UKC

Anyone been up to SCnL recently for mixed climbs? Specifically Central Grooves and surrounding areas? Are they frozen up? Or over iced?
Saw that Unicorn was attempted last week but it was too wet I think?

Cheers

Euan

In reply to euanryan:
It quite normal for it to be all snowy in scotland at this time of year! wrap up warm! and watch you dont slip (dont take trainers)!!

In reply to euanryan:

it's from a few days ago, but here is a blog from Apple Mountaineering: http://www.applemountaineering.co.uk/2013/12/30/swimming-ordinary-route-cen...

In reply to euanryan:

Thanks for that. More reports suggesting cracks are pretty iced up!

In reply to euanryan:

Did dorsal arête on New Year's Day with a RH start at about 3(?) well iced up rock but stuck to left of top rocks because of high winds. Very poor vis on top but a good 'Scottish ' day out.
Plenty of snow on it.

In reply to euanryan:


Was in the Coire that day (29th); I'd say that the extent of the snow cover was more likely to be the issue - it was absolutely plastered. But definitely frozen and not wet.

In reply to Jamie B:

Ahh, so routes such as Unicorn and Central Grooves may be too hard to protect?

In reply to euanryan:

Or too hard to climb. I think you may be accelerating your grade progression a tad too fast here...

In reply to Jamie B:

Oh it's not really me who's wanting to climb it! I do however want to film it

In reply to euanryan:

A bit of a thaw the past few days and some colder temps coming, could the mixed be back in nick for the coming week?

In reply to euanryan:

Twisted was repeated today (Helen Rennard & Dave Almond), and in good icy conditions.

In reply to euanryan:

I was out today in SCNL. There was quite a lot of avalanche activity and new windslab forming which will require care. There are a couple of photos and some further details on the climbnow.co.uk blog.

In reply to euanw:

Loads and loads of graupel was falling on the cobbler today. At points it was running down the snow like a river. Left quite a deep layer. Wouldn't like that to be covered with different snow.

In reply to euanryan:

Anyone up SCnL yesterday? Saw Twisting Gully got climbed, still a bit slidey?

In reply to euanryan:

Twisting gets done in all sorts of naff conditions, I wouldn't read too much into the logbooks, they provide as much disinformation as assistance!

In reply to Jamie B:

People also don't pay attention to the snow conditions and by the "it won't happen to me" ideology. Just because it didn't slide the day before or an hour before doesn't mean it won't slide. The logbooks can be a heuristic trap.

In reply to Milesy:
Teams on The Tempest and East Face Route today.

In reply to Milesy:

I understand that. Just seem to get put off going anywhere cause of seemingly bad condition reports!
Got the next two days off but it all seems to be a bit pants, as per bloody usual this year

In reply to euanryan:

Go east then. Looks more stable in northern Cairngorms on sais.

In reply to Rob Johnson:

Actually we weren't on East Face Route (which looked like continuous grade VI ice) but a new route up the thin ice seam and arête to the left which we've called Slenderman (VIII,7)...

Conditions are superb, though not ideal if you're looking to climb snowed up rock, which would be best described as "grey".

Cheers, Guy

In reply to Jamie B:


It wasn't too bad actually, some actual ice in it for about 50% of the time, but there was a lot of loose snow on the shallower slopes. We did Green Gully two days beforehand and that was much less formed. Both routes had been done the day before we got there as well.

Sunday saw at least 6 parties climbing on SCnL - Twisting, SC gully, 2 hard mixed routes I can't recall, and 2 parties on Dorsal.