UKC

I hope to climb on thursday anybody know what Great End and Raven Gully conditions are like
thanks

In reply to dave SRT13:

At a guess, Great End is avalanche city, and Raven Gully is a waterfall.

But I'm usually wrong

In reply to dave SRT13:

was out climbing on gable today (pinnacle ridge),and was very surprised at how consolodated the snow is, compared with yday. Good neve, and bomber turf today. I would confidently say that the classic gullies on great end will be in good condition tommorrow and thurs.
Hope that helps

Bryan

In reply to dave SRT13: Excellent conditions on Great End today. Photos to follow shortly.
Mark

In reply to dave SRT13:Great End today

http://mark-mountainjourneys.blogspot.com/2012/02/high-quality-winter-condi...

In reply to dave SRT13: did raven crag gully on sunday. The lower pitches were thin and a bit wet but the top pitch had some good ice.

In reply to A Mountain Journey: Looks smashing, thanks for the heads up!

In reply to Toreador:

Q.E.D.

In reply to Bryan W:

That's well amusing because I found the opposite in a different part of Cumbria, just goes to show how local it can be. Yesterday I was out on Cambridge Crags (Bowfell) and the snow was still pretty iffy. A thick crust deteriorating with height to include up to three layers of windslab, all held together only by the thick top crust which was destroyed by walking on it leaving the whole lot potentially unstable. Reverse reverse reverse! We got on Misty Mountain Hop. No neve in sight, just a wonderfully challenging mix of the crusted deep collapsing snow on top of rock with bomber turf saving the day. I was up to my stomach at one point as my steps just kept collapsing. Not the day I was expecting but fun nonetheless.

I'm afraid I don't know what's in but I hope that info is useful. Might head on round to Gable on Thursday to try to grab one last route from the teeth of the thaw. Just watch out for deep gullies and loaded exit slopes.

In reply to greenroom:

i think the north lakes had less snow fall over the wknd, so the thaw freeze on sun/mon must have had a more positive effect than in the south lakes? Hope you get something done on gable, pinnacle ridge was excellent.

In reply to greenroom:

If it's any help we did Summertime Blues on Gable on Saturday and it was in great nick. I suspect it's still as good now. (If harder climbing is what you're after on Saturday the steeper rocky stuff was not very white - there was no hoar on the rock at all save a slight graying in colour for the top 10m of the crag.)

In reply to Exile:

Thanks for that Exile. Harder climbing is exactly what we were and are after but we found the same on Cambridge Crag as you did on Gable. Not much hoar and black rock on the steeper routes, thus we got on the route that was in the best winter condition and it turned out to be plenty of fun. Not noticed Summertime Blues before so will eye that one up. Mwis suggesting a return to high pressure next week for Cumbria. I can feel an early start coming on tomorrow!

In reply to greenroom: Always fancied cambridge crag climb, ideally after something on traverse crag and a walk across.

Does anyone know - is it runnels and rock steps in character (as i imagine)or mostly 'snow gully' lines...

Hey ho, Looks like it might be a downer weather/ conditions wise by the weekend...

In reply to seanymck: Hi mate, depending on how much snow and neve you find, I could imagine it being a steep snow and ice climb at about II/III or a steps and slabs rocky turfy affair. Our line crossed it and it was at least III on the day. I don't reckon much will be in nick at the weekend sorry.

In reply to greenroom:
Not much hoar and black rock on the steeper routes, thus we got on the route that was in the best winter condition and it turned out to be plenty of fun.

That sums our morning out exactly! Summertime Blues is a chimney line which takes some seepage so although it is not an ice line,(I'd say the moves we made were in equal thirds on rock, turf and ice,) it was white due to ice and snow which had got caught in the feature. All the turf was absolutely bomber.

In reply to dave SRT13: Great End Gullies in awesome condition today, good ice and well frozen snow.

In reply to dave SRT13: some photos at - http://mountaincircles.blogspot.com/2012/02/great-end-gullies-08-02-12.html

In reply to paddy cave: Nice one, have you got your own wee lucky weather window mate? Thanks for the pics.

In reply to paddy cave:

you climbing tomorrow?

In reply to dave SRT13:

For everyones advice, the road conditions in the lakes today (9th Feb) are treacherous. Freezing rain has fallen overnight and there is ice and accidents everywhere. Please think seriously about travel especially today/tomorrow.
JH

In reply to Jim Haydock:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wear-16952926

ALC

In reply to paddy cave:
Snow doesn't look that frozen in those photos - or were all those deep footprints from previous days and it's all now solid?

All a bit academic mind you if the promised mildish interlude arrives tomorrow.

In reply to seanymck:

The Big Groove on Traverse Crags is a nice route.

Although I'm sure what conditions will be like at the moment!

In reply to Stewy12:

'unsure