UKC

Heading over the lakes for the day tomorrow walking, scrambling (climbing?????) anyone know if there's any snow and Ice that i'll need crampons axes or if any grade 1-2 gullies are in. I know it's a long shot but desperate haha. Not sure if the recent rain fell as snow and if this cold weather has froze anything

In reply to David Cowley:

Snow above 750m and it's been below freezing most of the week, if feel pretty confident that some of the high crags might just be in.

In reply to David Cowley:
Can you post what you find?

Thanks

NMM

In reply to Wesley Orvis: Any suggestions of what might be in tomorrow if anything?
cheers

The ski tow was open on the raise today, just under Helvellyn. They also have a webcam to give you an idea of conditions and people post stuff on the facebook page. Be aware that the reason the tow is placed there is because that spot catches the snow, the whole of the lakes won't be in the same condition. www.ldscsnowski.co.uk

In reply to

Maybe of use, i went for a walk along Sharp Edge today, no snow to speak of, very dry, icey firm snow around the summit area, descended down Hallsfell ridge some icey snow in the top third, actually utilised an axe!. Helvellyn maybe holding more but couldn't tell.

In reply to Quagmire:
Thanks. That's all I needed to know! Yes, Helvellyn get's way more snow than any other part of the Lakes. I doubt the turf will be frozen underneath it though!



NMM

In reply to David Cowley: Was up around the edges on Helvellyn today, crampons really useful, great day. The snow started at about red tarn level. Snow had a crust in places on the ridge and where the paths had been compacted. I saw two people in the right gully and they seemed to be making steady progress but I don't think the conditions would be perfect for climbing, but I was tempted to have a closer look! I'd give it a look tomorrow and if its not good enough you can always do like I did.

In reply to David Cowley: Some shots showing the snow cover on here -

http://mountaincircles.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/lakes-winter-conditions-28-11...

Not there for climbing I think but great for a walk about or run?!

Thanks everyone I'll post up tomorrow night what the conds were like but agree that the turf is no wear near frozen enough but will probs head around helvelyn area to hopefully catch some snow, let's hope this is the start of something good though not getting my hopes up to much only to be let down

In reply to Jontro:
You are kidding right? I can't believe anyone was trying to climb the gullies. The turf must be so saturated given the rain we've had and there is no way that it will be frozen - just as the blog below states. I say it every year but there is rare arctic alpine vegetation up there and it needs a really good freeze of a few days before it should be climbed on. Check out the guidebook for the details or the Lake District Weatherline website which has the same information. And every year some cnuts make me despair!

Aye,
Davie

In reply to David Cowley: was out wednesday brown cove..thin cover no ice nothing complete
top inch frozen then very soft very wet snow..made a nice igloo quickly..never a good sign
nice day out

In reply to David Cowley:

Will 3 more days of sub zero temps change anything by Sunday does anyone think?

In reply to Wesley Orvis:

Yes, but slowly. If the 'extensive fog in the east' predicted on Weatherline plays out then stuff that has not got too much snow on it at the moment but is high enough to have the turf freeze may hoar up on Saturday morning. If these places stay out of any sun we have Saturday afternoon they could be good for Sunday.

And so begins hours of reading guide books, looking at contours and aspects on maps, talking to friends, studying weather predictions and general guess work which may, (only may!) lead to you being in the right place at the right time on the weekend. Classic Lakes winter stuff!

In reply to Exile:

Thanks for answering my question, that's me mate it's all my life has consisted of since starting winter climbing a few years ago.

In reply to Wesley Orvis:
09/10 was good in the lakes no?

In reply to CurlyStevo:

It certainly was but I was knocked off my bike at the end of November 2009 and was not back fit again until March so only caught the end of that season. and that was my first year of winter climbing.

In reply to Wesley Orvis:

Unlucky.

In reply to Exile:

Yes indeed! It's all part of making years of Lakeland winter climbing so rewarding.

Wesley, there will be some good climbing somewhere in the Lakes. The sunny days will have created a bit of freeze thaw on some crags which combined with the hard frosts...

NMM

In reply to Northern Mountain Monkey:

Thanks for the advice, will scratch about somewhere high up and have a mooch around and if i don't find anything in nick just go for a nice stroll, it's all very friendly this year, i am usually scared to comment on the Lakes winter threads in fear of been shot down. Happy climbing evryone.

In reply to Wesley Orvis:
I'm busy this weekend, but if I weren't then I'd be taking advantage of what look like ideal walking/running conditions, rather than searching around for some mediocre climbing.

As the link says in paddys post and totally agreeing with DR we headed up to red tarn. Turf at lower level was frozen solid so got a bit excited but the more altitude gained the softer the turf got especially around red tarn cove so in order to reiterate what DR said and to enjoy our day we just headed for striding edge which was in fact in good nick. With 2/3 days freeze things could change but would have to be a deep 1 as even the turf on the summit was soft underneath and it looks like its supposed to warm a little, so stay out of the gullies in order to conserve rare plants they will get damaged and the gullies will be in nick eventually and why would you want to trudge up soft unconsolodated snow plodding straight thru into mud and getting covered in mud

In reply to David Cowley:

There was enough snow to get stuck in on Grasmoor (Red Gill) yesterday.....
http://www.grough.co.uk/magazine/2012/11/29/grasmoor-paraglider-and-robinso...

Doubt it was enough to warrant a decent climb, though!

In reply to Carolyn: was up scafell pikes yesterday evening. snow was quite hard in places where wind blown, but doubt whether climbing will be up to much.