Posted by Euan @ 2:51 pm on 14/01/12
Graham and Euan seconding Gaustatoppfossen Midtre (Photo by Ivor McCourt).
The approach to Gaustatoppfossene (Photo by Ivor McCourt).
The recent strong winds of the last few days subsided last night allowing us to visit the Gaustatoppfossene. There is currently a reasonable track into the crag. We didnt have snow shoes but still made the approach in under one hour.
The crag is in excellent condition. As well as the routes indicated in the guidebook there appears to be at least another five lines in good condition from WI3 to WI5 for those who would like to do some exploring.
Posted by Euan @ 2:47 pm on 13/01/12
Martin leading Weeping Wall.
Graham and Ivor climbing Lettvann (Martin Holland collection).
Martin leading Tracey's Eyes.
Euan leading Blindtarmen before the retreat (Martin Holland Collection).
Today, we have visited the Upper Gorge and Vermock Bridge areas of Rjukan. Martin and I began the day by attempting Blindtarmen. We managed one and a half pitches, but unfortunately then had to retreat due to deteriorating ice conditions (both quality and quantity). We then headed further down the gorge and climbed Tracy’s Eyes. The climbing conditions on this route were pretty good. The photo above shows Martin just before the crux which is a hidden groove above Martins left shoulder.
As a third route of the day we moved closer to the Vermock Bridge and climbed Weeping Wall. This route is not in the Rockfax guidebook. It is a right facing corner 80 metres right of Vermokbrufoss Vest. The route is one pitch long and graded WI4.
Graham and Ivor climbed Lettvann reporting good conditions on the route with good screw belay’s.
Posted by Euan @ 4:27 pm on 12/01/12
Euan climbing Julevask at Ozzimosis (Photo by Ivor McCourt).
Last night, warm air moved into the Rjukan area bringing heavy rain overnight with strong winds. The heavy rain stopped mid morning so we had a long lie and leisurely breakfast.
When the weather brightend early afternoon we headed to the Ozzimosis area to climb a few pitches. As a team we climbed; Minidisken, Julevask, Juledusj and two variations of Skrueis. All routes were in good enough condition to takes ice screws.
Posted by Euan @ 8:13 pm on 11/01/12
Ivor underneath the steep section of Svaddefossen.
Today we went to the Svadde Area to investigate the conditions. Ivor and I climbed Svaddefossen. The conditions on the route were very variable and the route is currently tough for the suggested guidebook grade. Also, the route is significantly longer than the suggested three pitches.
Martin and Graham climbed Topp Pa Toppen. They climbed to the top pillar which is currently out of condition. Escape from the route was serious involving a long horizontal traverse on poor ice and two abseils.
Posted by Euan @ 4:45 pm on 10/01/12
Euan leading Fyrstikka at Krokan (Photo by Ivor McCourt).
Martin, Graham, Ivor and I are currently out climbing in Rjukan. As a team we led De Kaller Meg Fjard, Bullen by two different routes, Gaustaspokelse, Fyrstikka and Jomfrua. Conditions on all these routes are good. The harder of these routes have not seen much,if any, traffic.
Martin and Ivor also bottom roped Topp which is currently delicate for the first 8 metres.
Posted by Euan @ 10:01 pm on 7/01/12
Alan nearing the top of Chimney Rib.
I have been out today with Alan and Brian from the Falkirk High Tops Team on Creagan Coire Cha-no. We began by abseiling into Recovery Gully to check the snowpack before climbing Chimney Rib. The chimney had large amounts of snow in it, the route was rimed and the turf was frozen. We then abseiled back in and Brian led Recovery Gully.
The cornice above Recovery Gully is growing quite large at the moment due to the wind direction and windslab is building underneath the cornice.
John, David and Nigel climbed Anvil Gully reporting that the turf was not frozen on this route.
Posted by Wilf @ 7:12 pm on 5/01/12
After the overnight rain to high levels Nettle and I decided from the road that the turf wouldn’t be frozen on our intended objective, so we went for a wander up Beinn Udlaidh and Beinn Bhreac-liath. We ascended via the massive quartz dyke, which is well seen from the A82 when travelling south. This gave a pleasant way up the hill and a chance for a close up look at an interesting geological feature I’d seen for years from a distance.
Nettle with Ben Cruachan in the background
There was more ice in Coire Daimh on Beinn Udlaidh than we’d expected and although we only saw them from a distance routes are forming, if currently thin. West Gully, not shown in the picture, looked just about complete with what would be saturated snow refreezing during the day and ice/snow ice at the top.
