UKC

Any current info about what conditions are like? Particularly cover on buttresses.
Thanks

In reply to George Allan:
Conditions in Glen Clova are excellent. The turf is not yet properly frozen at lower levels, but there's loads of ice already and more forming, I should think. Nothing much in the way of cornices, and not really all that much snow-cover below 2000ft, so it wasn't possible to ski and out of the corrie. But there are some very handy bankings-out and driftings, e.g. the one that Simon used yesterday to access what in other conditions would have been a bottomless ice-runnel...

We did a new four-pitch route at about IV, 4 in Coire Farchal. It was very nice--not sustained, but interesting steep or even vertical mixed terrain alternating with simple steep snow. I'll hold back on reporting till Simon's decided whether/ where to write it up.

At least one party climbed Silver Threads Among The Gold yesterday.

NB the upper buttresses caught the sun yesterday afternoon, so they are getting a little black. More blizzards needed :-0

Was also in Farchal yesterday. Went a bit off route trying to find silver threads, eventually got there and decided to go and look at the gully instead (being our first time out this season). The first ice pitch looked good, but the snow above up to the top was soft. The ground in the glen was frozen hard all day but turf up top was not. Strange considering how cold it had been recently. Has anyone been in Corrie Fee? I wonder if Look C is forming?

In reply to nicjbuk:

I think we met you, yeah?

In reply to George Allan:

yes we were heading to gully and I think you guys were climbing a new route. We are going back next week to reinstate our honor (conditions permitting)

In reply to George Allan:
Thanks to all for giving me the info

In reply to George Allan:

Was in Corrie Fee on Sunday 28th Dec. Looked at Look C but there was a lot of water coming down it and the ice looked dangerously hollow and lacking (i.e. the centre of the fall is still water!). Went up B Gully and B Gully Chimney was also extremely wet with ice only around the edges. Even B Gully icefall had water pouring down it and a black streak in the middle. Started on this but as suspected the ice is hollow and water underneath......to dangerous for me. We went left at this icefall instead and climbed the little chimney/gully with 4 little steps to the top (Grade II). The turf was only frozen in places (although improved with height) and the cover of snow and ice very thin. Altogether disapointing given the cold snap we've had since before Xmas.

In reply to QuicNic:

We were in coire fee on Saturday. Cold but not yet there. Snow level quite high. Winter Corrie looked snowier. I would imagine with a few more cold days the water ice routes will come in more, but there was little snow to feed them.

http://www.mountainactive.co.uk/blog/2014/12/27/coire-fee-glen-clova/