UKC

Up Curved Ridge today. Nothing but lashings of unconsolidated powder certainly made it a fun solo! (OK, plus the occasional sliver of ice, and the turf is beginning to freeze higher up.) Coire na Tulaich was fairly scoured at the top so made for a safe descent route. Cracking day out.

Met a team who'd been on North Buttress and had enjoyed themselves. That looked to be in substantially less powdery condition.

In reply to adamarchie:

Deep powder on boomerang gulley yesterday, but lots of rain overnight

In reply to adamarchie:

Is Curved ever frigging in? I've tried it 3 times and each time a death trap. I wonder if SCNL is getting there yet?

In reply to glaramara:

Yes - re CR, if you weren't happy soloing the vast majority of it, excavating belays and runners would be very time consuming at the mo.

The forecast for the next week looks like more powder. Time to get the skis out?! Some freeze-thaw would be very handy, but some prolonged hard freeze wouldn't go amiss either, particularly to harden up the turf and ice. Might get that at the end of the week according to MWIS. Fingers crossed.

In reply to adamarchie:

Excellent conditions on Church Door buttress yesterday. We did Poco Loco, which was brilliant, and Crypt Route, West Chimney, Flake Route etc all looked good too.

In reply to glaramara:

One thinks of ridges as being a good option when there's been a lot of snow, but then steeper stuff will be less buried.

In reply to adamarchie:

Anyone been out / driving by these hills? How were they looking? Thinking of getting out tomorrow but i'm not sure where to go after the thaw.

In reply to aldo56:
The thaw hasn't been that substantial, the freezing levels have plummeted and there's been a good dusting of snow to low levels overnight, so there will be plenty of options (some westerly slopes may be a bit bare, but improving), obviously taking avalanche conditions into consideration.
I was out yesterday, and there's still plenty of snow, particularly on easterly aspects:
http://www.applemountaineering.co.uk/blog/

Webcams are always worth checking:
http://www.glencoemountain.com/webcams.html
http://trafficscotland.org/livetrafficcameras/

In reply to KA:

Cheers Ken, much appreciated.

In reply to glaramara:


Done it 3 times, each time excellent nick. You're maybe just unlucky....

In reply to adamarchie:

Climbed Central Grooves, Stob Coire Nan Lochan, on Saturday. Will all have changed after yesterday though!
http://wp.me/p14X6I-17r