UKC

... even in Glasgow, so let's remininisce about winter routes and being cold and happy.
I'll start with the Upper Couloir on Stob Ghabar with perfect stryrofoam ice and a wonderful top-out through a steep cornice right next to the summit on a chilly, crisp, clear winter day.

In reply to Richard Baynes:
Cold and Happy ?

Yes cant say I'm looking to another night of shit sleep in this .

If I leave the air conditioning open ,the midges get in .

I'm off for a cycle and look forward to my 'Ice Cold In Alex' moment later.

Never will a pint of orange and lemonade look so good.

In reply to Richard Baynes:

The only winter weekend I managed to snatch last 'season'... a 3-day weekend and we drove up to Torridon for it (from Bristol). Poached Poacher's Fall and Sinister Prong before driving back. Mental, but a good couple of days.

How about watching this
youtube.com/watch?v=ZT8A6Y7MwnA&
The most intense climbing video ever?

In reply to Nick Russell:

Unfortunately watching Dave Mac in action always makes me sweat.

Let's keep it cool: Eagle falls behind the drovers, thick with ice in -5C ... The wind hurtling across the plateau as you top out of Staghorn ... the mist lifting in Observatory gully to reveal a million tonnes of ice ...

In reply to Richard Baynes:

The AC is still on in parts of the Northern Cairngorms.

In reply to Richard Baynes:

"It's too bloody hot" for decorating

but at this rate I'll still be at it at Christmas, mmm it'll be cooler then

In reply to Jim Fraser:

You going to roll in a patch of snow today?

In reply to Richard Baynes:


That would be nice but no time unfortunately. I will have to make do with the breeze over a smaller hill.

In reply to Richard Baynes:

"cold and happy" - thats just weird
Crags that are usually wet are snuff dry, you can brush the moss off with your hands, its warm enough to climb on north facing crags in shorts, this weather is brilliant - long may it last. Here's hoping for another warm winter if it means we get summers like this.

In reply to Dave Ferguson:

Oh no no no. I can't get out to the crags cos I have too much work to do, I am stuck in a city which is crammed with clueless visitors with luggage on wheels and is too bloody hot. Bring on winter.
I am eternally disappointed by the lack of posts in the winter climbing forum in summer.

In reply to Richard Baynes:

By mid February following three months of deep Atlantic lows slamming into the western seaboard, heavy precipitation with hurricane force winds blasting their way over the ridges and plateaux, zero frosts, colds, flu's and winter vomiting bugs, I'll bet a penny to a pound o pish you'll be longing for the long hot hazy days of summer. Embrace the best of each season with open arms I say

In reply to Joak:

Ah, a reply in the true spirit to which the original post was intended. Anyway it's back to business as normal in Glasgow now with damp cool weather. What a relief!

In reply to Richard Baynes:

The other day I was photographing reindeer in the snow near the summit of Macdui. Wintery enough for you?

In reply to Joak:

Sorry Joak

But I have changed focus and have no interest in summer, I prefer to swing axes, if that means only climbing for a few months of the year so be it.

It's been too hot, can't beat walking on a frosty morning breathing in that cold air, love it.

If we all loved the same style of climbing it would get crowded very quickly........

Roll on winter

In reply to yeti:




151 days to go!

http://www.xmasclock.com/

In reply to woollardjt:

No need to apologise, each to their own. I also prefer winter to summer, especially so in Scotland where snow and ice can transform my local, largely non craggy grassy hills of the Southern Highlands into mountains. Being a hopeless mountain addict whereby I need a weekly fix, summer mountaineering in Glen Coe, Lochaber, the Cairngorms, the West and North West Highlands and Skye is by no means a methadone substitute to the real deal. Admittedly it's a wee bit warmer, pleasant, relaxing and much less serious....but still great fun

In reply to Tim Chappell:

Great - how much snow is left up there? Enough for a toboggan run? Looking for a good walk/trip for next week.

In reply to yeti:

My nephew came down to visit over the weekend and I took him to see Blue John Caverns in Derbyshire

It was 8 degrees down there.

Didn't want to leave...

In reply to Richard Baynes:

Yes. If you go up the Feith Buidhe Mor from Loch Etchachan, you can get a 100m toboggan run. Or you could a week ago. I doubt it's gone.

In reply to Tim Chappell:

Thanks. Well, I supposed that's it for wintry talk until someone tells us there's been snow on Ben Nevis at the end of August and we all run round like headless chickens sharpening our axes and leafing through guidebooks in confident expectation of a winter of deep-blue ice and crisp, hard neve throughout the Highlands, with blue sky whenever we want it.

In reply to Richard Baynes:

You think so?

Haven't you been to Kinder Downfall the last two days?

In reply to Tim Chappell:

Well Clova's looking pretty white ...

In reply to Richard Baynes:

some deep patches still around
http://www.winterhighland.info/forum/read.php?2,160696,page=17