December 06 Conditions

Wednesday 27th December 2006

Donald and I did a couple of rock routes at Creag Dubh on the Upper Tier of Bedtime Buttress. These short routes on clean solid rock offer excellent views across to the Cairngorms. It was very cold and there was ice on the loch below us at 200m. It looks like the tops might get a dusting of snow tonight.

Tuesday 26th December 2006

With the temperature on the tops not dropping below plus 2 degrees celsius, I opted for a rock climbing route today. The Stag Rocks in the Loch Avon basin face South and dry quickly. I scrambled up the excellent Afterthought Arete which is a 3 star Moderate rock climb. The rock was dry and I didn't even need gloves. It was a beautiful still day and at the top a Golden Eagle took flight and soared across the basin.

The photos show the extent of the thaw due to the temperature inversion we've had over the last week. What snow is left is well frozen and great for cramponing.

Monday 25th December 2006

Here in Inverness we awoke to a hard frost. I had a great wee boulder in the sunshine on the boulders below Brin Rock. The Gneiss was dry and there was excellent friction. These boulders are about 20 minutes drive from Inverness on the B851 Daviot to Fort Augustus road.

Saturday 23rd December 2006

Although the Eastern Highlands got some clear skies today, in the North West the cloud level was down to 900m. With the freezing level well above the tops it did not feel like the end of December. Andy and I had a good day out climbing Sgurr nan Clach Geala which is a munro in the Fannichs. We dropped into the Main Crag which is on the East face of the mountain and ascended Slanting Gully. This grade 1 gully was filled with very soggy snow.

Wednesday 20th December 2006

There was a temperature inversion today in the Northern Corries with zero degrees celsius at 600m and +6 at 1100m. What snow is left is well frozen neve and several of the easier gullies are complete. We had a day out on Fiacaill Ridge which is a great winter walk with a little bit of scrambling near the top. Amy was refreshing her winter skills like step cutting and ice axe braking.
There were quite a few folk out enjoying the sunshine and blue skies. We could see Ben Nevis surrounded by a carpet of cloud.
We saw folk climbing Jacob's Ladder, The Runnel, Red Gully, Fiacaill Couloir and Invernookie. Kev and Matt had to detour from Crotched Gully into Spiral Gully because of the lack of snow.
Over in Lochain Tim and Graham did Grumbling Grooves while Paul and partner went up Fallout Corner.

Sunday 10th December 2006

Glasgow University Mountaineering Club and myself battled into Coire an T-Sneachda today. We built emergency shelters and practiced using crampons and learnt about the use of an ice axe and how to do an ice axe brake.
It got progressively wetter and warmer through the day and the crags were getting stripped of any rime ice that was there yesterday. There is still quite alot of wet snow in the gullies and with a forecast for a lowering freezing level it should freeze solid.

Saturday 9th December 2006

Alpha Mountaineering were out with Glasgow University Mountaineering Club today. Some of our party had never worn crampons or been out in the hills in the winter, while for some it was a refresher. We had a great day heading into Coire an Lochain and watching many parties on the buttresses. We navigated over Cairn Lochan and down a very windy goat track. There were also many parties in Sneachda taking advantage of the cold wintery weather. It looks like its back to warm, wet and very windy south westerlies tomorrow.