Jimmy Marshall at Jimmy Marshall Night: Jimmy Marshall is one

Jimmy Marshall Night:

Jimmy Marshall is one of the founding archistects of moderns Scottish climbing and it's the 50 year aniversity on the 6th of Feb when He and Robin Smith advanced Scottish winter climbing a descade. In a long week on Ben Nevis they both climbed six first winter ascents on consecutive days, this included the mini Alpine-route Orion Face Direct (V, 5) and also made the second recorded ascent of Point Five Gully (V, 5) as well. They acheived this by hacking steps in the snow and ice appears, the skill of Marshall was he could lead routes nearly as fast as some of his skilled seconds could follow.

The full list of the routes is :-

• The Great Chimney (IV,5) 6th February 1960
• Minus Three Gully (IV,5) 7th February 1960
• Smith's Route (V,5) 8th February 1960
• Observatory Buttress (V,4) 9th February 1960
• Point Five Gully (V,5) 10th February 1960
• Piggot's Route (V,6) 12th February 1960
• Orion Direct (V,5) 13th February 1960

To mark this celebration exactly 50 years on Dave MacLeod and Andy Turner (Climbers from Britains whos who in mountaineering) will attempt to replicate these great acheiving climbs, with each ascent being filmed for Fort William Mountain Festival. Dave and Andy are the modern day Marshall and Smith, pushing climbing standards forward years ahead of anyone else. Despite modern gear this will be an arduous test of fitness. The weather, ice conditions and threat of avalanches will also have a huge impact on the challenge.

On Sunday 14th Jimmy Marshall will appear at the festival and Dave and Andy will both talk about their experiences during the week and will compare Jimmy’s recollections of cutting hand and footholds with once ice axe on the climbs to their own experiences. We will see the footage from their ascents as well as perspective on Jimmy’s achievement with interviews from Jimmy’s climbing peers and several other well known figures in Scottish mountaineering history over the decades since.

Will it be possible to complete the climbs to mark the 50th anniversary? Only one way to find out! It will be a fascinating night of stories and images from Scotland’s finest mountaineers and the climbs on Ben Nevis they pioneered. Sunday 14th February | Nevis Centre Festival Theatre | 7-10pm | Online ticket price: £12.50 adults / £10 kids. On the door tickets: £14 / £12 |