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| Mighty West buttress of Beinn Dearg. |
A fantastic day today, on Beinn Dearg in the North. We made the long walk up the forestry track to the west buttress. Emerald Gully, Finian etc were not in condition, big gaps and ice not fat enough. Penguin Gully however, is in amazing condition. 3 quality grade III+/IV pitches, with some grade I/II. What a great route, it is a crime that it is not included in Ken Wilson's Cold Climbs. Long walk-in, long run but very satisfying. The Ice Hose has a fair amount of ice on it, but the start is broken, there maybe a way around, the middle section maybe climbable? Conditions are still ace at present.
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| Fat Ice, pitch 4 of Penguin Gully. |
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| Penguin Gully pitch 1. |
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| Awesome line of Penguin Gully III/IV 320m ****. |
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| Ice Hose middle pitches look brilliant, if only you could get to them! |
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| Fine Plateau walk to summit of Beinn Dearg, Inverpolly mountains in the background. |
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| An Teallach. |
Today was the day I got to climb on Bein Dearg in the northern highlands, only took four visits! Another beautiful day dry, cold and not windy! A long but gentle walk in led us up to base of Emerald Gully IV,4. Dave leading the first ice pitch (right). The top ice fall wasn't formed but we managed to climb some mixed ground to get to the summit. Another team joined us after climbing Fenian Gully IV,4 which was 'full of ice'. Kath and Garry climbed Penguin Gully III,4 on west buttress and said it was very banked out and there were little belays. The snow at the base of the routes is hard neve but higher up it is sugary.
View of the west buttress with loads of snow.
View of An Teallach, looking wintry, ridge would be good but the mixed routes will be buried.
