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In Pinn - will it all go horribly wrong?

In Pinn - will it all go horribly wrong?


Postby Joey » Thu May 13, 2021 7:28 pm

My daughter is trying to persuade me to do the In Pinn with her at some point this year. As I’ve got older, I’ve become more feart and avoid exposure like the plague. But I also want to challenge myself - feel the fear and do it anyway! Given I will be with an experienced guide and attached to a rope, I know that death is highly unlikely. :lol: I’m most afraid of freezing, crying for my mam and generally having a meltdown when I get to the really scary bits and spoiling it for my daughter whose keen to do it with me. She does rock climbing so very used to heights, exposure and rope work. I’ve watched loads of videos so know what I’m in for, but I know the reality of actually being there will be very different.

Any advice from those who’ve done it, who like me, don’t like exposure one little bit?
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Re: In Pinn - will it all go horribly wrong?

Postby Andy Milne » Thu May 13, 2021 8:25 pm

I did this a couple of years ago with Mike Lates of Skyeguides and another friend.

Like yourself, I was nervous about it all. I can honestly say, with a good guide, you have nothing to fear, but fear itself.
The climb only had 1 part where you needed to be able to 'stretch' for a hold, but a good guide will have tension on the rope and try to 'help' you on that part.
The abseil, again once you convince yourself to trust your guide, was (actually) much easier than your mind will have you believe.

Now, I did it in thick flag, couldn't see the ground, and maybe this made it easier.

Your daughter being experienced will help you, as will the guide, so while it is natural to be a little feart, the reality is that it's not going to be anywhere near as bad as your head/fears will have you believe.

Enjoy it
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Re: In Pinn - will it all go horribly wrong?

Postby PeteR » Thu May 13, 2021 8:28 pm

I thought I'd be a wreck on the climb on the Inn Pin, but felt really secure on the climb up. Those below suggested I was like a rat up a drainpipe 🤣 I just focussed on the rock in front of me and making sure I had all the right hand and foot holds. So overall I thought the climb up was not too bad.

For me the main problem was getting off 🤣 If you don't abseil then being lowered on a rope feels very unnatural. Took a few attempts to get my legs right and trust leaning back. To be fair the lowering was over in a flash and again not too bad once I got going.

All in all I'd say go for it.......you won't regret it......but you might regret not doing it.
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Re: In Pinn - will it all go horribly wrong?

Postby Chris Henshall » Thu May 13, 2021 8:40 pm

Watch Danny at
and you'll realise there's no problems... but save it for a good weather window!
Danny on the Inn Pinn.png
Danny Macaskill on the Inaccessible Pinnacle
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Re: In Pinn - will it all go horribly wrong?

Postby davekeiller » Thu May 13, 2021 9:21 pm

I would think that it's much less likely to go wrong if you make a trip of it and spend a few days with your guide.
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Re: In Pinn - will it all go horribly wrong?

Postby Dunfie » Thu May 13, 2021 10:42 pm

I did it a couple of weeks ago and I’ll be honest that I when I popped my head about the Sgurr Dearg ridge and saw it there I was definitely having second thoughts. However it’s not as bad from the bottom of the scramble once you are roped up. Just focus on that 1 square meter in front of (you are either staring at your guide or the rock) and before you know it you are at the top. Your guide will also make sure there is always tension on the rope so at no point do you feel insecure. Definitely worth conquering your demons and following the lead of your guide.

Good luck - I hope you give it a go.
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Re: In Pinn - will it all go horribly wrong?

Postby auldal » Fri May 14, 2021 8:24 am

I'd suggest going for a practice abseil in a less exposed spot with your daughter first. This should allow you to relax about that part.
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Re: In Pinn - will it all go horribly wrong?

Postby jmarkb » Fri May 14, 2021 8:57 am

auldal wrote:I'd suggest going for a practice abseil in a less exposed spot with your daughter first. This should allow you to relax about that part.


Good plan - and a bit of easy rock climbing too, if possible. If you are Inverness based, Duntelchaig Pinnacle crag would be a good place to go: https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/pinnacle_crag-2705 (don't be alarmed by the photo - the easy routes there are much less steep!)
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Re: In Pinn - will it all go horribly wrong?

Postby Joey » Fri May 14, 2021 7:24 pm

Thanks everyone for your encouragement and advice - it's very much appreciated. You're only here once, right?! :lol:
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Re: In Pinn - will it all go horribly wrong?

