a few years ago. Indeed if it were not for the heavy toll of cumulative injuries and accidents then at the age of 50 he would still be very much at the forefront.

Cubby spotted the bouldering potential in Glen Etive a couple or so years ago whilst high up on the Etive Slabs. Since a recent hip operation he has been coming back out here working away on problems and gradually getting back some form.

The hip is clearly painful and problematic, restricting the range of movement. Nevertheless he managed to pull off a fine looking problem, as yet un-named but at about font 7b.

Superb. What a bonus to capture that on film. Sadly I fear that there will be very few further appearances in front of camera from one of climbing's greatest characters and exponents.

Cubby is now one of the UK's leading climbing and landscape photographers as well as having a busy schedule with outdoor related film and TV work.

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Dave

Dumbarton

Dumbarton Rock (Hot Aches Images)

We normally don’t write blog entries about climbers that we filming before they complete their projects. At that stage of proceedings it is kind of private and personal and it’s also not right to raise expectations (or invite a crowd).

However Sonnie Trotter has now written a bit about his current British trip on his blog and the ever-vigilant UK websites have picked up on it and written news reports, so I guess we can mention a few things.

Sonnie Trotter being molested by Leo Houlding last autumn in Banff, Canada. Robin Beatty (British musician) looking concerned.

We met Sonnie out in Canada last autumn when we were there with Dave MacLeod, and contrary to what one might expect there isn't rivalry between the ascentionists of North America and Britain’s hardest trad climbs. Quite the opposite, the guys were simply psyched about each others routes because of how good the climbing looks.

So it was great to hear recently that Sonnie was coming over to try Rhapsody. Unfortunately Sonnie’s arrival coincided with the end of the driest spell of weather in the UK for years.

So the Hot Aches crew were back over to Dumbarton. It was quite strange to be up on that headwall again. Fascinating too to see another climber working the complex sequences that we had filmed so much before.

Sonnie working the crux section on the top headwall with a very very long top rope.

Working the route during the brief occasions that the rain relented, Sonnie has been making great progress. Interesting also to see them round at Dave MacLeod's house studying the video and discussing the beta.

'You hold it like that!?' Trotter and MacLeod at Dumbarton

Certainly this is not the kind of route that even the best climbers would come and knock off in a couple of days. 'WORLD CLASS' he said, and on Sonnie’s blog he describes the crux as “NASTY hard, BRICK hard”.

Cory on belay duty

With no skin left and a poor weather forecast for the UK, Sonnie and his friends have headed off to Majorca for a bit of R&R. In fact I’ve just heard from him; “this place is unreal and it’s perfect, awesome, stunning, the best”. Perhaps he should have set out to repeat Sharma’s routes rather than MacLeod’s; a back drop of beaches and beautiful people rather than graffiti and rain. (Only joking, the man is psyched by Dumbarton too!)

Working the moves on Rhapody.

So hopefully some more Dumbarton action to follow in a few days and hopefully some decent weather. Meanwhile we are off to film in Glen Etive tomorrow, something quite special…

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Dave

More Gore

After publishing some gory photos of events at The Anvil last week we've had some requests in for more gore on this site. So here goes...

..So just to prove to you how vast the Hot Aches Images photo library is, here are some nasty pictures from last year's filming trip to Spain.

Three hands?

Nice...

As well as filming a great deal of blood we did get round to shooting a bit of climbing during the trip. Below is the owner of those unpleasant digits.

Alan Cassidy climbing Anabolica F8a at Siurana, Spain (looking a bit weak don't you think?)

Niall McNair and Dave MacLeod inspect the damage at Montant.

The Hot Aches crew filming at Montsant, climber Steve Richardson

Dave MacLeod climbing L Mens, F8b+, Montsant Spain

Hopefully that's satisfied the blood lust of some readers. Apologies to those of a more delicate disposition.

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Dave

Skye Ridge Podcast

On 4th May Es Tresidder broke the record for the traverse of Skye’s Cuillin Ridge in a time of 3 hrs 17 min 28 sec, taking a full 15 minutes off the previous record.

Es. on the 'In Pin' during the record breaking traverse. Photo copyright Ben Wear

Well known to many British mountaineers, the Cuillin Ridge is perhaps the greatest mountain range in the country and has a distinctly alpine feel to it. The knife edge ridge takes in a total of 3,000 metres of ascent along it's 10 km length. The terrain is tough and exposed and involves a huge amount of scrambling as well as several rock climbing sections.

Hot Aches filmed Es on a previous attempt to break the record back in October 2006. We had planned to film him again this year but unfortunately were committed elsewhere this week.

Below is a 5 min podcast of the October attempt. Just press play below:

Music: ‘Dessert Island Nights’

Written by Chris Hall

Produced/engineered by b-burg

Congratulations to Es!

For more info and pics check out Es's website: Es-On-Ice

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Diff.

The Anvil

I headed west yesterday to The Anvil near Lochgoilhead in order to get some photos of the existing routes and also some of the hard projects still waiting to be claimed.

Hanging out at The Anvil, MacLeod and Sutton

Anvil regulars, Daves Redpath and MacLeod, were occupied on their latest projects and from Edinburgh Emma and Sarah had made the long drive to check out the crag for the first time.

The Anvil Bites Back

Redpath has been making steady progress on his current project, possible F8b+? Yesterday on lead at the crux he managed to hold the swing for the first time.

Dave Redpath setting up for the crux

Holding the swing

He kept going through more hard moves and then just before reaching easier ground... a hold landed not quite right...

end of play for the day.

MacLeod had climbed Metalcore F8c+ here a few days ago (see Dave MacLeod's Blog) and was now focussed on another line of similar difficulty but different character. This line has 'relatively' easy climbing that lead into two massively difficult moves.

Dave MacLeod during an attempt of Metalcore F8c+

I climbed Friendly Fire F7a which I reckon is the best line at that grade in Scotland.

Emma Sutton through the first crux on Friendly Fire F7a

Emma was also on the line climbing well and rapidly had to re-think her objectives for the climbing season. 'F7a by the end of the year' became 'F7a by the end of today', and she very nearly pulled it off reaching a tantilising high point of 2 moves from the top.

Emma at the top of Friendly Fire F7a

Sarah and I tried Spitfire F8a+ which we both thought was superb, if somewhat out of my league. (ok, way out of my league). Something to train for.

A good fun day and some good pictures collected for the photo library.
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Dave

Music wanted for Committed - the new movie.

It's that time of year again. The majority of our filming is done and it is time to buckle down to some serious editing. About 500 hours behind a computer screen lie ahead. Well actually there is quite a lot of filming still to do, but we need to progress the editing now rather than leave it and end up enduring a very stressfull summer.

We thought that, seeing as several thousand people visit this site, we would put out a call here for potential music to use in the movie. So if any of you are musicians, or know any bands that make the sort of music that you want to hear in a climbing film, then please get in touch to pauld@hotaches.com

Thanks