Climbing Conditions Covering A Variety of Locations
13th March
You may just notice that there's a bit of a gap between now and my last report...well....I can only apologise...I won't go into the full story but broken bones, including one arm, have prevented me doing anything! Nothing to do with climbing...I really should give up rugby at my age...!
When I get back into action (hopefully soon) I'll post some reports again...if I manage to catch the end of the season...
Have fun...I'm not...
18th January
"...get out your mats and pray to the West, I'll get out mine and pray for myself..." so said Paul Weller of The Jam in their song "Eton Rivals"...
Well, the West had better start praying because it's 12 Degrees here at the moment and the rain is playing havoc with the snow. And the weather is pretty crap for the weekend in the West also. So a plan? Go East young man where the snow is holding up well and the temperatures are colder - particularly Sunday which looks like a fair day with a freezing level. The snow will be consolidated and progress to the crags will be faster than last weekend - so maybe somewhere a bit further afield than the Northern Corries. Lochnagar could be good this weekend....
Have a good one....
14tth January
Weekend reports from around the globe!
The Lake District - From Ian:
"Lakes wet and crap, thin snow, little or no hard stuff on Great End. Snow level just at bottom of Central Gully. May have been good on top half. Quite a few people on the crag so routes done. Full thaw. Was at Great End 8.30am - more rain than sleet. Returned 3.30pm - still people only half way up crag. Hope you had a good day. Ian"
Australia - From Karl:
"I spent the the weekend sweatily climbing in the Grampians (Australia, not Scotland!) and at Arapiles with a friend from Yorkshire who's out here visiting. We were walking across snowy mountain tops on New Year's Eve! Karl"
Scotland
Southern Highlands - From Laura:
"Saturday was the most awesome day I ever did have on the hills! My first ever cloud inversion and I get to see it with snow on the hills and around the beautiful shape of the Cobbler. Climbed Beinn Narnain and Crois after waking up late looking out the window to see the mountain opposite (Ben Donich) shrouded in mist and thought I cannot miss today to go to a plastic wall, it looks beautiful. I saw many a person descending Beinn Narnain with full axe and crampon combo, while I marched on with just poles out thinking the snow's a bit soft isn't it...I did have to use them to descend the other side and it made ascent of Crois nuch easier. And there was no-one on that hill! Not even a footprint. Laura"
Bridge of Orchy - From Me:
Went into Beinn A Chreachain again to have a look at some new routes with Sonya. Weather was absolutely fantastic all day and buckets of snow - and I mean buckets. So much so that after the walk in we spent the next 2 hours soloing up grade I ground to get to buttresses whilst trying to avoid winslab slopes. Despite investigating several options, discretion was the better part of valour and we didn't get on a route. There was lots of avalanch debris right down to the side of the lochan and some good cornices across all the top slopes. A hasty pit revealed a solid 15-20cm windslab sitting on a depth of loose powder which made all the crag aprons somewhat un-nerving to say the least! So, no route but a lovely walk on a lovely day. There was some good ice development in the corrie and a certain 30m ice pillar has already formed. With the weather forecast as it is (a couple of freeze thaw cycles) conditions could very soon be superb.
11th January
...roof fixed...time to play...
Saturday looking good - Sunday less so. Lots of snow, and likley lots of people...depending on where you go. Ridges and buttresses look good bets, and avoid the big white slopes!
Had an excellent report from Laura from Lochgoilhead which indicates what things are like on the hill just now. She was out with a group on Ben Ime...
"Conditions good, lots of powder, melting throughout the day - not nice with short legs! Windier than expected. But snow - awesome!"
With overnight freezes it should now begin to consolidate...
Have a great one...I'm off to the Bridge of Orchy Hills to have a look at something.....more on Monday....
10th January
...still no roof on the back room following the gales...but more importantly it's looking good for the weekend! Saturday looks excellent across Scotland, and Sunday should be OK as well. All my sources tell me there is buckets of snow so expect wading and think "avalanches". The winds continue which has moved the snow around all over the place so we can expect windslab on all aspects. And more to come...snowing again today and tomorrow...choose locations and routes with care as always.
All this snow bodes well for building a sustained snow cover - what we need is a slight thaw and freeze to consolidate things. It looks like this may happen early next week and then a return to cold by Wednesday. Looking good folks...go out and play...
