Our Winter Conditions Blog is written by Euan Whittaker, Paul Warnock, Martin Holland, and Tony Stone. Click on their names to find out a bit more about them.
Meall nan Tarmachan from Meall Buidhe
Colin on the lower section of Tower Scoop
Tower Gully Cornice
Saturday David, Colin and I opted for an alpine style ridge and headed for Western Rib on the West Face of Aonoch Mor. This face isn’t seeing the sun until about 11:00 am and gave an excellent 500m route on snow, granite and suprisingly well frozen turf. Some care was required with the odd loose block.
Ben Nevis from Aonoch Mor
Sunday Colin and I headed for the West Face of Aonoch Mor again, whilst Graham and David chose sunny rock climbing in Glen Nevis. We climbed Daim Buttress, giving another 500m of very alpine style scrambling/climbing. This route seems to catch more sun and the turf was generally soft and to be avoided except in shaded corners. The rock gave good sport, but much more care was required with loose blocks, particularly through the crux area on the left of the slabs.
Daim Buttress
The weather was stunning with high temperatures and wall to wall sunshine on Saturday and Sunday. A little refreeze over Saturday night, but most things are softening up and gullies are catching a lot of snow and ice from the sides as temperatures warm up. A second hand report that Point 5 was climbed on Sunday and despite an early start the upper sections were unpleasantly lively with slides from above.
The Falkirk High Tops Team and i had a long day out in the Ben Alder area where we ascended two munros after cycling to Culra Bothy. Ice axe and crampons are still required on these peaks for safe movement. Many big easy gullys look in condition on Ben Alder though some have large cornices.
This is my last report of the winter. Have a great summer and please join us again next year.
All the best
Euan
Out with Jen and B in Dumfries and Galloway on Saturday and had a wander around Corserine (814m) and Meikle Millyea. Patchy soft snow above 400m and complete cover high up. Snow showers above 500m on a variable light wind. If the bigger gullies on the east side of this ridge survive the thaw and get a refreeze they’d give some good, easy sport.
Approaching the summit of Corserine
Climbed on dry granite at Clifton and bimbled up Criffel on Sunday then up Queensberry Hill (697m) on Monday. Patches of soft snow above 500m, but thawing fast in steady rain to above summits all Monday morning on a fresh southerly wind.
Ann, Glenn and i were out today on Cam Chreag on the side of Meall nan Tarmachan. There are still a number of? gully climbs in condition on this crag which appears in the Southern Highlands guidebook. The turf was frozen also. Good ski touring conditions still exist between Ben Lawers and Meall Garbh.
Craig and i have just been out in the Gorms for two days snow holing with the Falkirk High Tops Team. The weather was perfect yesterday with many buttress routes white and in climable condition. Today the weather was very wild for the walkout from Coire Domhain with 75mph winds and heavy snow. The ski road was closed.
Well done to Bozza who climbed Pick and Mix in the Gorms yesterday. This may be a second ascent. I am sure photos will appear soon on Gregs blog.
I was out today on my winter guides induction with Ewen Todd. We climbed Smiths Route with the Icicle Variation on Ben Nevis. The route was in good condition. Other teams were seen on the Indicator and Psychedelic areas of the Ben. There is still plenty of good ice up high.
Out in the Glen Clova area today with the Adventure Edinburgh winter walking group. We headed from Glen Doll up Jock’s Road to the howff and then across Cairn Lunkard and the Craigs of Loch Esk before dropping down to Loch Esk and returning via the Esk to Glen Doll.
There’s still enough snow in this area to give a ski-tour if you’re prepared to carry your skis to the 800m mark. Winter Corrie and Corrie Fee were looking very stripped.
Mostly sunshine today with the odd shower falling as snow above about 750m on a fresh westerly/north westerly wind.
I am currently out in Val D’Isere doing some skiing on and off piste and some ski touring. There is currently still some good powder to be had and spring snow on different aspects. There have been a large number of wet snow avalanches of which a number have been full depth.
Out Saturday with John, Gavin, Mark, Jerry and John doing a winter skills day. We headed up in to Coire an Dothaidh near Bridge of Orchy. We found some good patches of sugary spring snow to practice boot and axe work on the way up towards the bealach. Higher up and over on the north-east side of Beinn Dorain there was some good ice to practice cramponing. The turf was suprisingly well frozen above about 650m, but the snow was generally soft and the ice and snow is stripped from all the crags in this coire.
We had mild conditions, with temperatures well above freezing, patchy sunshine and no precipitation during the day. Brilliant views, a great group and good to be out. Large snow gullies are likely to give the best climbing in this area if there’s a re-freeze.
