UKC

Hoping to get out to the Northern corries tomorrow for some climbing, does anyone know if there are any grade II/III climbs (other than Fiacaill Ridge) that might be doable this early in the season?

In reply to Brev:

Jacob's Ladder is pretty spicy early season. Last year I would have said it was a hard II with ice and powder snow on slabs and boulders. Hidden Chimney probably worth a shout (will be heaving I bet as always though). Goat Track and Red Gully both offer some very interesting fun when lean compared to when banked out snow romps.

Here is Jacobs Ladder to the right iced right up at this time last year and Hidden Chimney to the left.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wz6mUaImey4/Tv83vWxOjyI/AAAAAAAAD2g/6vwvLxjLplA/s...

In reply to Brev:

Did Hidden Chimney last weekend, wouldn't have put it harder than grade II. But likely to be busy. The Slant and Jacob's Edge in the same area are probably in grade II condition right now. Western Rib might also be an option, although I'd expect it to be more III than II, likewise Ventilator and Milky Way in the Lochain.

In reply to Brev:
In early season the easier climbs maybe doable but are more likely to suffer erosion damage and rockfall.
Some of the routes mentioned above can be horribly loose if not filled in with hard frozen snow.
Many of the normal anchors are just loose flakes and blocks and are normally cemented in by the surrounding deep snow, ice and frozen ground. I personally wouldn't climb a gully below others in these conditions!

I would say some really iced up early season conditions can be less harmfull than some of the late season conditions though. I have seen reports - including from guides doing up late season gullies which are falling apart and the snow has spring grass popping through and there are pebbles and stones peppered everywhere.

In reply to Ron Walker:
Yeah red gully is renound for loose rock isn't it, especially during heavy thaws. I remember deciding against it one year, to see a load of rock/ice fall out of it not much later on. Theres a section high up on the route which is made of loose jumbled together rocks IIRC

Hidden chimeny is a good call for an early season easy route though, done that a few times myself in early season.

In reply to Brev:
If conditions are thin and icey Y gully right branch can be a good call in early season, its certainly one of the gullys that attracts a lot of ice and is better climbed in that nick. That said it probably needs a little build up and consolidation. I did it after there had been a good dump of snow early season in november and then most of it had been stripped back by a thaw early december.

In reply to Ron Walker: Is Western Rib any harder in early season conditions? Planning on getting out on Sunday and this looks like it could be a good bet for a straight forward first route of the season perhaps?

In reply to MrRiley:
I think it was originally graded for a good snow and ice buildup and by lassoing the rock mushroom out of Goat Track gully - so might not be that straight forward!
From the current Cairngorm guidebook which gives it Grade III "...it's unusual for the lower section of the rib to have enough climbable snow and ice on it, but it will then be harder..." another guidebook mentions using a sling for aid....
Getting onto the rib is steep and well protected but definitely harder at the moment...!

In reply to Brev:

Thanks for all the suggestions, ended up doing Milky Way. It was filled with deep powder, so climbing was definitely less than ideal, but still great to be out!

In reply to MrRiley:
Dave, I look forward to your comments about the grade and hope you finished OK...
A few more photos on my Facebook photo album of you both from today
Video now in production...
See http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151234045589883&set=a.10151229...
The full album is at http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151229267309883.483832.727554882...

Cheers Ron

In reply to Ron Walker: Hi Ron, thanks for all the encouragement yesterday, very much appreciated! Those pics look great, will look forward to seeing the video! Was pondering the grade some more this morning - I found the cruxes (the pulls out of GT gully and the crack just after) harder than any individual move on Fingers Ridge, but overall the route wasn't as sustained. The top tower is superb and was definitely the most enjoyable sequence - steep with bomber hooks. I'm not really experienced enough to call it, but the cruxes felt up there with the crux on Black Spout Buttress (the only tech 5 I've lead). So maybe III, 4 in full fat conditions (when GT gully is banked up and there is useful ice on the crack) and III, 5 in early season nic? Has anyone else out there climbed Western Rib and wants to weigh in?

In reply to MrRiley:

It's a bit of a sandbag given the amount of ab tat I've seen at the foot of the wall.
Your grading seems about right for early season conditions without a banking of snow and ice, though I did warn you
A video of you on the second tricky bit is now at youtube.com/watch?v=9ozcDln1wQ8&
Enjoy...

Cheers Ron