UKC

Despite recent tropical rain & temperatures I can still see reasonable-sized snow patches on top of Sgurr nan Gillean today so crampons strongly advised for any outing in the near future. Anything that has survived the past couple of weeks is going to be pretty solid.

Matt, Beads & Murdo were out last Sunday and reported good conditions on Thearlaich again after a freeze Saturday evening. They opted for Gully C at grade III but found the start just too tight to manage. I think they had missed a report from last season warning about it being a fight- "The screams I heard blown up the Stone Shoot were the audio-aid needed to get through the initial squeeze. Far worse than the hole in Crypt Route apparently and the excuse for no photos was that all pockets had to be emptied."

I've uploaded a crag diagram of BC Buttress on Thearlaich to my UKC gallery that should provide some inspiration at the IV and V level.

There is a cold snap predicted to start early next week so hopefully we'll be back in action soon. I've just added a free down-load of an article on Winter Climbing in the Cuillin to the website- http://skyeguides.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/cullin.pdf

In reply to Mike Lates:
Looks like a good week to take to the hills coming up.
I was worried about these northerlies leaving us too dry but glad to see some build up here overnight. I'm bizarrely hoping it will keep raining as long as possible today because it looks like the last precipitation for a while to come.
Just to pre-empt an inevitable question- it needs over 2 weeks freeze for the Scamadal ice to form.

In reply to Mike Lates: Like rest of west coast far warmer today than anticipated. I ran across the bridge to Forcan Ridge & finally understand why you're all complaining about too much snow. Beautifully clear all morning but wind & snow after lunch. Freezing point just about on top (1044m?). Now very heavy showers and 4deg at sea-level.
Yesterday was beautiful & clear. Only top 300/400ft was covered to any extent.
What all this means for the Cuillin I'm clueless. Likely a blank canvas, going white now & tomorrow (?) & head up & see in the predicted freeze Wednesday.