January 09 Conditions

Thursday 29th January 2009

Snow consolidating in the North West Highlands

I was out with Danny today. We had an explore up into Coir Lair. This glen has some great views of Fuar Tholl, Mainreachan Buttress and Sgorr Ruadh. There was plenty of snow around and with temperatures above freezing it was consolidating well.

From on top of Sgorr Ruadh there were great views towards Beinn Eighe, Liathach, Beinn Alligin and Beinn Bhan. It was 3�C at munro level today, but with a strong southerly breeze it felt a lot colder.

Wednesday 28th January 2009

Climbing conditions in the West

I was over in the West today and went for a short walk up to Stob Coire an Laoigh. This quartzite cliff lies in the Grey corries above Spean Bridge. It was 2�C at 900m with a cool SW wind.

The cliffs looked like they were in good condition but they were very quiet with just Pete and Graham on 'Some Like it Hot'. Pete said it was a “great route, steep!”

Tuesday 27th January 2009

Blue sky, sunshine and great ice in the Northern Cairngorms

Mark and Dunc sent me this report from today in the Loch A'an basin:

“ some great conditions in Sneachda with all the easier graded gully's looking in good nick as well as the harder rocky routes. After dropping over in to Loch Avon basin we found Stag Rocks to have some good ice as well as Hells Lum shaping up nicely with many fine looking icy lines. Over towards the Shelter Stone and Etchachan conditions again looked excellent. We opted for a fast accent of the Chancer after seeing how good the ice was. ”

Monday 26th January 2009

Contrasting days in the Northern Cairngorms

Liam, Jono and Amy were out today and yesterday in the Northern Cairngorms. Liam made this report from yesterday: “Jono, Amy and I climbed Jacobs Edge - lots of spindrift coming down, difficult to find gear and we saw a big avalanche in Jacob's Ladder.” Today he had a much easier day on Bynack Mor: “ A proper lovely day to be out.”

Mark and Deziree were out for a ski tour today. “We found some great snow in Lurchers gully well worth the effort to get there. The Northern Corries where looking in good shape if your after some mixed action. The gully's are still full of soft snow making them hard going. Lochain was very quite for being so wintry, the approach slopes still look loaded with soft snow.”

Sunday 25th January 2009

Report from yesterday in Hell's Lum

Di and Derek headed over to Hells Lum yesterday and they sent me this report:

“We climbed Kiwi Gully. Loose unconsolidated snow in the lower part but once the angle steeped, it was excellent � a tiny bit on the thin side nearer the top. Minus 4 all day (sure my thermometer is stuck on that temp!) and a pretty constant flow of spindrift down the route.”

Saturday 24th January 2009

Cold and windy in the Northern Cairngorms

I was out with Rich and Paula today in the Northern Cairngorms. We had a short winter walk up over Cairngorm. It was -3� on the tops but felt a lot colder in the strong Westerly breeze. There was some fresh windslab building up on the North Easterly aspects.

It looked like there were loads of folk out enjoying the good skiing conditions.

Thursday 22nd January 2009

Report from yesterday in Torridon

Rich was over in Torridon yesterday for an afternoon of bouldering. He reported good dry conditions in the glens with a heavy covering of snow higher in the hills. He was climbing in the Ship boulder area.

The ship boulder itself has some excellent boulder problems including Squelch (Font 6c), Malcolm's Arete (Font 7a), which Rich discovered yesterday can still be done without a 'crucial' hold which broke recently, and Rich's own creation The Mission (Font 7b+). So if you want a change from the ice and rime of winter don't forget Scotland's awesome bouldering locations.

Wednesday 21st January 2009

Northern corries report

With loads of snow in the West folk have been heading East to try to find easier approaches and less buried routes. This report from yesterday comes from Di Gilbert

“Up onto the Mess today on Hidden Chimney Direct Start. Did plan heading over to the Fiacaill but it looked like being inside a washing machine (loads of blowing snow with sporadic gusts) and I would suspect that the slopes would be pretty loaded. Direct was good � chimney pretty banked out so pretty straightforward. Quite a bit of slab under the buttress.-4 and a 30 knot wind � maybe gusting a bit more. Windiest bit was coming down the Fiacaill Coire Cas. Very quiet in the corrie.”

Tuesday 20th January 2009

Applecross Photos

Kath has just sent me these photos from her day out yesterday on Cobalt Buttress, Meall Gorm, Applecross. The large buttress in the middle of the left hand photo is Cobalt Buttress. The route of the same name climbs the right edge of the buttress.

Monday 19th January 2009

Applecross report and Xi Web Design

With continuing cold weather and snow showers in the west Kath sent me this report from Applecross: “Had a good day on Cobalt Buttress with Paul. Snow showers throughout the day but topped out in sunshine. Road ploughed 3 times while we were on the route but still very snowy.”

