Route Setters

Profiles of the STS2010 route setters:

• Pete Hill
• Home town ‘Aberlour’
• Setting at Glasgow and Aberdeen

Pete has been involved with the STS for the last three years (including this year as joint co-ordinator), and has had event wins including the Mixed Masters in 2009. He runs drytoolingUK.com which puts on drytooling events across the UK, from Southampton to Aberdeen, including workshops, taster sessions and competitions.

Pete is a fully qualified MIC and has climbed in many places across the world, including first ascents in the Himalayas. His last 3 trips to Norway have been very much based around mixed climbing and drytooling, with his aim being to complete a hard tooling project this coming season before the locals get there!

• Mark Chadwick
• Age 31
• Home town ‘Aviemore’
• Instructor @ Glenmore Lodge

I work fulltime as an instructor/coach at the National Outdoor Centre, Glenmore Lodge. My work is split by a range of courses, mostly mountain and water based. I’m a keen climber summer and winter, paddle a fair amount on the river and sea and have a real passion for ski mountaineering having now skied several of the Northern Corries gully lines.

I’ve been involved in the Scottish Dry Tooling events for the last three years, the first year competing, second year setting the routes at Glenmore Lodge and again this year route setting at the Lodge.

My personal climbing has taken me all over the world, winter climbing has been mainly based in Scotland over the last 12 years with a few grade 7 leads now under my belt. Beyond Scotland I’ve climbed Ice in several different countries with a number of trips to Norway and France. I’ve also had the opportunity to enjoy some successful Alpine adventures and put up a new route in the Himalayas.

• Euan Whitaker
• Home town ‘Aviemore’
• Setting at Ratho

Euan has been climbing for 19 years and instructing for over 16 years. He is a full MIC and acts as Technical Advisor for a number of local councils as well as working as Senior Instructor at the EICA, Ratho.

Euan is based in Edinburgh which allows him quick access to the Highlands of Scotland and the Lake District. As well as climbing across the UK, Euan has also climbed and skiied extensively throughout Europe, Scandanavia and New Zealand. Personal highlights so far include:

• When The Wind Blows (E6) Back Bowden, Northumberland
• White Magic (VII, 7) Northern Corries, Cairngorms
• South Pillar of La Barre des Ecrins (TD, 1000m) French Alps

Some of Euan’s favourite climbs are:

• Poker Face (E1) Pavey Ark, Lake District
• Point 5 Gully (V) Ben Nevis
• North Ridge of Pollux (AD) Swiss Alps

• Setting at Ratho

My name is Greg Boswell. I started climbing in 2004 when I was 13, and since then I have tried to excel in most aspects of the sport. I have travelled all over the world to pursue many different routes and conditions, whilst gaining as much experience as possible on the way and have had the opportunity to meet some great people. —- At the moment I am a full time climber who tries to work only when my bank balance starts to evaporate. This is usually after a long climbing trip!— I am currently sponsored by Vaude climbing and mountaineering equipment, also by Edelrid Hardware and ropes which has been invaluable. I have tried to push their equipment to the limit and they have helped push my climbing on to new levels.— In a couple of years when I’m 22, I plan to apply to become a British Mountain Guide. But in the mean time I will continue to gather as much experience as possible, and have as much fun as I can whilst doing so.

• Kenny Grant
• Home town ‘Fort William’
• Setting at Ice Factor

I was born and brought up in Fort William and have been skiing, climbing and mountaineering in ‘my backyard’ of Ben Nevis and Glencoe as well as further afield for the past 15 years. I’ve worked in the outdoors guiding and instructing for the last seven years and after a period working for the National Mountain Centre, Plas y Brenin in 2008, I have returned to live in Lochaber. I hold the MIC qualification.

I’m a super keen all round climber and enjoy all aspects of the sport ranging from bouldering in Fontainebleau to Alpine North Faces.

I’ve been involved with dry tooling competitions since 2004 when the Ice Factor held their first Mixed Masters competitions and regularly enjoy training at Fort William’s secret tooling facility, “Big Al’s Basement”

Some climbing highlights include the North Face of the Droites,Chamonix, The Cad at Gogarth, North Wales and the first winter ascent of Line Up on Rannoch Wall, Glencoe.

Kenny is just back from the alps and a successful attempt on the Eiger North Face.