The Runnel on the last day

Last day of our Introduction to winter lead climbing at Glenmore Lodge and the crags looked a little rimier and there was just a dusting of snow (all on the top half of crags in Coire an t Sneachda). We were lucky to get onto The Runnel first which Jakub and Aidan led up (couple of very short frozen turf steps) until the crux. I soloed up this and thought it a bit much for this stage in Jakub's leading career so lowered him a rope for the worst of it (after he'd climbed it he said he could see why!). Nonetheless a good week and lots of progress from the guys towards becoming independent winter lead climbers with a good understanding of the game.
It will probably be very busy in the Coires this weekend but those planning on trying anything not held together under its usual coating of snow and ice had best beware that although frozen there is a lot of loose rock around. Many of the flakes, spikes and lumps seem solid to a cursory inspection but aren't well bonded by their normal levels of snow and could rip without warning. If its in the lower grades and lean it could turn mean!

Lovely day but winter?? Went to Creagan Coire Cha No but we need more snow.

Well it was nice and sunny today and the grass was well rimed but the rock wasn't. The sun shone, there were brocken spectres to enjoy and I wore thin gloves all day :-)
We went to Creagan Coire Cha No in the vague hope of frozen turf (it wasn't) rimed rock (it wasn't either) and a bit of fresh snow (it was higher up Cairngorm and only a light dusting). We did get a nice sunny day and some more steep frozen snow in Recovery Gully abseiling in to climb first the right side (with a steep finish up the centre- well led Jakub) and then the left.
Milky Way, Y Gully RH and Savage Slit all had climbers on today. Some snow on those easier routes but Savage Slit must have been 'verglas tooling' as much of the rock was coated in a thin layer of unhelpful iciness.
Much chat in the press about 'snowmageddon' and winter mayhem but just contrast the Mirror who quote the Met Office as a source with what the Met actually say.
At least we are due to get a little snow tomorrow... first day the avalanche forecast hasn't been all green in ages!
PS A Glenmore Lodge student dropped an axe on the walk out from Coire an t Sneachda today so if anyone coming out late/in early tomorrow finds one I'm sure he would be delighted to get it back.

A little more wintery at last! The Couloir

Change of Coire today. We went to the Couloir in Coire an Lochain and on the walk in we could see that there had been a VERY light dusting of snow above about 1000m+ and it was colder. Getting into the coire we found that the snow had frozen nice and hard giving us great conditions for Jakub and Aidan to lead (Aidan's first lead pitch ever- well done). It was breezey and there was moisture in the air and this caused the crags to rime up very lightly but it did warm up during the day. We descended 'point 5' gully in Coire an t Sneachda and the snow in the base of the coire there was completely unfrozen late in the day.

 Looking up at the crags

 Walking in the in the morning

 Jakub placing gear in the Couloir

 Aidan following the pitch

 Aidan's second lead

Topping out in the wind

Jakub on the sharp end. First winter lead climb in the Cairngorms.

Today we went back into Coire an t Sneachda again. It started a little drier than yesterday and then went drizzly but finished with a little sleet on the plateau (-1 C on summit of Cairngorm now.... finally its freezing somewhere....). A pair headed into the Runnel ahead of us and I know how much loose rock there is on the walls of that route so didn't fancy entering a potential shooting gallery so we headed left for Central Gully Left Hand. This had soft snow and Jakub and Anna led the route with me in close attendance. It was marred by 20m of gravel and bare rock (and a very little grass) at the point where you break out of Central into the Left branch but higher up there was enough ice to build a belay from Abalakov threads and place an ice screw runner. This justified me carrying an ice screw and a threader today much to my surprise!
Will it colder.... how much colder will it get... will there be snow with it? It certainly needs snow now as well. The only 2 gullies in the Northern Corries that are totally complete are Jacobs Ladder and The Couloir.

Soggy in Sneachda

Day 1 of an Intro. to Winter Lead Climbing at Glenmore Lodge today and it was damp. The snow has been receding steadily now and only a few of the easiest gullies are in condition in the Northern Corries. Jakub, Anna and I went to the Mess of Pottage and climbed the right edge of Jacob's Ladder to present an opportunity for me to check out Jakub's gear placement and belay building skills. The snow was soggy but we persevered. Hopefully colder by the end of tomorrow.... finally.... this thaw has gone on quite long enough. Well done to John and Ewen for persevering with a damp North East Buttress on Ben Nevis today (crampons needed on top half).

My 2012 in pictures

2012 from Alan Halewood on Vimeo.
Snow, ice, rock, Glencoe, Ben Nevis, Torridon, Skye, Ardnamurchan, the Cairngorms, Greenland, Mallorca, El Chorro, rescues, intro. to rock, walking skills, mountaineering, MIA trainings and Assessments or Glenmore Lodge, workshops for AMI, SPAs, CWAs, CWLAs old friends, new and a new sister for Sandy. Quite a year!

Ben Nevis before the thaw

Winter skills today with Mark and co. We were due to start the course tomorrow but a close examination of the weather shows wind, rain and a mini heatwave so the guys were happy tobegin a day early. We went to the CIC Hut on Ben Nevis and found some good snow for kicking steps and slipping and sliding in the basin above there before going on a bit of a scrambly journey. We put the crampons on and headed up an icey gully to the right of the eastern 'gulch' and kept going until we were right up in the Coire.
It started with a little snow on us at Hut level but was feeling a lot milder by the end of the day. Lots of climbers wandering about and the crags were very white again. Some metre deep drifts since yesterday too. All due to go with the mild few days ahead :-(

 Snowing just above the hut

 Sliding

 Head first, no axe to get used to the movement

 Turning nicely

 And stopping

    

Steeper ground

 Sunshine in the Glen

 Drifts formed last night

The team