UKC

I'm heading up this weekend for a few days and hoping to get a good few routes in. Has anyone got any information on how the crags are looking up here? My guess is completely buried.

If its a certain waste of time heading up there has anyone got any suggestions thats no more than 45 min from Aviemore that could be a good alternative?

Cheers,
Martin

In reply to martinmckenna:
The normal routes on Mess and Aladdin's are most unlikely to be safe right now. Because of the avalanche hazard, everyone is climbing on crags with other aspects: Creagan a Cha-No, Lurcher's, and (I believe) Fiacaill Buttress.

Thus your 45 minute parameter is probably one to consider relaxing, if you want to keep safe.

You could always forget about Aviemore, and go somewhere completely different, like Torridon? Everyone's saying the NW is a lot more feasible just now.

In reply to martinmckenna:

I wouldn't go near Northern Corries personally, apart from abbing into Fiacaill Buttress perhaps (it still looked very plastered). The cornices on Lochain and Sneachda are serious.

We did Albino on Stag Rocks on Friday, in very good condition. Not sure what the freezing level's been like since then but that crag's a good bet provided it's cold and not too sunny. Hell's Lum was buried and the approach looked alarming to me. Climbed at Cha-No on Thursday. Big cornices, but safe buttress routes are available with a bit of care. Lurchers is the other obvious choice. Enjoy.

In reply to Tim Chappell:
I would have been well up for the North West if it wasn't for the fact we have a town hall booked out for the weekend. Bloody nightmare!

By the sounds of it I might be skiing all weekend...no doubt the wind will kick up and kill that!

Thanks for the information so far.

In reply to martinmckenna:
What about going to Arrochar? Stuff's clearly going on down there. Or going down on there. Whatever.

Check it out:

http://www.scottishwinter.com/?p=4449

In reply to martinmckenna:
Oh sorry-- you mean you have a TH booked out in Aviemore or nearby.

Still, generally speaking, I'd suggest heading west. (And not stopping at Creag Meagaidh, which is presumably mental at present.) Stob Ban, approached from the south? Beinn a'Bheithir? Sgurr Dhomhnaill?

I.e., if you go somewhere else, head for the sea. But actually Danny has probably got the right idea, given your booking--go to Lurcher's or Cha-No.

In reply to Tim Chappell:

Er, that was 12 days ago...

In reply to martinmckenna:

Go lurchers. safest bet and in good nick. easy walk in from the sugerbowl car park.

In reply to martinmckenna:

Has anyone been through the Chalamain gap in the last few days? Was thinking that could be looking a little nasty on the way to Lurchers?

Tom

In reply to thomaspomfrett:

Very easy to walk around the gap on the North side up the Creag a Chalamain even a path and the snow blows off it, just approach in the normal way then go up the hill and skirt the crags when u reach the gap.

In reply to pass and peak:

Perfect, thanks!