UKC Forums - Lakes easy routes, avoiding avalanche conditions?

Lakes easy routes, avoiding avalanche conditions?

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pdufus 18 Jan 2018

Other than Striding Edge and Sharp Edge - does anyone know of any lesser known easy winter climbs that avoid avalanche prone areas.

Dont mind short and scrappy climbs with big walk ins

Staying in Glenridding

Dave Cumberland 18 Jan 2018

In reply to pdufus:

Everything is seriously avalanche-prone at moment and that risk will increase dramatically Saturday night/Sunday.

OP pdufus 18 Jan 2018

In reply to Dave Cumberland:

Seems to be so.

I'm thinking about a safe walk to somewhere I can find even 30ft of something to play on with ice axes and crampons.

Phil Scott 18 Jan 2018

In reply to pdufus:

Not sure even Striding Edge would be a safe bet at the moment, particularly if you were planning to summit. Note the fell top assessor turned back from the edges today due to the snow pack conditions.

LakesWinter 18 Jan 2018

In reply to pdufus:

It's a case of finding something high enough to be frozen that doesn't have a big avalanche slope below or above it.....

Here's some ones I would avoid off that forecast.....

All the east facing Helvellyn Coves

Rampsgill Head (steep NW facing descent, long run out)

Gullies in general.

What about driving round to Sharp Edge or Halls Fell Ridge?

mrphilipoldham 18 Jan 2018

In reply to Phil Scott:

Striding Edge to the notch/downclimb should be ok!

RuthW 18 Jan 2018

In reply to LakesWinter:

Do you think Sharp edge would be ok? It seems to face in a similar direction to striding/swiral edges.

Heading up on Saturday I hope, and would like do something fairly interesting if possible.

OP pdufus 18 Jan 2018

In reply to LakesWinter:

Halls Fell Ridge looks like a contender....I think this is the usual decent from Sharp Edge if I remember correctly?

Steep enough to be interesting but without obvious fatal drops and if you go over on a collapsing ridge it shouldn't be too much of a problem?

Wonder what the small nearby roads will be like on Saturday morning.

TobyA 18 Jan 2018

In reply to LakesWinter:

Someone climbed Viking today and lived to tell the tale (on Facebook). Although you get 4G signal up there so they could have posted pictures of ascent before having to do the descent... :-/

Dark-Cloud 18 Jan 2018

In reply to pdufus:

Small roads ? You park on the A66 for Sharp Edge and Halls Fell, also you could do yourself a mischief if you fall of at several points on Halls Fell and it will be pretty well loaded I expect.