04-02-16, Stob Coire nan Lochan, Glen Coe - Winter Climbing

A warm day in Glen Coe, We climbed Raeburn's Route, slightly slushy snow, but climbable as always. Plenty of teams on Dorsal Arete. Freezing level was well above the summits.

31-01-16, Stob Coire nan Lochan - Winter Mountaineering

A welcome return to winter and 2 very different days this weekend. Saturday was especially buffeting, we did however manage to get some essential winter skills covered on Buachaille Etive Beag. Today was much nicer weather, we traversed Stob Coire nan Lochan. Many teams climbing on the buttresses, lots of new snow about in the coire and in the gullies, summit tops quite scoured from the wind.

7th,8th January 2015, Ben Nevis, Stob Coire nan Lochan - Winter Skills

Bidean nam Bian.

Appalling weather on Tuesday, heavy rain on summits very windy, complete saturation of everything. We walked up to Coire Leis on Ben Nevis to try and find some wet snow, the river was massive and there were several avalanches evident from number 5 gully, Castle gully and at the bottom of Trident buttress. I imagine the ice up high above 1100m will have improved with the thaw and re freeze that occurred during the following evening. Wednesday was a nicer day but still blustery and at least snowing as the freezing level was below 900m. We headed up Stob Coire nan Lochan, lots of snow about in the wide gullies and around the base of the crags, but very bare in the summit and west ridge. The cliffs did look more wintry with the new snow. We will be storm bound for the next couple if days!

Ben Nevis, Observatory gully, 07-01-15

Ben Nevis, Ciste.

20-03-11, West Highlands - Winter Climbing

Dorsal Arete, II - Stob Coire nan Lochan.

I have spent the last couple of weeks climbing on the West in Glen Coe and on Ben Nevis. It has been a hectic and stormy couple of weeks preparing for and doing the MIC assessment. Before all the snow arrived Dave, Tom and myself went to Coire na Ciste on the Ben and climbed, Central Gully, Central Gully Right Hand and South Gully - excellent icy lines. Si, Tom and I went to Stob Ban and climbed Gendarme Ridge, IV,4 - a mixed line that follows and stunning narrow pillar for three pitches. Back to the Ben again to look at Moonlight Gully Buttress, Si and I climbed Diagonal, III. Weekend off and the snow arrived in force, a couple of inches down to sea level! For my MIC assessment we climbed mainly in Glencoe, routes such as Dinnertime Buttress, Zig Zags, Curved Ridge and Raeburn's in Lochan. It was a pass for me so very pleased, although couldn't celebrate for too long as I was out working for Gareth (Sea2Summit) the following two days after. I took a team of novice winter climbers onto Dorsal Arete on Friday 18th and then we ascended the East Ridge on the North Buttress on Stob Ban on Saturday 19th. The snow has now started to melt away, and the freezing level has risen well above the summits.

Tom getting stuck into some powder on Gendarme Ridge.

Si leading on Gendarme Ridge.

Tom after steep pitch on Central Gully Right Hand.

Dave belaying Tom on Central Gully.

18-02-11, Glen Coe - Winter Climbing

A slightly cloudier and warmer day today. Initially Dave and I drove to The Buachaille but thought the buttresses would be far too black to consider a winter ascent. We had noticed on the way through Glen Coe that there was snow half way down West face of Aonach Dubh. We walked up the initially grass slopes the climbed the line of Dinner-time Buttress, II. After topping out it takes you to the base of Stob Coire nan Lochan so we nipped across the east descent slopes and climbed Pinnacle Buttress Groove, III (photo right) - which despite being short 60m it is a very interesting and atmospheric climb. The freezing level was probably 700m but rising, buttress were riming up.

