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.
This week i am working for Glenmore Lodge. Today, i climbed Goat Track Gully in the Fluted Buttress area. The route was in excellent condition. Other teams were on Red Gully, the Trident Gullys, Fiacall Coulior and Jacobs Edge. The butresses are very, very white. We are aiming tomorrow to climb in Coire an Lochain.
This week i am working for Glenmore Lodge. Today,
I have been in the Cairngorms for two days with the Falkirk High Tops Team. On wednesday we climbed Haston Line on the Mess of Pottage. Conditions were good with some helpful ice on the crux and a cleared out wire slot below. The buttresses are still very, very white.
On thursday due to the increased avalanche risk on northerly aspects and to find a bit of solitude we headed to Lurchers Crag. We descended South Gully which is a steep snow climb and ascended Quinn. South Gully was in excellent condition as was Quinn. Quinn is a lovely little chimney route which at the moment has perfect neve, turf and just the right amount of rime.
The descent of South Gully is steep and some party’s may prefer to abseil.
Working for Walkabout Scotland today with a large group over in Arrochar. We were up the Cobbler Path to the bealach between the Cobbler and Beinn Narnain.
The turf was well frozen with patches of ice on the path at all levels. Firm old snow at crag height on the Cobbler, but only patches down at the bealach level.
Below freezing all day. Overcast all day with snow falling steadily on a light south-west wind from about 4pm.
Thanks to Glenn Gordon for the photo today of Look C Gully in Glen Clova. Glenn reports that the conditions on the route were good, however, water is running behind some sections of the ice.
I was out today on Ben Ledi in the north east corrie looking at winter mountaineering skills with Andy, John, Michelle and Carol. The weather was excellent, the snow was frozen at all levels as was the turf and streams were well frozen above 500m to provide some short little ice ptiches.
Glorious day on Beinn Each, near Loch Lubnaig, today with a group from Adventure Edinburgh. We covered boot, axe and crampon work as part of a round trip to the summit.
Pretty much all the snow on the hill was firm, old and well consolidated, with just the odd dusting of fresh snow and thin layers of wind blown. Looking further north (e.g. Tarmachan) or east or higher (e.g. Stuc a’Chroin) there looked to be considerably more fresh snow. The ground was well frozen down to valley level and ice was forming in stream lines. There was no fresh snow during the day. The northerly winds were circa 20mph on the summit and out of the sun it was below freezing all day.
I was out today with the Falkirk High Tops Team on Beinn an Dothaidh. We climbed Taxus with the Ice Fall finish. Taxus original is in great condition, however, the Ice Fall finish is a bit lean at the exit and hard for the grade. The buttress routes starting at higher altitudes are riming up nicely.
Michael and Fiona climbed Ritchies Gully on Creag Meagaidh but i do not have any details.
On saturday and sunday i was on Ben Ledi running courses for EICA Ratho and Walkrock looking at various skills such as ice axe braking and winter belays. The corrie was well frozen with heavy riming suggesting that venues such as Beinn and Dothaidh will be in good condition.
On sunday in Glencoe Neil and James climbed The Screen in good condition and No. 6 Gully which was begining to fall down rapidly.
Glenn headed into Stob Coire an Lochain on monday and climbed Raeburns Route. He reported excellent conditions with a lot of useful neve around. Photo courtesy of Glenn Gordon.
Today i was out in the Drummochter Pass in the area around The Boar with EICA Ratho. We were doing some staff training on avalanche awareness. The ground was well frozen and there was heavy riming at all altitudes. There is still some good ski touring to be had from Blair Atholl northwards.
