UKC

UKC CONDITIONS REPORT - Cairngorms 31/12/10

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 Ron Walker 31 Dec 2010
Nice easy approach, firm neve, sun, calm and excellent vis for photos first thing this morning - despite the less than promising forecast!
The recent slow thaw has moistened the upper snow pack which is also now covered in lumps of water ice!

The buttresses are blacker though they still have some verglass and ice in cracks. There's good snow in the rock grooves and ledges.
The climbing was nice today although the snow surface was bit crusty lower down due to slabs of water ice it was firmer and good the higher we climbed.

In the Northern Corries the main gully lines are all well filled and the approach slopes banked and covered in firm snow with strange lumps of water ice everywhere. This will no doubt set solid with another refreeze and require sharp crampons and good technique!

Some photos of Coire an t-Sneachda from today on our blog at http://talisman-activities.blogspot.com/

Please fell free to add your own reports.

Happy New Year

Ron Walker (MIC, IML)
UKC's Cairngorm's correspondent!
 david0811 31 Dec 2010
In reply to Ron Walker:

Anyone been into Lochnagar recently?
 LakesWinter 31 Dec 2010
In reply to david0811: you seen the photos on the sais blog? Looks good and I'd be there if I had the time over anywhere else in the UK
 simon_D 01 Jan 2011
In reply to MattG: Mess of Pottage pretty well frozen and rimed up today with helpful ice in the cracks and a thin covering on the tops of blocks and flakes...I'd imagine the main climbing areas in the Cairngorms to be getting better over this weekend's low temps, very windy tho when we topped out, total white-out and the plateau and approach slopes into the corries are sheeted ice at the minute so care needed!
AlexK 03 Jan 2011
In reply to david0811:

We were in Lochnagar on Sat - awesome conditions. Bulletproof walk in until the saddle, then a bit harder going with a crust that kept breaking. Good covering of snow and ice on the butresses, loved the frozen turf. The gulleys we looked at seemed do-able too. Highly recommend a visit if you can get there in these conditions.
 IainMunro 03 Jan 2011
In reply to david0811:

> Anyone been into Lochnagar recently?

Was up yesterday and the 1st, there's some good ice and neve around. A busy couple of days, parties spied (from left to right) on Central Buttress, Shadow Buttress A, Shadow Buttress B (Bell's), Eagle Ridge, Parallel Gully A, Backdoor Route, Raeburn's Gully, Scarface, Route 1, ?Pinnacle Grooves, Black Spout, Black Spout Buttress and West Gully. All routes mentioned above were looking in good condition. Didn't see anyone on the Southern Sector but it was looking pretty good too.

Iain
Duncan P 03 Jan 2011
In reply to david0811: If its any use; there's some pics on my blog of Lochnagar yesterday (2nd) and Central Buttress.

www.duncanp.blogspot.com
In reply to IainMunro: Route Major on Etchacan was in fine condition yesterday- brilliant neve and useable ice in the cracks and grooves. Made gear harder to come by but still plenty of that too.

Looking about- Chancer not there yet, Cascades left and right not fully formed either. Some easier stuff to do on Hells Lum. Sticil face looked lean and hard. Sneachda - rocks nicely rimed - very very popular- must have been loads of teams finishing routes in the dark last night!!
 James Edwards 03 Jan 2011
In reply to IainMunro:
Re lochnagar. I was there yesterday and this morning. I thought the conditions for the harder routes weren't great. There was solid water ice on many of the cracks that couldn't be cleared and not enough ice about to be useful. Parties on other routes made similar observations and alot of digging was required for gear. I saw lots of parties climbing iii and iv grade routes for which conditions are much better. I will put some cliff shots on my blog this afternoon. Tje weather has begun to segregate with high winds and sleet and snow
Hope this helps someone
James e

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