UKC

Is there anything in condition on the Ben at the moment, other than the ridges? It's warm tomorrow, and even warmer Sat/Sun before getting colder again. Long term that's good, but is there anything in condition now that might survive and be worthwhile over the weekend? Failing that, how about Lochnagar? Wishful thinking maybe...

In reply to NottsRich:

Green Gully's been climbed a couple of times this week, including today. The potential lack of a freezing level on Sat/Sun might make it a bit suboptimal from a protection point of view, but there should be plenty of stuff in it, with more to follow as the contents of the plateau ooze downwards! On the other hand, melt could see all sorts of things falling down and being funnelled down the gullies... Keep an eye on the Aonach Mor weather station temps and judge it on that basis.

In reply to NottsRich:

Green gully is climbable but its mainly snow/ice and won t take an ice screw !

In reply to luckyjim:

Sounds about right!

In reply to luckyjim:
It typically varies a lot that route. Isn't there often rock gear available where you need it? seem to remember there being enough when I did it in (easy) neve conditions.

Thanks all for the advice, we had a cracking day out on Point Five.










Not really. Didn't bother in the end, and the Aonach Mor weather station shows that was probably the right choice in hindsight!

In reply to NottsRich:

Hahaha, nice one! Yeah, defo the right choice, unless you fancied Tower Ridge under slush. I was skiing and it was as warm as the thermometer indicated! Met a team who'd gone up Golden Oldy and described it as being in what I would term predictably disgusting condition.

On the other hand, the forecast for this week into next is favouring good conditions building on the higher ice routes...

In reply to Tricadam:

I had a fun day skiing in the Northern Cairngorms on Saturday, on definitely wet snow. After an impromptu birthday party in Aviemore, I drove over to Fort William with the aim of skiing there on the Sunday, but was presented with rainrainrain. So I drove home.

In reply to NottsRich:

What's everybodies thoughts for this weekend?

In reply to Hidden:

Mountain biking.

In reply to Hidden:


1st choice...Pub.
2nd choice...Work and take extra days off in spring.

In reply to Hidden:

Desperate for a climb vs. getting avalanched/rained on/blown off the hill.

In reply to NottsRich:

RR Junior's 18th birthday today so we are on a late Air Fungus flight to Cork for the weekend. It will be mostly dodging showers and drinking Murphy's I expect; he's going to buy his Dad his first pint.

In reply to Rigid Raider:


It'll be your first pint? At your age?

One of my reasons for not climbing tomorrow was the avalanche risk, or so I thought. I had assumed that given the amount of fresh snow that was forecast today and tonight (15cm+ last time I looked) and strong westerly winds, that the risk would be high tomorrow. Instead, the forecast risk for tomorrow is less than today, at Moderate. It even says no significant snow accumulations expected. Mountain-Forecast and yr.no both agree about wind and snow today/tonight. Anyone care to help me understand why the risk is significantly lower tomorrow than I thought it would be? I haven't been on the Ben recently so I'm a bit out of touch with the conditions up there at the moment.

In reply to NottsRich:

The temp went up, it rained and washed out the fresh.

In reply to NottsRich:

Here's SAIS's recommendation

http://meagaidhblog.sais.gov.uk/2017/03/one-for-the-weekend/

In reply to NottsRich:

http://www.weathercast.co.uk/world-weather/weather-stations/obsid/3041.html Unfortunately the temperature peak coincided with the rain that Rich P mentions... Was a similar story in the Norries, though the neve was surprisingly good in the easy Sneachda gullies today. Given the consolidation, those should be fine tomorrow. I bumped into a couple of guys who had got up Deep Throat in good nick just before the temporary thaw.