UKC

Heading up to Garve for a week on Saturday. Any local update on conditions as they progress throughout the week greatly appreciated.. Cheers!

In reply to halhorner: Not much snow on Suilven, Ben Mor Coigach or Cul Mor/Beag (as of Friday), much more on An Teallach and the Fannichs. Still needs a bit of a thaw to squash everything down a bit, but could happen soon.

In reply to halhorner:
SNow down to about 300m ish, variable. The snow looks quite thick from the vally but cover is mostly superficial till you get above 600+.
I have been on and around about an teallach recently and whilst the ice is quite limited and not 'in' the mixed climbing is very good with well frozen turf and blocks.
Lots to do from classic ridge walking to mixed climbing, just dont expect lots of ice at the moment.
Hope this helps.
James

In reply to Jamie Hageman:
Yes, it was a shame that those hills were pretty much bare. They will be well frozen, just need the snow!
Do you know of any useful webcams north of Ullapool?
James

In reply to James Edwards: 'fraid not. I just use this one - http://www.easter-badbea.co.uk/webcam.html
which looks across Little Loch Broom, to Beinn nam Ban which is about 1900ft. I took a punt and drove north on Thursday evening, hoping for more snow round on the north side of Ben Mor Coigach, but it was pretty thin (and cloudy too) so I didn't get the painting inspiration that I was after (ie Sgurr an Fhidleir looking alpine!).
Went down to Skye then - never fails to come up with the goods

In reply to halhorner:
Was on Bheinn Bhan (Coire Fheola) yesterday. Plenty unconsolidated snow from about 400m. Exposed turf well frozen, but if at all covered it was dodgy to useless. Steep rocky stuff probably best until a thaw and refreeeze. May well be different further from the coast.

In reply to halhorner: <bump>

In reply to halhorner: In Coire na Poite Beinn Bhann on Tuesday. Silver Tear definitely climbable. March Hare's Gully looks superb, with good ice and not banked out. Couldn't see into Mad Hatters. We did new line on Realisation Wall. Really well frozen, good turf and snow showers Monday night added even more winteryness. Top third of coire na poite also was well rimed. Steeper walls in Coire nan Fhamair are apparently much blacker. Hope this helps.

In reply to halhorner: Anyone got any info on Beinn Dearg, or the Fannaichs, any gullys in and not full of snow?

In reply to fozzybear: Was in the Fannichs yesterday into Carn na Criche where the main face was a bit lacking in ice. Snow was unconsolidate in most places with some slabby on top of soft snow underneath. Areas on the cliff where you are expected to climb snow fields were stripped down to the bare rock and grass with a light covering. Plenty of short icefalls off to the left were possible at one pitch length. Sgurr Mor was also lean although possible to climb Resurrection, Gelid Grooves and others with some mixed climbing in places. Any thaw this weekend will probably put paid to any ice on Resurrection bottom pitch as thin at moment. Hope that helps? Cheers

In reply to halhorner: Did Penguin Gully on Beinn Dearg on Saturday. Some good ice and turf and powder.

In reply to halhorner:
Does anyone have any current news on how Penguin Gully is, and how it may be in a couple of days?

In reply to markharro:
Great condition yesterday. Initial icefall very well formed, good ice in the short steps above. Easy and helpful snow in between. Will be even better with a bit of a re-freeze.
Gully walls suffered from the higher temps yesterday with bits of ice dropping but the gully itself wasn’t really affected by the melt.
Ice hose looked ok. Fenians and emerald probably suffered from melt a bit more but still looked good. Things were firming up though during the afternoon.

In reply to halhorner: Did Penguin Gully yday in glorious weather and after many yrs waiting for conditions. Thanks v much to all the previous posters for info. In superb nick although the weather is turning now it seems