January 08 Conditions

Tuesday 29th January 2008

We had a great day today in the North West Highlands. There was very little snow around after the mild wet weekend.

I was out with Tom, Kate and Amy. We climbed Stac Pollaidh in Coigach where it was cool, calm, dry and 2°C at 600m.

It looks like there could be more snow towards the end of the week.

Thursday 24st January 2008

After yesterday's thaw at all levels there was snow down to 200m overnight. It was a wild day in the northern corries today.

Simon, Darren and myself went into Coire an t-Sneachda where we looked at placing pegs, warthogs and bulldogs.

We did some mixed climbing on one of the twin ribs on the East side of Fiacaill Ridge and also did a multi-pitch abseil descent. It was -4°C at 1000m with a very strong westerly wind.

I was working for Glenmore Lodge today.

Monday 21st January 2008

Today it was a lot calmer in the northern corries. I was out with Simon and Darren on an introduction to winter climbing course. We climbed Jacob's Edge on the Mess of Pottage.

It was freezing at about 800m today and there is a lot of ice building and a lot of verglass in the cracks. There were a few snow showers in the afternoon.

I was working for Glenmore Lodge today.

Saturday 19th January 2008

We had an excellent winter's day in the Northern Corries today. Jamie and Gavin led their way up Fiacaill Ridge with coaching from Tim enroute.

I was over in Coire an Lochain with Neil and Andrew. We had a great day climbing Ewen Buttress.

It was much colder than yesterday with the freezing level around 650m and it felt even colder in the 50mph westerly wind.

There were teams out on The Vent, Ventilator, Central Crack Route and The Migrant. Tony and partner were enjoying The Head-hunter

Friday 18th January 2008

It was a wild day in the Northern Corries today with strong southerlies and mild temperatures.

Jamie, Gavin, Neil, Andrew, Tim and I decided that turning back was a better option and headed to the Extreme Dream Climbing Wall.

Here we looked at dry tooling, coaching movement skills while climbing, prussicing, glacier travel, crevasse rescue and stance management.

Thursday 17th January 2008

I have updated my Gallery Page with a new user interface and added some new images to my Winter Gallery Page.

With a heavy frost last night and snow forecast for later in the day it looks like winter conditions will continue to improve in the hills.

Tuesday 15th January 2008

Pete and I had a great time exploring on Beinn Eighe today. We had hoped to do a route on the Far East Wall but it was not looking wintery enough so instead we did a new route at the far left end of the Eastern Ramparts.

The route (The Pinkyponk IV,5) follows a chimney for the first pitch and a buttress for the second pitch. We found unhelpful crusty snow and many verglassed cracks on the route.

It was -2°C on the summit and felt a lot colder in the strong Easterly breeze.

It was a busy day on Saturday with folk doing new routes on Skye, Lochnagar and Beinn Dearg. This report just in:

"Hi Nick, climbed in Beinn Dearg ... on Saturday and did a new route with Gareth Hughes ... to the right of Tower of Babel up the steep face finishing up the last couple of pitches of T of B. Fairly steady climbing with harder climbing linking the turf. Not as direct as we would have liked but the nature of the rock forced us into the line we took ... Route was called Salsa Saga VI/7 in memory of the fact that I am now 50 and can go on SAGA holidays and also my aptitude for salsa dancing which was what it felt like at times balancing over slabby rock shelves.
James Edwards and James Gordon also did a new route further right [at] IV/5."

Thanks to Martin Hind for this report.

Sunday 13th January 2008

Yesterday was a beautiful winter day across the highlands. I was out with Russ, Chris and Nick on Aonach Mor looking at winter mountaineering skills. We looked at snow and rock belays, rope management, avalanche awareness, route finding, crevasse rescue and use of a rope in descent.

With the freezing level above the summits and heavy rain today we headed to the Ice Factor for some coaching on climbing on steep ice.
I was working for Sea 2 Summit this weekend.

Click on the photo to the left to see a video of the view from the Nid on Aonach Mor.

Friday 11th January 2008

I had a fantastic day out with Will today. Will wants to push his winter climbing grade so we climbed Pot of Gold in Coire an t-Sneachda. We looked at the techniques involved in harder mixed climbing.

It was -2°C at the base of the crag and -4°C at the top today. There were patches of wind slab on many aspects and skiers were out enjoying the skiing on Cairngorm.

Click on the photo to the left to see a video of the view from Mess of Pottage today.

Thursday 10th January 2008

Today Gareth and I had a great day out climbing on Ben Nevis.

We did a route on Carn Dearg Buttress. There was snow down to 500m and the turf was frozen under the snow. Ice was beginning to form on Gemini and Waterfall Gully.

We did a combination of the start of Route 2 Direct and the top half of Route 1. It was hovering around 0°C all day and there were regular snow showers.

Tuesday 8th January 2008

Coire an Lochain was quiet today with only two other teams out. Rosie and Martin were on Fallout Corner and another party were enjoying sidewinder. Gaz and I did Ventriloquist on Number 1 buttress.

It was -3°C on the crag today. It started off very clear but soon there were snow showers on a strong southerly breeze

Click on the photo to the left to see a video of the buttresses today.

Monday 7th January 2008

Gaz and I went up Central Buttress on Beinn Eighe today. Pigott's Route is Severe in summer and in winter it's a 4 star VI,7. With very little wind and blue sky views it was a great day to be in Torridon.

The turf was well frozen and ice was beginning to build in the water courses. There were a few snow showers in the afternoon.

Friday 4th January 2008

Mike and I had an fantastic day on the Cumming-Crofton Route yesterday. This 4 star grade VI is not an easy route to get to. From any direct Garbh Coire on Beinn A'Bhuird is a remote place. We approached from the North which gave a 2hr cycle up Glen Avon and a 2.5hr walk up the glen.

It was -3°C at the base of the route and -5°C at the top with continuous snow showers. Not surprisingly we had the corrie to ourselves.

Looks like it continued to snow in the Cairngorms last night as I've just heard on local radio that the Cairngorm ski road is closed due to snow.

Thanks to Andy for this photo of The Message from yesterday. Andy and Neil said they had a great day with very frozen turf and very few other people in Coire an T-sneachda.

Wednesday 2nd January 2008

There was a wee crowd of us out at Am Fasgadh today. It was cold and dry making for excellent conditions at this sport climbing crag near Gruinard.

I heard from Andy and Donald on Ben Nevis that the buttresses were pretty black. Looks like the East Highlands is going to get some snow over the next couple of days.

Tuesday 1st January 2008

I was out with Warwick Mountains' University Club today. They were learning some winter skills in the Cairngorms.

Although it was warm, with the freezing level above the summits, there is still enough snow around to enjoy a winter's day out.

The buttresses were black but there is snow forecast for later in the week.