09-02-11, SCNL, Glen Coe - Winter Climbing

A thawing day today. Tori, Chris and I headed back to Stob Coire nan Lochan today. We climbed Ordinary Route IV, 5 on Summit Buttress. The snow was heavily saturated from last nights rain and freezing level above the summits. The day started dry but quickly heavy rain came in from 10am onwards till we got back to the van! Lots of wet avalanche debris was seen in Forked gully. Despite the wet conditions, the climbing and day was enjoyable, just goes to show you can have a good day when you don't expect it!

08-02-11, SCNL, Glencoe - Winter Climbing

Dave at the start of Scabbard Chimney.

Today, Dave and I headed up to Stob Coire nan Lochan and climbed Scabbard Chimney, V,6. Luckily there were a couple teams a head of us on the walk in so they had the glory of breaking trail in the new soft snow which fell over night. The freezing level was below the lochan but there was plenty of new snow which made for a considerable avalanche hazard. We heard a loud avalanche come down Twisting gully (photo of the crown wall at the bottom). Cornices were large also. Other teams out on the buttress routes and of course Dorsal Arete!

Photos - Right, Dave trying to find purchase on the final pitch. Below, tight chimney wriggling.

04-02-11, Glen Coe, West Highlands - Winter Climbing and Mountaineering

I have spent the last week over on the west. The weather and conditions have been very mixed. On Tuesday I went climbing with Lawrence in Stob Coire nan Lochan. It was very windy, the buttresses were black and freezing level was high. The snow level was at the lochan, with some new soft slab forming, but not too much of a worry. We climbed Langsam, II and descended Broad Gully. Wednesday and Thursday I was working on the second half of a Winter Mountaineering course at Plas y Brenin. A big thaw kicked in with lots of rain, so Wednesday we retreated to the Ice Factor, did some ice climbing in the freezer and taught the group various ways to tie into anchors, tie off belay plates, escape the system, and abseil using prussiks. Thursday we headed to the White Corries to do some Navigation and Emergency shelter digging. The morning started fine, blue skies and fresh snow down to the road, but by midday the second storm arrived heralding strong winds and more snow. The avalanche hazard will be high for a while, as lots of new snow has fallen and it is very windy. Snow will be getting transported all over, with plenty of cross loading of wind slab.

23-01-11, Aonach Mor, Glen Coe - Winter Skills

Black buttresses in Stob Coire Nan Lochan.

This weekend I have been working on a 2 day winter skills course in the West Highlands for Adventure Peaks. The snow line is slightly higher on the West than in the Cairngorms. On Saturday we made use of the gondola on Aonach Mor, which got us high quickly. Plenty of snow, a lot was soft, but some ice also, practice walking up and down slopes, with and without crampons, chopping steps and ice axe arresting. Sunday we headed to Glen Coe and traversed Stob Coire Nan Lochan. The freezing level has risen to the summit - 1100m, all the buttresses were black and most snow quite soggy, some rime on the boulders at the top. Photo - right, looking down the east ridge towards Gear Aonach.

12-03-10, Glen Coe - Winter Climbing

Scotland has returned starting yesterday, a slight thaw has started and there was wet slushy snow falling at about 800m, windy and claggy. This was the last day of a MIC training course and we headed into Stob Coire nan Lochan. We looked at teaching leading and climbed NC Gully II (Tim leading - photo above), descended Broad Gully I, then went up Dorsal Arete II (busy), descending an easy gully on the right hand side of the corrie then ascended another head wall of snow further right. A busy day and a lot of ground was covered, the snow is starting to become a little slushy and there was wind slab pockets developing with the strong westerly winds. Today we heading up to west face of Aoanch Dubh in an attempt to climb The Screen IV (photo - right), before it melts away, but unfortunately we were a little late. Freezing levels have been at about 900m for the last few days and this has affected the thickness and stability of the ice. It looked big in places but as you topped out it would be thin and there was a waterfall clearly visible between the rock and the ice. So we decided the risk was not worth it and headed down. There were a few teams climbing Number 6 Gully, but even that won't last very long if the freezing level doesn't drop soon.