UKC

Given the forecast, and the horrible truth that this could be the one weekend this winter that's memorable for all the right reasons, what's the current thinking on conditions?

Who's been where recently, and what was it like?
Is all the ice going to fall down on Friday afternoon?
Is it going to be too warm overnight for re-freezing?
Or is it going to be chilly enough for mega early starts and crispy crunchy crampon snow?

And more to the point, how many teams do you think will be spinning nylon webs up and down all the classic gully lines!!

In reply to peebles boy:

It's goin tae be shite, all of yous stay at hame!

In reply to peebles boy:

shhhh

In reply to peebles boy:

Every time the temperature drops a degree or two and we get a day or two of snow the much of the climbing community suddenly think everything will be climbable. Good luck if thats you? '

In reply to peebles boy:

Gorgeous in Glen Coe today. Minus 5C when I arrived at 0830. Very quiet, only saw two teams climbing in SCNL, and one other walker. Sunny low down, fresh easterly wind, mist and spindrift on the tops. Today's wee jaunt helps ease the pain of my imminent stint of 12 hour nightshifts this weekend.

In reply to peebles boy:

Snowing all day here on the tops around Langdale and previously very wet so I imagine some ice will be forming. We've also had hail prior to the snow arriving so conditions could be tricky. But then again any snow this winter is welcome. It's going to be busy on Saturday!

In reply to Sean Kelly:

I'm Heading To the Coe Mora to Beat the weekend Rush! Wondering how many folk have the same idea.....

In reply to stevieweesaxs107:

I'm beginning to think Friday might be my window of opportunity....

In reply to peebles boy:

Today best day for hope of getting something done. Or early start tomorrow. When it starts to warm up stuff will change really, really quickly. Least what there is...Whilst nice weather forecast it's due to become rather warm - especially in the afternoons. Given the ground pretty much is not frozen what snow there is will quickly vanish I think.

Still whatever you plan on doing it'll be nice on the tops

In reply to Dave Perry:


But there was frost on my car yesterday

In reply to ianstevens:


the Downfall is probably in then

In reply to peebles boy:

Agreed! And slim at that.

https://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/Ben-Nevis/forecasts/1344

In reply to peebles boy:

I'm usually a rather optimistic person...but there won't be much in, what's in will be thawing slightly and hacked to pieces by the crowds. I'm off bouldering or clipping bolts I think.

In reply to peebles boy:

It's warming up rapidly. On Ben Starav today it was barely freezing at 3500 ft. Getting warm over Saturday and Sunday - 14C in Aviemore possible on Sunday!
Need to go high and keep in the shade!

In reply to peebles boy:

This weekend (aka the mad slush on the hills)

In reply to French Erick:

As with much of this winter, i'm staying low level and going mountain biking instead

In reply to peebles boy:

Lakes crags are sweltering low down.....

In reply to peebles boy:

Aonach Eagach Was magic on Thursday
Recon it'll be mush by 2day

In reply to stevieweesaxs107:

I skied along the bottom of Aonach Mor (Nevis Range area) yesterday and there seemed to be quite a bit of ice around that wasn't in too much of a hurry to melt. Did anyone find anything good to climb this weekend?

In reply to NottsRich:

There was lots of climbing happening this weekend on the Ben! Green Gully, Comb Gully, Point Five, Tower Ridge, NE Buttress, Glovers Chimney, Ledge Route and a few others all saw plenty of ascents on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Yesterday it was all getting a bit slushy and thin: we were going to nip up Tower Scoop before heading home but decided it was too thin to bother, we saw a team make the same decision about Point Five. The sheltered ice routes were fine up till Saturday though! A brilliant weekend which has helped to make up for the poor winter this year...

In reply to NottsRich:

Some good climbing on tower ridge yesterday first thing in the morning before the sun hit. Still some ice hanging about on some of the faces but everything other than the long lasting classics (0.5, green, comb) not really there.

The skiing in the Anoach Beag gullies was excellent on Saturday but I doubt the snow survived much after two days of high temperatures.