End of the week but all is not lost...

"Uh-oh, I think they can see us!"

Ice

At least it feels like winter today

A little snow left in Coire an t Sneachda

Nearing the top

End of the day, end of the week, hopefully not end of the season!!

Well we reached the end of a long week at Glenmore Lodge. The thaw has hit the east worse than the west and there were no lines left properly intact in the Northern Coires as of today. It would be possible to join the dots of ice and snow in Jacob's Ladder and The Runnel (and there are some big blobs of ice that will take screws) but there is also a lot of very loose rock around as there is no build up remaining in any of the main gully lines. I certainly wouldn't want to follow anyone up a gully in these conditions.

Today we returned to Sneachda to see what there was to be seen and a sorry sight it was. Even the 'flat ice' was terribly diminished. I had a discussion with the guys. Their priority today was to put the last 4 days into practise and especially to do some more ropework for themselves. We debated on the Twin Ribs but could see that the ground between The Goat Track and 'Point 5' to its right looked to offer some snow, ice and frozen turf so that became our destination in the interests of making things a bit more wintery.

By coming into our line diagonally we made a route of 6 long pitches up and the guys were able to place rock gearm use spikes and threads, place screws a bulldog and a warthog as they led themself up some climbing at up to II whilst I soloed alongside. Topping out on the col beside the Goat Track we were being thrown around by today's strong wind but it was sunny and at least it was cold and dry.

I'm back west for a week's mountaineering after a weekend off. looks like another wild one but at least it seems there is some nice ice in the West as: Max, Mike, Ben, Adam and The SAIS in Glencoe and Lochaber could see.

A quick video of today:

and Rocio found this- it's great :-)