UKC

So, I've never actually done any winter routes in the Lakes. But it looks like its been snowing there? And cold? Is this really true?

Does anybody local know whether it might come into condition in time for this coming weekend?

In reply to insaniak: Not this weekend, no.

In reply to insaniak:

I check this EVERY thursday

http://www.lakedistrictweatherline.co.uk/

In reply to insaniak:


Yeah. Just got back. Some snow on northern aspects this morning and more coming down throughout the afternoon on the western fells. Doubt much of anything would be in condition for the weekend.

D

Not even Cust's Gully?

In reply to Martin1978: From that, next week looks promising.

In reply to Stewy12: I'm thinking of heading up Saturday anyway, and having a few days knocking of some winter scrambles

Found that forecast to be spot on the last 3 times I have visited.

In reply to insaniak: Oh well, maybe it will be snow and ice lined scrambles then. Will keep my eye on Weatherline!

In reply to insaniak:

I'm up in the Lakes this weekend on a family trip. The big conditions question for me is; will anywhere be 'in' for sledging with a 7 year old?

In reply to insaniak:

snow showers yesterday down to 550m
currently snowing down to approx 450m
sleet in valley

In reply to insaniak:
There will almost certainly be perfect winter climbing conditions this weekend, as we've left our winter kit at home on the basis that there won;t be

Good conditions for walking though.

In reply to insaniak:
Snowing - yes. Cold - not that much. Climbing conditions - zero. Very wet snow falling on very wet and unfrozen turf means go for a walk and wait for it get a bit colder.

Seriously, it might be walking weather this weekend but not climbing.

Aye,
Davie

In reply to DR:
Sound's good enough to me, walking it is then, can't beat a winter's walk, the fells are great whatever you are doing when the white stuff is down.

In reply to Wesley Orvis:
If MWIS is right and it's cold and sunny with a cloudless sky and no wind, walking conditions should be just about perfect.

So don't forget your waterproofs

In reply to insaniak:

Hi, conditions report from Helvellyn area today, follow link below -

http://mountaincircles.blogspot.com/2012/01/helvellyn-conditions-winter-ret...

As said, it will be great walking weather, very wintery!

Great for any of the Lakeland Edges...

Folks skiing Raise today as well.

In reply to paddy cave:
Hi,
I was skiing on Raise today and a tremendous amount of snow fell & drifted today down to c. 300m asl. Over the knees is some east facing slopes.

This snow is lying on very sodden & unfrozen ground. I did some digging on the ski track (N & E facing). There is a hard layer of very old snow, grapule, 4 inch dry snow, a wind layer, topped off with c. 6 inch of fresh wet! All making for a nasty slidey recipe. As I was digging great slabs were sliding away.
In short crap for climbing in gullies - (will not stop some though.)
Friday night is due to freeze up. For climbing I would reccomend ridges & steep faces if the frost bites.
yours aye

Davie

In reply to parafinn: appreciate the heads up, due to the strong ? westerly bringing in the snow you think rampsgill maybe an option or try maybe pinnacle ridge on scrubby for instance.

In reply to insaniak:

Sharp Edge it is for me in the morning, forecast sounds great.

In reply to parafinn:

Weather looks awesome for Saturday but it will be hard work walking. Lots of snow fell today and depth is anything from a couple of cms where its blown to as much as 60/70cms within the a few hundred yards.

I only had a wee bimble on Kentmere and took me two hours to do what normally takes 50 minutes. With the clag of today, reckon I picked the wrong day...

In reply to insaniak:
I was on Skiddaw today (Friday 27th Jan). Three of us walked from the top of the Gale Road round to Skiddaw House. We followed the track until we got onto the steep ridge leading up to Bakestall. From then onwards it was blizzard conditions all the way. There were periods of white-out, where the snow had drifted, but in other places it was easier to navigate due to the snow having being blown off.
The summit of Skiddaw was a screaming Hell of wind, snow and spindrift. It's relatively easy ground in those conditions, as it's a ridge with steep sides, so obvious where to go. Others, encountered lower down, as we took the usual route of descent, were turning back.
As for snow conditions: there is wet snow lower down, which turns to powder. This has formed weak windslab where drifted and exposed to the NW winds of Friday. It is all lying on a layer of unfrozen grass, and peels away easily. The ridges exposed to the wind are bare, with a thin layer of ice on the ground. Temperatures were below freezing above around 1,500 feet, but don't expect the snow to be bonded to the turf, as it is insulating it.
I would say that snow conditions are definitely not in for climbing.

