UKC

This weekend doesn't look bright... Anyone been out recently?

Cheers
Euge

In reply to Euge: I went up to Coire Na Ciste on Ben Nevis on Sunday to have a look, but the turf wasn't frozen, the snow was soft with no base, and there was a lot of ice in cracks, so overall pretty poor conditions for climbing. Only one other team out, on Tower Ridge, but they bailed at the Little Tower due to slow progress.

The past two days have been mild, wet and very windy, but things are looking to slowly cool down over the next few days. My only slight concern is that the icing in the cracks is only going build with the gentle freeze/thaw cycles happening between 800 and 1000m, not great for mixed climbing but this will help the ice climbs form.

In reply to Euge:

Well Polar Circus is in good shape and I've been out 3 days and done 15 routes so far (though some were toprope laps). At the moment it's -13C and 20cm of snow is coming. Though this is probably not much help for Scotland, I just wanted to gloat.

In reply to George Ormerod:

I could see us falling out...

In reply to Euge: Mild in Lochaber today but a dusting of fresh damp snow to 1000m ish on Ben Nevis and Aonachs after torrential rain of last few days. Not frozen yet...
Saw Alex Roddie's photos showing Broad Gully still full of snow (although top reported as powder on rubble) surprisingly. Rest of SCNL area looked bare.

In reply to Jamie Bankhead:

It's not all rosy. This weekend's conundrum is where to climb and not get killed in an avalanche.

In reply to KA:

Why refer to them as mixed climbs, then in the same sentence add there is unhelpfull ice in the cracks, par the course for the Ben, grow a pair?

In reply to AlH:

Yup, Broad Gully surprisingly good fun on largely very firm snow, only the top few feet in questionable condition! It's complete from just beneath the bottom of Dorsal Arete.

Absolutely nothing else in the coire was in condition though. Have a look at my blog post for more info:
http://www.alexroddie.com/2012/11/autumn-snowcraft-on-stob-coire-nan.html

In reply to Euge:

It was freezing today above 950m in Strathfarrar. The turf out of the sun was semi-frozen. Not that there was any snow.

In reply to George Ormerod:

yatsugatake is at its best too. had 5 days on ice as fat as it usually is a month from now.
from afar can see the big ice routes on the NE side of kaikomagatake are in, which is probably where im going next.

scotland? the usual rhime and slush from what i hear...

In reply to ice.solo:

it's all in the river at the mo.

Welcome back by the way. good to hear Japan ice is in nick and you're getting on the sticks

In reply to Craig Mc:

i dont know how you guys suffer it every year. more patient men than me.

all welcome to nihon any time. you know the girls wear mini-skirts year round over here...

In reply to ice.solo:

Aye, it's not as bad as folk make out over here and if your flexible there is stuff to be done. Winter will be here very soon

You should come over - some of the girls in Edinburgh wear short skirts all year too, but it's usually not a good thing.

In reply to Craig Mc:
haha

pics from Glencoe and the Aonach Eagach today

http://daviescott.blogspot.co.uk/

In reply to scottie390:
Nice pictures! Looks like a great day. Was looking over at the Aonach Eagach today from sncl. Went for a bimble over the top. Lots of fresh snow, deep in places. Soft looking cornices above the gullies west of dorsal.lovely day to be out!

In reply to Euge: Lots of unconsolidated soft snow on the Sron na Lairig today. Only ice and rime on the rocks were near the top at the wee narrow section (900m'ish).

In reply to Snoweider: thanks, yeah It certainly was a lovely day to be out, had a friend on dorsal today, he wasnt impressed with the conditions i dont think! where's your next hit?

photos from today in the mammores

http://daviescott.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/261112-stob-ban-north-ridge.html

cheers
Davie

In reply to scottie390:

Thanks for the link scottie390.

Any frozen turf anywhere in the West anyone? Or if not can any locals give us an educated guess when it will be?

In reply to Euge: in the routes iv been on in the past few days, no frozen turf to be found in glencoe or the mammores at the minute

In reply to tsarted:


When it gets cold...

Not sure when this will be, for the last 3 days/nights it's consistently been milder than advertised.

In reply to Euge: was on Beinn a'Chaorinn (sp?) above Tulloch on saturday and it was v.snowy on top - pair of climbers came up off the east face and said they'd done a decent route. dont know the face at all though.

In reply to andy hunter:

Almost cetainly this one http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=41461

A good option for crap snow conditions, and nicely sheltered from prevailing winds.

In reply to Euge:

Went for a wander up Sron na Lairig this morning - plenty of snow, mainly powder with a wee bit of sun-crust. Some of the exposed turf is starting to freeze, though not much, and most of the snow-covered turf is still soft.

A few photos here:

http://glencoemountaineer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/a-quick-blast-up-sron-na-l...

James

In reply to JamesRoddie:

Cheers James... That's a great blog and love your comment on the foreign visitors regarding respect.

E

In reply to Euge: Out in the Cairngorms Monday & Wednesday this week. There's info and some photos on the ClimbNow blog.

Cheers,

Wilf.

In reply to Euge:

Stunning conditions in the Cairngorms for ski touring and winter climbing today...

In reply to Euge: Lochnagar was in stonking condition on Wednesday. 100% bombproof turf and 2cm thick rime in places!

Fin

In reply to Euge: Cuillin- Light snowfall to 600m just now then great looking forecast for weekend.

In reply to Euge: And Ledge Route today http://alanhalewood.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/franks-first-foray-into-winter.h... More action on the rocky mixed routes on either side of No.3 Gully but the turf under the snow at 1000m still very suspect.