UKC

... was blacker than a Ugandan coal mine yesterday and today but was climbed in full winter kit.

Fluted Buttress Direct was ascended in conditions as black as a witch's hat today also. Both are great routes and I hope the ascentionists get a chance to climb them in wintery looking conditions.

In reply to Cuthbert:

I find that if you don't worry about what conditions other people climb routes in, your blood pressure stays down and you may live a longer, happier life.

In reply to planetmarshall:

The guy has a fine eye for a simile though

In reply to Cuthbert:

I believe The Hurting saw some action too. It was a nice golden brown.

In reply to Cuthbert:
Ive got a few photo,s of fingers ridge from yesterday. From what I could see some folk climbing it had put both of their tools away and were climbing using their hands .

In reply to planetmarshal

Daft attitude. If we want to preserve routes as best we can some sort of ethical pressure is a necessity. It perfectly possible to express disapproval of poor practice (and hence help educate) without risking a stroke.

In reply to Offwidth:

I daresay the mountain will withstand a few marginal ascents and the disapproval of the internet.

In reply to Offwidth:
Leave the poor guy alone. I sympathise with these people who have to travel miles and find their chosen climb no in nick

Cheers

Gaz

In reply to Gazlynn:

I have no sympathy! Take what you're given, if it's not frozen don't climb etc etc etc

In reply to LakesWinter:
I was being a little sarcastic (profile says planetmarshall stays pretty local) and I agree with you.


cheers

Gaz

In reply to Gazlynn:

Cool, cheers to you too and enjoy the rest of the season

In reply to Gazlynn:

Sarcastic or otherwise, your sympathy is not required. I was not on Fingers Ridge on Fri.

In reply to planetmarshall:

My Bad..... Sorry I presumed you was.

cheers

Gaz

In reply to Gazlynn:

Nae bother, I was in the Coire an Lochain at the time dodging avalanche debris.

In reply to Offwidth:

What do you mean "preserve" them?

Cheers,
Mark

In reply to Murko Fuzz:

I believe the hurting got a bit more serious action today. Had a bit more than a sugar coating.

In reply to Offwidth:


It's got to be true that gardening unfrozen turf will remove/kill it. However, if we're thinking strictly in terms of route preservation, the rock tends to get considerably more scratched up when covered by anything that won't solidly take a crampon (i.e. powder, hoar, rime, thin/cruddy ice, thin neve etc.) than when totally bare. Of course, I'm not proposing a dry-tool-the-classics sesh - there are plenty of good aesthetic reasons for climbing in wintry conditions, the key one being that we like winter! - but I am saying that the "don't damage the rock" thing just doesn't add up.

(Not that this is anything that hasn't been said before a thousand times on here and elsewhere, no doubt!)

In reply to planetmarshall:

You are absolutely right. If people want to put a few more scratches on winter trade routes which don't happen to be superficially white at the time then it is difficult to see what the problem is.

In reply to StuLade:

So I saw.

In reply to StuLade:


Yep, saw the pics - looked suitably mental and proper wintery. Although the close up pic of Ines' face made it look more than a little soggy out there!

In reply to TobyA: Very very wintery on The Hurting this morning. Very very cold. Very very white. Very very frozen. Very very snowy and windy too - I lost sight of Ines on at least three occasions as the maelstrom enveloped her and the ropes were blown in a scary scary arc. Impressive ascent in impressively challenging conditions.

In reply to Simon Yearsley:

Blimey.

It was bad enough trying to practice winter skills 15m from the Ciste carpark yesterday morning, let alone climb, and at that grade!

'Respec', as I believe the kids would say....