Gorgeous on Green

Stunning weather in Lochaber today and I was working for Alan Kimber taking Matthew and Andy climbing on Ben Nevis. We headed in to Coire na Ciste in warm spring like weather and watched a huge cornice collapse just left of Two Step Corner sweeping the easy start to No. 3 Gully Buttress (the pair of climbers tucked in under the buttress kept well right on steeper ground and didn't hang about!).
There was no one on Green Gully so that became our route for the day. The snow on the surface was a little rotten and the ice trickling with water but still plenty to climb. Kenny who did Tower Ridge (in fine conditions) said that from the looks of people backing off things around Indicator Wall that climbs there don't seem to be in good condition however. With the thaw after a cold winter there was also lots of loose rock around, especially near the belays at the top of pitches 2 and 3 on Green Gully- even polished nut cracks may be behind blocks that have only been being held in place by ice so take care.
We topped out into sunshine and enjoyed a slide down the Red Burn. Unfortunately Andy lost his Blackberry around here. Should anyone happen across it in the next day or two we'd be very grateful to hear from you.
Another sunny day tomorrow but all change for me as I'll be clipping bolts!

A couple of rock routes in Glen Nevis

Gill, Jane and Sandy and I went for a quick climb at Polldubh this afternoon. I started up Severe Crack (VS) to take Gill and I onto Pinnacle Ridge (S) which she finished up. Then I ran 3 Pines (S) into one long pitch before we dropped into the top pitch of Flying Dutchman Direct (VS) which Gill romped up. Then I took over baby sitting duties whilst Jane and Gill shared leads on Styx Buttress Right Wall (VD).
some routes had wet seeps, some totally dry and it was warm and windless. Great fun trying to persuade the body to move like a rock climber after a very looong winter season. Its not over yet though. I'll be on Ben Nevis tomorrow.

Drowning on Dorsal

Wet is just not a strong enough word to describe the weather in Glencoe today. I was out on Dorsal Arete which we reached after wading up the path (which was having an identity crisis and was assuming the guise of a river). The girls did very well demonstrating the butterfly and the front crawl to make progress up the route. There was a little firm snow around (we experienced some showers of sleety snow above 900m) and plenty of ice being exposed as the snow retreats.

Sunday on Ben Nevis

A day of today, but the weather was too nice to stay at home. So I got a late start cycling to Torlundy and then up to the CIC hut. We had a big dump of snow last night (several inches of fresh stuff) but the North Face Car Park was still full to overflowing. I joined another 33 people on Ledge Route having waded my way in. I could see parties low on Tower Ridge and just heading into Observatory Gully around midday- plenty of time and daylight for a route though, and those who had waited a little didn't have to break trail or clear snow off routes I suppose. The sunshine and mist chased each other around the mountain and there were a couple of light showers- but it was still warm enough for me to climb in a thermal and a windstopper gillet and without gloves. It was very sunny as I dropped down the Red Burn, looking across at dozens of walkers heading up. The rain forecast for tomorrow and tuesday will probably strip a lot of the soft snow off but the underlying ice will take longer to shift. There wasa bit of fresh ice around; the CIC cascade had begun to reform and an icefall to its left had a couple of parties on today (picture above).

Number 3 Gully Buttress

Back to Ben Nevis today. Rich was out to shadow me working with Mark as we went to Coire na Ciste to climb No. 3 Gully Buttress. We weren't alone it being an Easter wekend and as well as a couple of teams on our route a group climbed the upper part of 2 Step Corner, several teams climbed Green Gully, Heike and Brian were on Diana, a team climbed Thompson's Route and at least 4 people headed round the other side of the Comb. It was a misty day with a little snow to start but it felt warmer on the plateau- moist and still. Plenty of snow and rime still on No. 3 Gully Buttress though. We came down the Red Burn and spotted quite a bit of debris and shattering caused by the large avalanches a few weeks ago.

A Good Friday in Glencoe

Today Mark and I went to Glencoe and the sun shone on us all day long. After a sweaty walk in we broke a trail through calf deep snow up into NC Gully before breaking onto Raeburn's Ordinary Route. This was shaded from the sun and still had plenty of rime and snow (and firm snow for the most part at that) and it gave us a good outing of 4 pitches at about Grade III. Well done to Mark on his first roped climb. We basked in the sun for a short while before dropping back to the coire floor. One team had come up the usual start to our route, 2 pairs were well up SC Gully, Twisting was white but looked to have a lot of soft powder in it from the debris cone at the base (big cornices too), a party had been up Boomerang Gully as well. Any rock in the sun was bare of rime but the west face of summit buttress (Scabbard Chimney and right of that) still looked prety white. Beautiful day!

Stob Ban

Rich and I took Gordon to the East Ridge of the North top of Stob Ban today. The winds had scoured the East side leaving a bit of powder on the ridge but drifts on the path up the west side of the glen on the walk in, even at 400m. As we geared up near the base of the ridge we spotted a nice wee pitch of grade III ice (at only 660m), so we did that too. Rich short roped Gordon up ths varied mountaineering route taking the most interesting line wherever possible up to the tower and the knife edge arete near the top. We had a few showers of hail and snow- often accompanied by stronger winds- but plenty of sunshine too. Descent was leisurely and by the North Ridge with its Grade I step to add interest.