19-01-16, Glen Shiel, West Highlands - Ski Touring

 Another claggy day, saturated snow at most levels. Bastien and I hoped for some fine munro bagging and ski touring in Glen Shiel on the mountains north of Loch Cluanie, however very poor visibility meant we decided to finish earlier than planned. We skinned up Coire nan Clach to Carn Ghluasaid and skied down.

No views but still smiling!

Survival skiing!

16-01-16, Skye, North West Highands - Winter Mountaineering

Winter Cuillin Ridge Bruach na Frithe to Sgurr a' Ghreadaidh.

 A great visibility forecast for the weekend and knowing there was plenty of snow about, we headed  to Skye to do some winter mountaineering. Unfortunately Saturday was cloudy, snowy and 30mph winds, the visual beauty  of the Cuillin wasn't there for us but the terrain up the NE ridge of Sgurr a' Bhasteir and down the NW of Bruach na Frith, did give us all a great sustained, interesting journey. Plenty of unconsolidated snow about everywhere.

A nice snow arete across the ridge between Sgurr a' Bhasteir and Am Basteir.

Plenty of interest on the way down the NW ridge of Bruach na Frithe.

Snowy peaks in Glen Shiel on the drive through.

Forcan Ridge, The Saddle, Glen Shiel.

12-03-13, Druim Shionnach, Glen Shiel - Winter Climbing

Terrance enjoying the second steep pitch.

A more wintry day in Glen Shiel today. Terrance has climbed a grade IV ice climb yesterday so we had a mixed climb on the cards. Walking into Druim Shionnach we were happy to see the crags well frozen with a dusting of snow. There was some wind slab forming around the base of the crag and on the upper snow slope bowl of Cave Gully. We climbed Boxer's Buttress, which gave 2 good mixed turfy grade IV pitches, then an easier grade II pitch and a snow plod to the summit. There is some ice about but I think it is mainly the turfy mixed climbs which are in condition on these crags at the moment.

Coire an t-Slugain, Glen Shiel.

Summit snow wind Druim Shionnach.

Approach, winter again.

At the top of the first pitch.

Druim Shionnach West Face.

24-02-13, Creagan Coire an t-Slugain, Glen Shiel - Winter Climbing

Creagan Coire an t-Slugain, Glen Shiel.

Back working in the North-West Highlands again this week. High pressure still hanging around, cold temperatures as well. We headed to Glen Shiel and walked up to Creag Coire an t-Slugain. Rock hard neve everywhere, with plenty of avalanche debris from over a week ago at the base of double gully. Initially I thought we would climb Pioneer Gully, III, as I knew it was in condition, but once we got to see the crag up close I thought some of the other routes maybe in condition. We climbed The Triangle, IV,4, which gave 4 good pitches on frozen turf, useful snow and icy smears, I got a few screws in but the ice wasn't really fat, just handy enough to climb. Some of the other routes maybe possible but if they rely on continuous ice it would be doubtful!

Turfy slabby moves.

Druim Shionnach and t-Slugain.

Creagan an t-Slugain.