31-01-13, Carn Etchachan, Cairngorms - Winter Climbing

Gaz, sending pitch 3 Red Guard.

The calm after the storm... nearly! Gaz, Chris and I had a look over the back in Loch Avon basin. Open minds, icy on Hell's Lum but Carn Etchachan or Shelterstone were the order. No ice on Sticil Face, plenty of snow about and crags looked very wintry. We climbed Red Guard, some good pitches, turf was well frozen but could have had some more useful neve snow instead of sugar bashing!

Pitch 2, tricky verglassed chimney shenanigans.

Really!

18-01-11, Carn Etchachan, Cairngorms - Winter Climbing

Last belay ledge of The Guillotine with a fine view!

Today Gary, Kath and myself headed back over the top to Loch Avon Basin again. Conditions in Cairngorms are ace at present, the snow is firm and icy, minimal if any avalanche risk, easy walking and great climbing. We walked over to Carn Etchachan and climbed The Guillotine, V,6. A great route quite sustained with 4 good pitches, a mega chimney pitch in the middle, and a cheeky overhanging crux on the last move! There is plenty of hard neve covering the ledges, even if from below it looks all rock. Shelter Stone, was quite dry and bare, Sticil Face not in. Stag rocks also looking bare. Rocio and Owen we out on Carn Etchachan also, they climbed Scorpion and reported it was good. Gary looking up at the impressive Shelter Stone with Hell's Lum in the background.