Beinn Udlaidh showing ice forming
Saturated snow cover on south and east facing slopes and sheltered areas above 600m, the snow was refreezing during the day. Snow cover looked more consistent to lower levels on the hills east of Rannoch Moor. Turf wasn’t well frozen right up to summit height, 840m, although again was freezing where exposed during the day.
Ben Lui from Beinn Udlaidh
Below freezing above about 550m during the day. Very minor snow/graupel showers during the day on a fresh north-west wind.
Posted by Wilf @ 10:40 pm on 2/01/12
Out in Coire an t-Sneachda today with B and Pamela looking for a relatively easy day and hiding from the worst of the weather. B and I climbed The Opening Break via the left hand start.
B belaying at the base of the crag in typical conditions for the day
The snow ice on the lower section of the stepped slabby left hand start was fairly unhelpful, which made for some moves on thin hooks and turf blobs. After that the route was in good condition with very well frozen turf and snowed up rock.
Left hand start of The Opening Break
Snowing off and on all day at crag height on a fresh westerly/south-westerly wind with slab forming on lee slopes and sheltered areas/gullies. Turf well frozen. Limited consolidated snow in major gully lines. Some icing, but snow ice from recent freeze thaw not very firm.
Coire an t-Sneachda showing current conditions
Coire fairly busy. Honeypot was climbed and lots of folk heading for routes starting near Jacob’s Ladder.
Posted by Wilf @ 11:13 pm on 30/12/11
Out on Lurcher’s Crag today with Nettle and Pamela. We were using the topo/descriptions from SMC 2008 Journal, which is probably the best readily available topo for the crag. We started up a route called Punchdrunk III*, which Andy Nisbet had soloed back in 2008. He’d avoided the big right facing corner, so we chose to climb this, which gave circa 50m of very good, independent, but escapable, climbing with lots of hooks and torques. We bumped in to Andy back at the car park and following a chat with him thought we’d done the first ascent of the corner. However, on checking up later the corner had been climbed as Punchdrunk Direct III,4 in 2009 by Sean Peatfield and Iain Munro. The grade may vary quite a lot with the amount of good snow on the ledges and we’d debated about it being anything from IV,4, III,5 to IV,5 on the day. Anyway the overall route was worthy of a star and all the more fun for thinking we were on some new terrain. Some care is required with loose blocks on the ridge above the corner. Niall shared a lift with us and soloed Fiacaill Ridge before heading up Ben Macdui. He reported fairly poor visibility for a lot of the day and fresh snow building during the day on lee slopes.
Coire an Lochain as we walked in
The gully lines aren’t holding snow on Lurcher’s following the thaw and the westerlies. The ridge lines were looking pretty wintery with snow on ledges and riming. The turf was frozen where exposed, but soft on big ledges and under snow cover. Some ice has formed (giving a tricky step in the otherwise bare South Gully).
Nettle in the Corner
Below freezing at crag height during the day. Snowing from about noon on a westerly/southwesterly. Warming up during the day with snow turning to rain by the time we reached the car park. There seemed to be more new snow further west e.g. 4″ of fresh snow at Drummochter as we drove through.
Pamela styling the corner
Posted by Wilf @ 9:49 pm on 23/12/11
From the drive up to the ski area today it looked like the recent thaw had left buttresses looking very black in the Northern Coires and only snow in major gully lines and where there’d been deep accumulations on east facing slopes. Therefore, Pamela, B and I decided to try our luck at Creagan Coire Cha-no.
Pamela Abseiling in
We were rewarded with an unusual, but good day. After abseiling in and traversing around we removed crampons, stowed axes and climbed Duke’s Rib as a rock route with gloves and big boots. This gave a fun Moderate with a “window” to pass through and a good steep corner.
B & Pamela in the "window"
We then abseiled in again and Pamela belayed as B lead Recovery Gully with myself soloing alongside to give the odd tip and place the occasional extra runner. The left hand side of the gully gave two pitches on good, firm, well frozen snow with rock runners and belays and no cornice difficulties on the day.
Pamela on Duke's Rib
The plateau area we crossed was bare of snow with only limited patches of snow cover on east facing slopes, coire rims and major gully lines. The remaining snow was well frozen and consolidated. Turf was well frozen on the plateau and at the crag height (above 950m).
Final section of Recovery Gully showing lack of cover on plateau and condition of cornice
One light snow shower at crag height during the day on a fresh westerly/north-westerly wind. Below freezing all day at crag height. Broken sunshine and only ourselves ptarmigan and passing golden eagles at the crag made for a delightful day.
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