Ardnamurchan Rock

Top day climbing with some current and ex West Highland College at my favourite early season venue. Lots of grade pushing and mileage going on. Well done to Kate leading Yir and Greta Gabbro and to Ben for his first VS!
After a lightly damp warm up I had fun sprinting up the top pitch of Volcane ahead of a shower (there were a few and it was freezing when the sun went away) and after the seeps dried out enjoyed Up Pompei (bottom end E2 5b).
With 3 of the guys we then headed to Creag and Airgid to see if there were any routes to be had not in the guidebook. Will and Dan had a short pitch as did Brodie and I but the rock was the roughest I've ever climbed on- massive gabbro crystals pitting our palms and making us unwilling to put fingers into cracks because of a slip. Worth it for the view atop this wee hill though!

 Dan dodging the seeps and the cold wind waving the ropes!

 Bright between showers

 Dan on P1 Crater Comforts

 Dan racing up P2 of Volcane before the next shower

 Kate on Yir

 Kate on Yir and Will getting to the run out crux of Up Pompei

 Ben and Magnus on Greta Gabbro

 Dan following Up Pompeii P1

 Dan on the steeper but short P2 of Up Pompei

 Edith following Kate on one of the Variation P2s of Yir

 Perfect rock, great view doesn't get much better!

 Kate finding faith in friction of Greta Gabbro

 Brodie questing for a new route 

 Ouch- I know my hands have been in gloves for months but that is ROUGH

 Will searching for climbing not in the guidebook

The Ring in Spring!

Winter 2014-15 4.5 minutes of fun!

Winter 2014-15 from Alan Halewood on Vimeo.

Contrasting weather on SPA Trainings

Just spent 5 days running 2 SPA Trainings for West Highland College working with Mike.
The first 2 days the weather was superb and we kept on bumping into  just about everyone I know in Lochaber enjoying some dry rock. Lunchtime on day 3 was the end of the first course and the start of the second and also the last day of good weather so we spent an afternoon and an evening at the crag. Yesterday we went east to a snowy Kingussie crag but the showers blew through quickly and, although it was cool, the breed and the sunshine kept it dry and the team were psyched; 2 students led their first HSs, 1 her first VS and 1 his first HVS (in a heavy snow shower). Today we finished the second course with a trip to the Ice Factor.
Now I just need some dry rock for myself……
More pics and captions at: https://www.facebook.com/climbwhenyoureready.mountaineering/media_set?set=a.882162478493537.1073741964.100000993792059&type=3

Dreich on Dorsal Arete

It was quiet in Glencoe as we left the car park today and we soon overtook the only other pair on heading in to Stob Coire nan Lochan. well before we hit the Coire we were wading in deep porridgy snow- thanks to Michael from the other team for taking turn at the front to put the trail in and save my legs! Although the SAIS were reporting snow above 650m we were getting rained on right to the base of Dorsal Arete (more like 900m) and after that it felt like being in a sauna- and unlike the SAIS observer our Goretex was not keeping us dry as we 'boiled in our bags'!
Incredible amounts of snow up there for April. Boomerang Gully looks completely banked out from below. The first pitch of Dorsal is pretty much missing- buried and almost uniformly fading into Broad Gully, higher up where it narrows there were soft snow aretes that were waist and even chest high in places.
Ruairidh and Nathan swung leads on the route including the fin whilst I soloed offering advice and tips. There was a cool breeze as I topped out and a hint of the sun trying to burn through but soaked through we were glad to make our way back down into the shelter of the core to dekit. Following the rim needed a little care as the light was very, very flat and the cornices wet, soft and drooping. Max reported hearing some avalanches on Ben Nevis today and I'm betting they were caused by collapsing cornices and with more mild weather forecast they are worth bearing in mind over the weekend.
Well done to Ruairidh who has been out for 4 days with me over the winter and has used his summer leading training to move into winter climbing  and thanks to Nathan for coming along to be on the other end of the rope.

 Spot the climbers in the mist far below

 Pitch 1 where are you?

 Ruaraidh finds some climbing on the right

 Snow

 More snow

 Steeper and narrower

 Yet more snow

 Fin fun

 Leaving that last runner as long as possible!

 Warm work

 Avoid...

'Left a bit…' 

Stellar weather and only a bit cruddy on Green Gully today

Ruaridh returned for some more winter action today. We decided he'll lead tomorrow but today was a chance to try something a little steeper than he has to date. We walked is observing the fresh (if limited) ice on Nordwand, the reformed pillar on the Shroud (and a team who were probably going to Harrisons) and teams well established on Harians and Orion Direct. It was a pretty snow looking mountain, amazing to see so much fresh stuff down in early April. we headed into Coire na Ciste which is ringed with cornices and crossed the steep wind lip running from the base of Number five straight down the fall line to the gulch below- a curious wind formation (6 feet high) I've never seen here before and paused near the wee Loch. I was toying with going to Italian Right Hand which was on a safe aspect and we could see clearly looked fat but decided on something longer. We headed to Green Gully behind 2 lads who broke trail for us- plenty of that to do at the moment as there is a breakable crust with variable amounts of powder (might be 2 inches, might be 2 feet, it might take your weight, but mostly it won't) beneath. The first pitch was banked out to the extent that they built their first belay at the top of the steep bit of the first pitch unaware of what is normally there. We skipped on through ahead to clear the climbing (plenty of that too- I tried to ensure it came down in small pieces!).
The route was fine, anywhere the angle was gentle the crust is present and around the top of the third pitch it was braking in hard pieces the same size and thickness as paving slabs with loose powder hiding the firmer stuff below. Topping out on the fourth pitch it was obvious that we wouldn't be finishing to the right as there is a caravan sized blue green cornice hanging in the way. Straight up worked fine on good ice first and then up and left on old rimy neve to top out around the cornice.
Lovely weather, good ice on the steeper bits but plenty of cruddy snow.
Chatted to Ken on the walk down who found similar conditions on Point 5 today, plenty cruddy snow in the upper section and an interesting sounding second pitch between the welcome good ice.

 A better day than of late and plenty of snow for April

 Pitch 2

The weather stayed fine

 Note the wind formed feature below No.5 top rhs pic 

 Ruairidh welcoming the opportunity to breather

 The cornices above Green Gully extend round the Coire rim

 Last pitch- a long runout on steep neve

The Great Tower et al

Lots of these around!