UKC

Anyone been out on a winter climb in the Lakes this weekend. Just wondering if there is anything left to go at this week, gullies perhaps?

In reply to bonebag: http://www.lakedistrictweatherline.co.uk

http://www.ldscsnowski.co.uk/home.html

In reply to Mountain Llama:

Thanks for your reply Mountain Llama. Yes, I have been watching this one daily myself over most of the winter.

In reply to bonebag:

No ice around at all today. Wouldn't trust many gullies, yesterday's snow has drifted quite a bit.

In reply to newhey:

The face of Helvellyn down to Red Tarn was a great ski today - firm chalky snow on icy base. I was astonished there were no boot prints up it.

In reply to Henry Iddon:

Chalky snow? - sounds like windslab. Not good.

In reply to mysterion:

It wasn't windslab, it was dry granulated and lovely stuff. FYI a pit we dug the previous day (albeit fro training)was to .9M showed good stability and little propagation. The instability layers were at 15cm and 40cm and on a damp snow ice base, no concerns...and FYI Henry knows his stuff and some.

In reply to simondgee:

Thanks for the info guys. Are there not some big cornices still on Helvellyn though.

In reply to bonebag:

No cornice to speak of - bit of a lip but neither here nor there.

In reply to mysterion:

It was dense chalky snow right through to the bond with the layer beneath. There was no slab.

I was skiing with a full time Ski Patroller (avalanche safety stage 1 certified http://www.avalanche.ac.nz ) from New Zealand - which has a similar 'maritime' climate.

We were both happy with the conditions.

In reply to Henry Iddon:

Thanks for the extra info.

In reply to Henry Iddon:

Thanks for the info, interesting. The sun's pretty strong at this time of year...

NMM

In reply to bonebag:

Was on Striding Edge today - saw a pair ascend the Snow bowl rt of Viking Buttress direct. Having seen this I safely descended the same bowl between their line and Swirral Edge and found No 2 Gully in decent condition, powdery in the middle narrows so kept to the RHS where rocks were visible, but better higher up at the top.

No 1 Gully looked a bit thin and powdery

In reply to bonebag:

https://www.facebook.com/NTLakescampsites/posts/611027168983248

In reply to wercat:

Thanks wercat

In reply to bonebag:
Now everyone will be climbing it lol

In reply to Henry Iddon:

Was also skiing helvellyn on Sunday and snow was good, however, cornice on the east face is not bad but the north face is not so clever

In reply to macinboots:

Yeah into Keppell Cove it was different story.

Did you ski from the trig point down to the tarn as well - didn't see any tracks but they may have filled in.

Been out of the country so a bit out of the loop. How is the lakes looking at the moment? Looking for some friendly easy gullies or something like that over the next few days. What are my chances and where are they best?

cheers

In reply to dunnyg:

I had Catstye Cam Gully in mind on its north side. It was done on 15th which I know is a while ago.

I did Left Parallel Gully on Brown Cove crag on the 11th. It was good neve that day and quite frozen too and a very sunny day, just brilliant.

I reckon something like Cust's Gully on Great End might be possible and gullies round there maybe. Was there on 2nd March but the weather was so crap didn't climb. Have to go through Braithwaite and Grange to get to Seathwaite if you go that way as the Borrowdale road is closed near the Watendlath junction for rebuilding after it collapsed. You might want to check this.

In reply to bonebag:

cheers, was thinking of heading to great end, do custs and a couple of others. Thanks for the road info.

In reply to bonebag:


Pretty sure this was reopened last week.

In reply to goose299:

It is open.

In reply to Dave Cumberland:

Thanks for the road info guys.

In reply to dunnyg:

How was Great End? It's my last hope before I run out of inspiration for this scabby season...

NMM

In reply to Northern Mountain Monkey:

Had a grit based day instead... If anyone gets up there would be interested in knowing. Might head up sunday if theres anything left...

In reply to Northern Mountain Monkey:

Above red tarn was ok today. Could be better tomorrow with overnight frost. We soloed up catsye cam guly, then did gully 1 which was complete and then wall and ramp. Cornices easy to avoid.

So still stuff to do. HTH

In reply to Lee Sheard:

Thanks for the post. Was Gully 1 water ice? How was the turf? Hoping for a last ditch 'beat the thaw' climb early sat morning! Lol.

Cheers

NMM

In reply to dunnyg:

Was on Sharp Edge today. Rock all the way with very little snow on the ridge. Managed to get in some soft sugary snow to the right of the slabs high up for a last bit of winter. Sill snow on the steep slopes high above Scales Tarn but probably soft by now.

Great End looked to have quite a bit more seen with binoculars from Blencathra as did Bowfell and the Scafells area. Freezing levels are allegedly rising above the summits from Saturday.

In reply to Northern Mountain Monkey:

It was mainly snow ice, blade runner was almost there, the turf where exposed was mainly frozen, theres still plenty of snow on the face. if we had a few days freeze it would be good but think temps are rising friday.

In reply to Lee Sheard:

Excellent. Cheers.

NMM

In reply to Lee Sheard:

Hi lee,

What grade did you reckon it was going at in current condutions?

And is there any rock gear to be had at/above the crux, or is it buried axe/ice screw territory?

In reply to bonebag:

Anybody been out today? Fancying trying to get over tomorrow before it warms up on sat. Reckon the weekend might be too warm.

In reply to David Cowley:

Go for it. Don't know what the forecast is like. Didn't look great for tomorrow when I last looked on Tuesday. Take a quick look at MWIS. Good luck and have a fun day if you make it.

In reply to bonebag:

Just been let down by climbing partner. Anyone fancy getting out tomorrow? Grade 3ish as not been out yet this winter

David

In reply to David Cowley:
Anyone been on helvellyn today

In reply to stuart58:

Didn't get out sorry