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Sunday 18th January 2009

Snow at sea level in Inverness today

We still have 1 space available on a 5 day Advanced Winter Climbing Course in February. If you are already a winter climber who has seconded grade 3 or 4 and you want to challenge yourself to climb harder, then this is the course for you. In the company of an experienced instructor and 1 other client, Alpha Mountaineering will help you achieve your full potential during this 5 day course.

If you are keen to join this course the dates are Monday 16th Feb - Friday 20th Feb. You will be based in Aviemore. The cost is �450 for the 5 days of instruction. Please get in touch to find out more.

Thursday 15th January 2009

Glencoe report

Gaz was out again yesterday in Glencoe and this is his report:

“ I went up for a caving experience up Crypt route with Paul today. We had a slight frost last night and the ground felt a little more frozen, certainly the turf was frozen in places on the top half of the route. On the descent windslab was forming on Northerly aspects, with a good layer of neve below. As we left the snow level had dropped to 500m. “

Wednesday 14th January 2009

Glencoe and Braeriach conditions report

Kath and Gaz were climbing on Stob Coire nan Lochan yesterday they said: “I went up scabbard chimney today with Kath. The freezing level was below the crag, with frozen snow at all levels. All the cracks though were choked with ice, making gear placements a little awkward. The turf is a bit soft too. As we left a fair amount of snow started to fall.”

Phil and Al were out on Tuesday exploring Braeriach here is their report: “I headed into Garbh Coire on Tuesday with a mate from Wales, Al Hopkins. White Nile was a rock climb, but we struggled up Vulcan (V,4) in snowy conditions. Lots to do for lovers of solitude!”

Thursday 8th January 2009

East Highland report

It was 0� C. at 900m today but by the end of the day the temperatures rose and Loch Morlich was black for the first time in many days.

I went for a walk over to explore the Loch A'an Basin. There was a strong North West wind blowing and I couldn't see any teams on any of the buttresses surrounding Loch A'an.

It was a different story in Coire an T-sneachda where every buttress had at least 3 teams on it.

Wednesday 7th January 2009

1 space available on a 5 day Advanced Winter Climbing Course

If you are already a winter climber who has seconded grade 3 or 4 and you want to challenge yourself to climb harder, then this is the course for you. In the company of an experienced instructor and 1 other client, Alpha Mountaineering will help you achieve your full potential during this 5 day course.

If you are keen to join this course the dates are Monday 16th Feb - Friday 20th Feb. You will be based in Aviemore. The cost is �450 for the 5 days of instruction. Accommodation is extra. Please get in touch to find out more.

Tuesday 6th January 2009

Reports from the East and West Highlands

It looked like it was a beautiful day across in the West Highlands as well as the East yesterday.

Thanks to Di and Kev for the report and photos from The Ben from yesterday. This is what they had to say: “Pretty busy around Point 5 so opted for Good Friday climb. We opted for the left hand finish. Generally very good ice and deep enough for screws. Normal finish looks like it had good ice too. Minus 5 all day ... Only like 7 parties on the whole mountain, 4 in the point, one on tower scoop and 2 on our route. Some fresh snow - not heaps but some slab build up.”

Thanks also to Phil for the photo below and this report: “wandered round to Lurcher's crag today and soloed up Central Gully (III) in the sunshine. Good if somewhat brittle ice but had to be careful to avoid significant patches of windslab.”

Monday 5th January 2009

Awesome weather for climbing, walking or skiing

Amy, Danny and I had a great day out in the Cairngorms today. Amy and Danny took advantage of 'Skiing for a Pound' and had a sunny but cold day on the pistes.

I had an great walk over Cairngorm and around the corries. Surprisingly there were very few teams out on the crags. The buttresses were very white and looked good for the mixed routes although the only team I saw were on The Couloir.

Sunday 4th January 2009

Snow in the hills

As a cold front moved south today the temperatures on the tops dropped as did some much needed snow.

Kev and Mark were out yesterday before the front came through and they reported that Red Guard on Carn Etchachan “had bomber turf all the way. ”

Saturday 3rd January 2009

Low level ice in Strathconon

There was a fine dusting of fresh snow on Ben Wyvis this morning. The cold temperatures in the glens continue to freeze low level burns.
Danny and Donald were out exploring Strathconon yesterday. They found some decent ice here and there to have a play on.

Danny said “Good ice in Strathconon ... although not all areas are frozen you just have to pick the best looking line as there is stuff to go at. Be wary of the big pools at the foot of the longer waterfalls as they are very deep and easy to fall through.“

Thursday 1st January 2009

Continuing high pressure into the new year.

Today at sea level in Inverness the temperature rose to just above freezing so that the sea ice at the mouth of the River Ness started to thaw.
It looks like the settled conditions will continue into the weekend.

The photos below come from Mark who had a great day out yesterday with Deziree in Coire an T-sneachda. Mark said “No real change [in the corrie], still black on the rocks with awesome neve in the gullies. All the main gully lines had queues on them but the weather was fine for standing around. [We did] 1st pitch of grooved rib [in] very poor conditions [and] finished up the Runnel, excellent conditions...a stunning day.“

Happy New Year to all the viewers of the Alpha Blog.