9th January
Got up at 6am this morning to head off, only to find half my roof in the back garden! Massive winds in Scotland, and massive snow on the hills. Weather looks excellent for a build up over the next few days then we can see what conditions are like when the dust settles...
...right, back on to the insurance company and the builders...where the hell are they? I've got a free cold shower in the back room just now...
8th January 2008
...back on line after a very busy last four weeks...a Happy New Year to all clients past, present and future...and everyone else!
Lots of snow in Scotland...too much in some instances...but we've all been getting stuff done in the last couple of weeks. If we can get a run of decent temperatures and associated weather patterns then we could be in for a full season. Plenty of mixed stuff to do, although some of the approaches are a bit laborious in the drifts. The depth of snow needs to consolidate to make the gully lines better and let the ice develop further. Often stormy at this time of year and daylight is still on short supply so having the old nav. skills up to scratch is worthwhile. Never a wasted day in winter - if you can't climb due to crap weather, get out and nav. in it! This will be worth it for that one time when you need to get it right. I personally don't think there is anything such as winter walking (as opposed to climbing), only winter mountaineering. I'd much rather have a client who is a winter walker than someone who can just lead 7a on an indoor wall and wants to go ice climbing!
Looking good this week if you can get away, and good for the weekend - get planning...
10th December
Lots of snow over the weekend and stuff done East, West and North but folks had a good time in "full conditions". This week is looking excellent for those able to get time off (by whatever means), and it looks like being good into the weekend - so get the planning underway. Snow down to low levels in Scotland, with the likes of The Cobbler (as I could see it this morning) having a good covering. The mid week slight rise in temperature should consolidate a lot of the powder we experienced at the weekend, so it's looking good.
Time to get really excited...are we going to have a "real" winter ?!
7th December
Snowing on the hills in Scotland right now...and more to come in the next two days. This weekend is going to be rough with snow and high winds - remember the old map and compass and that the daylight is really short so a head torch might be a good idea! No doubt you could get some stuff done just about anywhere this weekend but be prepared for a buffeting and a tough day out. Never a wasted experience going out in conditions like this...
Then again, if you can get time off you could always wait 'till Monday when it will be nice.....
Have a great weekend!
3rd December
Same again this last weekend with plenty of early winter season action, primarily on the mixed lines in the 'Gorms. Some stuff done on the Ben and around as well. And I've knackered my arm.......
This week is going to have a warm spell in the middle of it round about Thursday, so hope conditions will survive/return with the re-appearance of the N/N Westerlies on Friday. Update later in the week...
...come on arm, do your stuff...
23rd November
Great start to the season...there will be mixed action at manyy locations in the Cairngorms (plenty snow yesterday and cold today ) and Lochnagar could be fun. Snow on Ben Nevis too so some of the ridges would be good. The weather could be a bit knarly early doors on Saturday, but after that it's looking OK. Sunday looks good to me....
A wee note of caution folks...and without being patronizing....for most it will the first winter weekend out...go canny and get your head in the right space...yes, it's exciting but ensure ambitions are realistic this early on....so go play and enjoy!!!!!!!
22nd November
Looking good boys & girls......snow down to the top of the Douglas Boulder on Ben Nevis and snow dumping as I type in the Cairngorms...sure to be some early season action there...weather good for tomorrow (Friday); dodgey on Saturday; good for Sunday after the previous day's warmer temperatures. Get the gear out folks...here we go again...
16th November
Snow down to about 1000m on the Ben/Aonachs in the West and the same in the Cairngorms. Enough cold for some rime, ice and early season ascents in the East. Weather this weekend is due to be warmer and wetter, especially Saturday and thence overnight. Sunday might be fun, gradually getting colder and wilder....got to go and rub your nose in it...have fun!
17th October
Another dusting of snow over the Cairngorms this morning as we get a quick blast of cold Northerly air. High pressure for the next few days will bring excellent weather for some long tramps on the tops...and then just wait for early November, when we frequently get a cold spell for some early mixed action.
4th October
So we've already had our first dustings of snow in Scotland and our first recorded winter route of the season...this is the time when the internet chat boards start crackling into life with predictions for the coming winter season conditions based on everything from the quantity of Rowan berries to the Met Office website...I know which I would trust most...!?
Whatever your aspirations, let's hope we get some conditions to shout about...when the winter cranks up this board will be back into daily operation...in the meantime lots of long autumn plods to stregthen those legs...