UKC

Just in case anyone was wondering...

Snowlevel about 700m, but wet, becoming dry and mid-shin depth just below the coire bowl level. Drifts up to mid thigh in places, been coming in on strong Westerlies, some slab building. Rock seems to have had a good snow plastering on westerly aspects. Very very little ice about, lochans all still visible. Broad and Forked Gullies are complete but lean, could be interesting. Snow is deep in places but footsteps generally all the way to the ground. Was still snowing intermittently when we left at 5pm.

Enjoy

In reply to peebles boy: Reckon Dorsal will be good for Monday?

In reply to peebles boy:

I wouldn't go near the gullies. They may be "complete" but it will just be powder-covered rubble. How were the buttresses looking?

In reply to Jamie Bankhead:

Loaded with powder. Not much frozen turf around at 800m where I was climbing. Photos here of other stuff in Glencoe

http://glencoemountaineer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/first-winter-route-of-seas...

James

In reply to euanryan:

Imagine Dorsal will "go" but in early-season condition, ie watch out for loose blocks!

In reply to Jamie Bankhead:

Loose fridges more like, and that was mid season!

In reply to Jamie Bankhead:

I only said they're complete, didn't say they'd be fun...

Had a wander up the N Ridge of Sgorr Dearg today (Ballachulish Horseshoe). Snow level seems to have dropped a lot overnight, good cover from 600m upwards and plenty big drifts along the ridge. A cracking day out on a nice ridge and off the beaten track....literally...it felt more like jungle training at the start than hillwalking!!!

In reply to peebles boy: Off to do Dorsal and possibly Twisting Gully tomorrow, will report back!

In reply to euanryan: Twisting Gully, no frozen turf, no consolidated snow, no ice..... I wouldn't bother myself, Dorsal should be good though.

In reply to euanryan:
Watch out for those loose blocks on Dorsal!

In reply to LakesWinter: Fair enough! We'll see when we get there i suppose.

Onlyahill - duly noted!

In reply to euanryan: yeah you never know, have a good day out anyhow.

In reply to LakesWinter:

Yeah defo don't go near Twisting Gully if only for the reason that you would much enjoy it when it is in condition.

I recorded this last jan and conditions were brilliant.

youtube.com/watch?v=ZvKD09PG4Wk&

In reply to Milesy: Wow, looks brilliant! Glad we didn't waste it on bad conditions then!

Climbed Dorsal, with a variation on the last pitch involving an interesting roof/chimney and a tricky crack! (Anyone know what it was/grade?)

Very deep powder from the coire floor up, snow from very low down, made the approach very tiring indeed! After a good thaw/freeze I'll defintely be getting back up there for some harder routes!

In reply to euanryan:
Was the chimney just left after the 'dorsal'? If so I think it's an unnamed Grade III finish, from memory.

In reply to Only a hill: That's the one yeah! Felt a lot tougher than III!

In reply to euanryan:

I've done that variant with a small amount of consolidated snow/ice and thought IV,4. I remember thinking it could be easier or harder dependent on build-up.

In reply to Jamie Bankhead: Yeah I reckon IV was more like it. Especially as the turf was pretty soft!

In reply to euanryan:


Don't be admitting to that now. If there's one place I'd never climb on dubious turf it's the Lochan - too much scope for tombstone blocks being dislodged.

In reply to Jamie Bankhead: True enough! Soft turf, but it doesn't mean we were yanking and hacking at it!