UKC

Team,

I'd be very grateful for some suggestions for winter climbs in the lakes this weekend. I've done a fair bit on Helvellyn so looking for something different if possible. I note that the ground isn't frozen at Red Tarn (Lakes Weatherline), so might need to be mixed instead of a gully.

My thoughts were Pinnacle ridge on St Sunday but happy to have a crack at grade IV and below and not concerned at a long walk in.

Thanks in advance, Si.

In reply to STWright:

Si, are you available tomorrow? I'd be happy to have a go a Pinnacle Ridge if it's in condition.

In reply to STWright:

Pinnacle ridge on Gable is better and likely to be climbable at the weekend. Other options on the crag also.

In reply to jas wood:

It was climbed today, according to an Instagram user. No remarks regard conditions, however.

In reply to mrphilipoldham:


Turf not frozen on Great End as of just now:

Air -3.90°C
5cm 0.95°C
15cm 1.65°C
30cm 2.35°C

In reply to Dave Cumberland:

Turf very frozen and rock heavily rimed on Great Gable today. Great conditions, if rubbish views!

In reply to Dave Cumberland:

Did you go up to have a look?

In reply to 1philjones1:

I was amazed to have no competition for the route yesterday. It's acknowledged to be amongst the first to come into nick. As every van pulled up to the Honister car park I eyed the complement for axes and warthogs, but no, not a climber amongst them. It did however take us an extra hour to find the route despite my having done it before. Visibility was so bad we walked straight past the crag. Fierce wind, hail, sleet, snow, clag. Proper Scottish day out in the Lakes!!

We had the same problem on Pinnacle Ridge. White out. Good conditions above 600m.

In reply to STWright:
Did Stepped Ridge on Saturday on Brown Cove Crag. A true Scottish as mentioned above. Struggled to identify the start and ended up traversing in from the left, due to not knowing our location. Quite a lot of Neve and turf was frozen, and there was more cover than we expected. We Only knew we were on route when we found the chockstone.
Pretty wild on the last two pitches as we were catching the wind.

In reply to 1philjones1:

The whole point of the monitoring station is to keep climbers off the mountain, -- sorry, to monitor remotely the conditions, doh.
As it happens, did have a look, as often do.
Across the Eastern fells and Blencathra today, there was a well-defined horizontal snow line at about 1700 feet. Just above this level where I was, the top one inch was ice (where it had been wet), so hard to walk on in wellies or rig boots. Particularly slippery because of the thin cover of wind blown powder. However, underneath the turf and soil were wet, wet, wet.

https://www.thebmc.co.uk/great-end-winter-conditions

In reply to Dave Cumberland:
The turf on Brown Cove Crag was well frozen on Saturday as was the turf on Pendulum ridge on Sunday.
I think Steve Reid is correct, the monitor is 5cm below ground whilst most placements only go in 1 or 2 cm.

In reply to Root1:

Helvellyn massif will always be in better nick than Great End in marginal conditions, monitoring station confirms that. Equally, because Gable is 100 metres lower and further seaward than Great End, fuller conditions are required to bring it into nick, but obviously the cold east wind we have had this week helps ameliorate the coastal effect.
DC