In reply to Removed User:
Report from Saturday morning (28th) - just run up/down Coniston Old Man before breakfast via Summit Route. A stunning morning, no wind, no cloud & fresh power snow down to the quarries. Nothing is deeply frozen but fantastic conditions for walking / running / easier snow routes I think.

DSM

In reply to Anonymous:

Pinnacle, Scrubby might have caught the sun.
Friday nights freeze should have helped in some areas. Still lots of unconsolidated snow and unfrozen ground - so low angled climbing will be a dangerous chore.
Skiing has been good @ Raise on featherlight snow. Touring limited due to grass sticking through & at lower levels a crust forming on top.
As long as the overnight freezes continue things will get better for skiing but not for climbing..
your aye
Davie

In reply to insaniak: The ground was frozen above 800m on a nw aspect in eastern lakes today, Rocky ridges are the best bet at the moment, I'd stay well away from anything with an eastern aspect as it is unlikely to be frozen.

In reply to MattG:
Seeing as it's forecast to be -5 and below at 750 metres for the next few days, how long do you reckon it will approximately be before turf is frozen on the usual higher up climbing venues? I guess the issue is it's burried unfrozen now.

In reply to CurlyStevo:

I was also out on saturday. The NW wind seemed to have been generally ineffective at freezing the turf, as it had only frozen on the most exposed areas i.e. not in grooves but it had on ridges.

Thursdays snow arrived on a SW wind, and areas of crag open to this aspect (not many in the Lakes!) were much more frozen. I can only really think of St Sunday crag and Pikes crag that are open to this aspect. To be honest I think the turf on all other higher venues will remain unfrozen, with the amount of snow on it.

Better to go lower and think about what the sun might do This might be worth a look by the end of the week...
http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=145949

NMM

In reply to Northern Mountain Monkey: Yeah, a quality route as well.

A mate did Pinnacle Ridge on gable today and said well frozen after the first easy section

In reply to CurlyStevo: not all aspects are buried and to be honest there isn't that much snow.

Hi,

out on Sunday @ Raise skiing.
Snow coverage good & unconsolidated on all aspects esp N & E facing.
Overcast & milder today. Freezng level c. 700 m at times.
Wind has swung to the SE for a few days - with predictions of a front coming through Sunday evening - however weather to remain much the same for the following week.
Winter climbing most certainly available for those willing to search it out on the more exposed & higher crags.
Good luck.

Davie

In reply to insaniak:

Some photos of weekend conditions in the Lakes at -

http://mountaincircles.blogspot.com/2012/01/lakes-weekend-conditions-29-01-...

In reply to jas wood:

How much snow to be more precise?

In reply to An Triubhas:

In the east and north about six inch above 400m (Blencathra, Skiddaw, Helvellyn)in the west and south about four inch above 600m. (Old man of Coniston, Grasmoor, Crag Hill, Whiteside)

In reply to An Triubhas:

The turf and snow today in the west(Crag Hill) seemed much more frozen and firmer than in the north yesterday where there is more of it but much more unconsolidated(Blencathra)

In reply to Wesley Orvis:

Anyone know or see the snow conditions on Scafell Pike, Bowfell and Great End????

Any info would be very much appreciated!!!

In reply to An Triubhas: only seen from afar but didn't look to be as good a cover as the east to me, but still a decent amount and winter climbing could be found i'd think on high and scoured craglets.

In reply to An Triubhas:

Gable and Bowfell had a good covering from a distance, but haven't seen the Scafells, as they were in cloud all day yesterday and couldn't see them on Saturday.

In reply to Wesley Orvis:

and in the middle, about a foot on the summits (Crinkle Crags, Bowfell).

In reply to DSM:

I think I saw your footprints - I got to the summit about 8.35.
Conditions for running were fantastic on the Coniston range, but too much snow on Crinkles/Bowfell.

In reply to insaniak:

Bowfell Buttress certainly looked the part on Saturday. Nobody climbing it when I was there and no footprints at the top. No idea what the turf and snow conditions were like, but would guess at unfrozen and powdery.

In reply to An Triubhas:

See my replies to your other threads on the same subject!

In reply to Wesley Orvis:

Scafell and the Pike were cloud free till early afternoon
On the opposite side of the valley snow from around 1800', no ice at all. Wind scoured slopes were decent but elsewhere soft wet snow/powder higher up. Gullies on Pikes crag appear complete but difficult to tell about the "crux" on A, B. Buttresses prob ok, particularly with some sun and low temps of today. Couldn't see Scafell crag, assume Lords Rake would be snowed up although it could be bottomless wind slab/powder with yesterdays SW wind, Deep Gill etc the same.

In reply to Removed User:

OK then they were in cloud by the time i got to somewhere were i could see them from, which you are right was afternoon sometime.