Postby simon-b » Fri May 14, 2021 8:50 pm

auldal wrote:I'd suggest going for a practice abseil in a less exposed spot with your daughter first. This should allow you to relax about that part.

Yes, another endorsement for this idea. I had a an abseiling lesson on an indoor climbing wall to get ready for the Cuillin, and it was a big help.
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Re: In Pinn - will it all go horribly wrong?

Postby Joey » Fri May 14, 2021 10:54 pm

simon-b wrote:
auldal wrote:I'd suggest going for a practice abseil in a less exposed spot with your daughter first. This should allow you to relax about that part.

Yes, another endorsement for this idea. I had a an abseiling lesson on an indoor climbing wall to get ready for the Cuillin, and it was a big help.


Yes, I will definitely get an abseiling lesson. Thanks!
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Re: In Pinn - will it all go horribly wrong?

Postby gaffr » Sat May 15, 2021 7:39 am

May I suggest as an alternative to having to abseil. If there are just two of you on the Pin. Just get your daughter to lower you to the bottom of the short side of the Pin using her belay plate to control. The feet and body position of the person being lowered is similar to that when abseiling. Your daughter will have enough rope doubled to abseil herself.
If more than just two of you on the route when descending in this way maybe problems can occur when the rope from the person having been lowered unclips when on safe ground. When the rope is being taken back up the possibility of the knot loop jamming etc. can occur and it does take up a great deal of time.
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Re: In Pinn - will it all go horribly wrong?

Postby AJ01 » Sat May 15, 2021 10:21 am

Joey wrote:
simon-b wrote:
auldal wrote:I'd suggest going for a practice abseil in a less exposed spot with your daughter first. This should allow you to relax about that part.

Yes, another endorsement for this idea. I had a an abseiling lesson on an indoor climbing wall to get ready for the Cuillin, and it was a big help.


Yes, I will definitely get an abseiling lesson. Thanks!


That was going to be my suggestion as well, and do several until you feel at least a bit familiar with what you are doing.

Also, if you've never done any climbing before, it's well worth getting familiar with the routine of rope-handling and climbing calls, and you don't even need a rock face and fine weather. When I was preparing to take a friend (who was a capable scrambler but had never done any roped climbing) up the In Pinn, we practiced by going on a climbing expedition - up the stairs in his house. We got kitted up and tied on the rope, I put him on a belay to the bottom post, and he belayed me as I climbed the stairs, putting a runner in half-way up (to give him practice at taking it off), then belaying myself to the top post, pulling up the rope and bringing him up the 'climb' on my belay, all the while using the climbing calls appropriate to each part of the procedure.

When we got there on the day, we both knew that we both knew what we were supposed to do - which is a bit of a confidence boost to start with - and only the location was unfamiliar. With his scrambling experience he found the climb itself very straightforward, and afterwards paid me the great compliment of saying that he felt entirely safe all the way. I hope you end up feeling the same way yourself. :)

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Re: In Pinn - will it all go horribly wrong?

Postby gaffr » Sat May 15, 2021 12:46 pm

Yes, I am from a past generation when climbing walls were not available to practice on. We all went to quarries, small sea cliffs and the Traprain Law crags to practice on. As far as I am aware all of the control when using a wall is from the bottom of the climbing holds for ascent and descent. I ask the question is it possible to practice abseiling on a climbing wall? when all control is from the bottom of the wall. So it follows that a lower is the means for getting back down the floor of the wall.
With getting down from the Pin a lower could be used instead of abseiling ....well a lower from the top instead of from the bottom. So I guess if you are practiced on a climbing wall lowering using the belay plate would be second nature....alternatively the use of an Italian Hitch would offer good control.
Although today I use all the modern gear when ascending and descending rock but when I first went for a traverse of the Skye Ridge all we had was a rope and a couple of rope slings and biners. The descent from the Pin was using a classic abseil wrap around system with the rope making your clothing fairly warm when descending but it was the only way that we knew of. I would not advocate the use of this today. The comfort using a harness came as a blessing to me at least.
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Re: In Pinn - will it all go horribly wrong?

Postby Arthurs Eat » Sat May 15, 2021 9:00 pm

Many years ago in a different life I did some parachuting. The advice given at the time to those who were nervous was that if your chute did not open, when you hit the ground hold on. It’s the bounce that kills apparently. Everyone was very careful when packing their parachutes and the advice was never tested. :shock:
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