Spring/Summer/Autumn 2015

A lack of blogging for most of 2015 after the Scottish 2014/15 season, ready in anticipation for this season to start! Here are a few photos of some climbing from 2015. I have mainly been working in North Wales on a combination of multi-activity residential school trips, family holidays and mountain skills courses, navigation, scrambling and rock climbing. We have had a big house project on for most of 2015 so trips away have been limited, but we did manage to get to Picos de Europa in Northern Spain during September and a News Years climbing/skiing trip to Cogne/Aosta valley in Northern Italy.

Cervinia, Skiing, had to go up high for the snow!

Imitator, Gogarth, Main Cliff, North Wales.

Classy belay on Shadow Wall, Carreg Wasted, Llanberis Pass, North Wales.

Climbing quietly on Route 66, Craig y Forwyn, North Wales.

Icarus, Rhoscolyn, Gogarth, North Wales.

Britomartis, Gogarth, North Wales.

Picos de Europa, Spain.

Grassy Alps and pointy limestone peaks in Picos de Europa, Spain.

The Magnificent El Naranja, Picos de Europa, Spain.

Naranja, Picos de Europa, Spain.

Mass of Limestone high ground, Picos de Europa, Spain.

Some highball solo sandstone action in North York Moors.

Ice Climbing, Cogne, Italy.

Monte Bianco, Italy.

Ice in Valle Rhemes, Italy.

Alpine ski resorts in much need of some more snow news year day 2016.

15-02-15, Ben Nevis - Winter Climbing

Nordwand today on Ben Nevis. A good long ice climb with some snowy rambling in between the ice pitches.

Another stunner in Snowdonia on Tuesday.

26-01-15, Ben Nevis - Winter Climbing

Out on Ben Nevis today. We had optimistically hoped for some fine ice climbing after the thaw yesterday. However the temperature probably hadn't dropped soon enough to make Harrison's Climb refreeze, we found a constant shower coming from The Shroud above. After climbing the first pitch we abseiled off. Round the corner some teams were on Waterfall Gully, Gemini and The Shield. Plenty of teams climbed The Curtain and Vanishing Gully. We climbed part of The Curtain Rail with an icy step towards the top but the main parallel ice pitch was not there. Overall the mountain was very wintry and there is ice in abundance but the freezing level needs to drop for a bit longer. 

 

Shield Direct.

Abseil away form the wetness!

The easy start to The Curtain Rail.

03-01-15, Ben Nevis - Winter Climbing

 After a few days of thawing, wetness and wind in the Scottish Highlands, today was lovely. We climbed Glover's Chimney on Ben Nevis, which was in good condition. Lots of teams out today, we saw teams on Ledge Route, Central Gully, Green Gully, Tower Face of the Comb, Comb Gully, Comb Gully Buttress, Tower Ridge, Smith's Route, that is just what we saw, many other routes looked in good climbable condition. Lots of ice and neve about mainly in the bigger gullies, the thin face routes have a way to go.

05-03-13, Llanberis Pass, Snowdonia - Winter Climbing

Kath on crux ice pitch of Face Route.

 Back on the ice after a lay off. Will probably need more of a rest now! Snowdonia is still in a good icy condition, freezing level has been rising gradually, but ice is still around in the Pass Cascade is getting attention, less so on Central Ice Fall but there is plenty of Ice on the south side of the pass. We climbed Face Route on Cyrn Las a good 3 pitch grade IV, with some pleasant, easy scenic, icy steps above. Cwm Idwal has a lot of ice also, not very busy. I think everyone has winter lethargy!

Cyrn Las, Face Route is one of the icy lines in the centre.

Descending the ridge. Cascade and Central Ice fall.

A snowy Crib Goch and Clogwyn y Person.

26-03-13, Liathach, Torridon - Winter Climbing

Salmon Leap

Poachers Falls, Pitch 1

Poachers Falls, Pitch 2

Poachers Falls, Pitch 2

Poachers Falls, Pitch 1

24-03-13, Sgurr Finnisg-aig, West Highlands - Winter Climbing

Andy, Smashing it in on Finnisg-aig.

The weather has been very stormy and especially windy lately. I am working on the west on a mountaineering course. Yesterday wasn't really a mountain day to get something done! We waked up into Stob Coire Nan Lochan to poke our noses into the storm force winds... it was windy! Today we climbed some low level ice on Sgurr Finnisg-aig on the side of Aonach Mor. This climb is in good condition right now. Several different lines can be climbed, about grade III for most of it maybe the top pitch is a bit harder? We climbed it in 6 short pitches but you could do it in 3 long ones. After topping out it is a short 10 minute walk to the top Gondola station then down the bike track.

Top Pitch.

Second Pitch, grade II.

Sgurr Finnisg-aig.

11-03-13, Liathach, Torridon, North-West Highlands - Winter Climbing

Classic Torridon.

Another week of North West paradise in the diary this week. I am working on a Moran Mountain Intro Winter Climber course. Terrance and I went to Liathach to do some ice climbing. Poachers Fall, The Salmon Leap and Umbrella Fall are looking in tremendous condition. The hard neve is still in abundance with only a slight dusting of new snow to speak of. We climbed George (obviously my favorite route up here!) but finished with the Sinister Prong. This was well iced and had a couple of bulging vertical pitches, great value at IV,5. Topped out to yet another stunning Liathach view - 'you've got to love the north west when there's high pressure (why aye)'.

Terrance approaching Spidean.

Top of first steep crux of Sinister Prong.

Pleased to be at the top of the difficulties.

Approach slopes.

Spidean - 'rime ice bigger than man'.

I never bore of taking this shot!

View from the office today!