26-02-13, Coire an t-Sneachda, Cairngorms - Winter Climbing

Fiaciall Butress frame.

 Team tired legs after yesterdays Penguin Gully foray  A mellow walk in was in order, so Northern Corries it was. Clear crisp day again. So far we have done a turfy mixed route, a classic snow/ice gully, so a classic mid-grade Cairngorm mixed route - Fingers Ridge. The corrie wasn't that busy today, everyone is probably ice climbing on Ben Nevis!

Fingers Ridge, classic shot.

Corner pitch.

Initial pitch.

25-02-13, Beinn Dearg, Northern Highlands - Winter Climbing

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.

Fat Ice, pitch 4 of Penguin Gully.

Penguin Gully pitch 1.

Awesome line of Penguin Gully III/IV 320m ****.

Ice Hose middle pitches look brilliant, if only you could get to them!

Fine Plateau walk to summit of Beinn Dearg, Inverpolly mountains in the background.

An Teallach.

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.

21-02-13, Liathach, Torridon - Winter Climbing

Liathach - Beinn Alligin - Beinn Dearg.

 Last day of Intro Winter Climbing course in the North-west. Another stonker of a day, very fine weather, all lying snow is bomber neve. We climbed George on the north side of Liathach. It is in great condition. There is ice on the back wall of Spidean Choire Liath, but I am suspect as to how attached Poachers Falls is!

Top of George.

Glorious bomber neve on the summit slopes.

Classic Liathach snow ridge.

Beinn Dearg.

Spidean Choire Liath.

The approach.

20-02-13, Coire an t-Sneachda, Cairngorms - Winter Climbing

Approach slopes to the trident gullies.

A different day today, plenty of clag and 30mph winds, plenty of folk wandering around very lost in the coire! We went in search of something slightly harder than grade II and of the mixed variety. The Grooved Rib III,4 between The Runnel and Crotched Gully, very nice short route with plenty of ice and useful snow on the approach to the chimney right hand version. The freezing level was down today and rime has been forming on the rocks.

Last pitch after the chimney.

The start.

19-02-13, North West Highlands - Stunner

Cuillin, Skye.

View from Bealach na Ba, Applecross.

Cioch Nose, Applecross.

18-02-13, Sgorr Ruadh, North-West Highlands - Winter Climbing

Fuar Tholl and Sgorr Ruadh.

 Another fantastic day in the North-West highlands. Slightly further walk today but still quite chilled, to Sgorr Ruadh in Glen Carron. A great walk in with this fine weather, slightly cooler this morning but did thaw throughout the day. The snow was quite firm, a lot firmer than yesterdays slush fest! There are not many routes climbable on the face, Postbox Gully was good, chimney pitch has some some good sport, plenty of snow and ice on the following pitches. Central Couloir had a great covering of snow and it looked like Easy Gully would be climbable, High Gully and other icy lines are not!

After the slot on Postbox Gully, Sgorr Ruadh.

Sgorr Ruadh, hard neve snow still exists, harder routes not in condition.

Fuar Tholl looking south.

Beinn Alligin, Liathach, Beinn Eighe.

Descending Central Couloir.

Looking to Cuillin.

17-02-13, Fuar Tholl, North-West Highlands - Winter Climbing

Sgurr Rhuadh, Beinn Alligin, Liathach, Beinn Eighe from summit of Fuar Tholl.

 The North-West highlands have been fantastic today. High pressure conditions, brilliant views, snow has held in just on the high corries. The temperatures are on the plus side so the snow is slushy, but as soon as the freezing level drops it will be amazing. Today I was out with a team on an Intro-Climber course for Moran Mountain, we walked up Fuar Tholl, to the snow basin, recapped some basic skills in the slush then ascended Access Gully with plenty of bucket seats and buried axes to the right hand variant finish. High pressure set to hang around so should be brilliant the next few days, but it would be handy if the freezing level dropped!

Top of Access Gully slush fest!

Fuar Tholl.

Awesome views.

Liathach some snow on the ridge.

16-02-13, Cairngorms, Beinn a'Chaorainn - Winter Mountaineering

Top of Fiaciall coire an t-Sneachda - ace weather today.

 I have been out with Hayley and Jeremy the last 3 days on a winter mountaineering course. The plan was to get them prepared for climbing Island Peak in the Himalaya. A refresh of skills, getting used to wearing plastic boots on the first day, we walked up Meall a Bhuachaille, the ski road was firmly shut. Warm and wet conditions started yesterday - over to climb the east ridge on Beinn a'Chaorainn, saturated snow but enjoyable enough. Today the weather was amazing, blue skies and warm sun. We joined the masses and ascended the Fiaciall in the Cairngorms.

Near the top of East ridge on Beinn a'Chaorainn.

Buttresses in Coire an t-Sneachda stripping fast!

12-02-13, Stag Rocks, Cairngorms - Winter Climbing

Afterthought Arete. 

Today Cath and I walked over to Hell's Lum, to try and climb some of the icy routes on the right hand side. Up to pt 1141 and over t-Sneachda as we didn't want to go near the goat track, the corrie looked very white and buried  Hell's Lum was surprisingly buried also, with a worrying amount of slabby looking snow above the ice which was also buried  We decided it wasn't wise so walked over to Stag Rocks to climb Afterthough Arete. I have done it as a summer scramble and found it great but it was hard under all of the powder snow, insecure and slabby scratchy moves.

Hells Lum, plenty of  ice but hidden under the snow.

Carn Etchachan and Shelterstone.

Cascades Stag Rocks.