A week in the west

Stob Coire nan Lochan

I had been in the day before with Andy to have a look at Spectre and Scabbard Chimney in Stob Coire nan Lochan in Glencoe,but there was fresh snow and a thaw going on and everything was just a little spooky. So we headed up Dorsal arete which was great to check out and new to me still.
So the following day I returned to get on Scabbard Chimney with Ian, it was still a bit warm but such a beautiful day . We topped out to fantastic views and pretty much had the whole of the Coire and the peak to ourselves. It felt very alpine, soft spring snow, longer days and eating our sarnie's in our t-shirts in the sun at the end of the day , looking back up at the snowy peaks.

Ian have a great time following up the first pitch.

Ian cruising off on the second pitch

Doing the tourist bit on the tops, and dreaming up mega ski descents in the corries behind.

 

Two days in the Sunshine Teaching and Guiding Ellie and Greg

So I thought we would do some of the classics seeing as it was going to be two high pressure blue sky days. Ledge route on day one and we let a group head off infront of us so we had the space to allow ellie and greg to lead a pitch each.

 

Ellie setting off on the first rising traverse pitch, focusing on positive foot placements.

Ellie bringing greg up.

A bit of piton placement skills at the belay, ellie having a go.

Greg bringing ellie up to his belay.

On the ridge and time  for some short roping to move us swifty to the top.

 

 

Curved Ridge

 

The second day me and Ellie headed for Glencoe with an early start of beat the crowds on Cuved ridge. It was in fantastic condition, the rock was rocky, the snow, snowy and the ice icy. It was very alpine in atmosphere. A girly ascent, looking a little like twins in our orange helmets and blonde hair. We were off the route before twelve so we had a leisurely lunch enjoying the views and the headed off to the munros behind, which was also had to ourselves. Back at the car by 3.30 for tea and medals. Fantastic couple of days out!

Ellie dancing her way up the crux corner.

A photo of our next objective.

 

Highlights of March so far

The Cairngorms - Aladdins Buttress

The beginning of March was seeing good conditions in the Cairngorms, where everywhere else seemed to still be burried aladdins buttress in Coire an T-Sneachda was in fantastic conditions and became the stanage of winter climbing, I have never had such sociable belays in winter. I managed to tick a good number of routes on this buttress leaving a select few for next time.
The First day out with josh, I got to lead all day, which is always nice as this was josh's intro to some harder winter climbing, his first season this year. We got on Damnation VI 6, The Lamp V,6 and Doctors Choice with some nice ice at the bottom. More ice in sneachda than on the Ben at the start of March.

Me leading up the corner pitch of damnation. Brilliant neve ice up the corner and then interesting mixed climbing above.

 

The next couple of days I was joined by Kevin from Northern Ireland, who was over with Tollymore national outdoor centre for Northern Ireland. He had been doing winter skills and navigation during the week so with a good weather forecast for the weekend he was itching to get out and swing his axes again. So we did The Prodigal Principal V,5, The Third Wish V,7 and Pateys route.

Kevin on the first pitch of The prodigal Principle

Kevin with some people retreating behind him after taking a wrong turn on The Lamp.

Having abseiled into Aladdins couloir and walk down it and watch others ski down it, all week, I decided it was my turn and went skiing on saturday. Blue bird day and 6 inches of fresh powder we had a few runs in the ski area before setting off up Cairngorm to go and check out Aladdins Couloir... which was fantastic, fresh tracks all the way down and all the way out of the Coire. I think that has to be my best day skiing in Scotland so far.

Me rather excited about dropping into aladdins, the last time I did this was after working with the Ski School after heading up it in the Moonlight before work that morning. Both times were pretty special.

 

Beinn Bhan

 

Next stop Beinn Bhan with Greg and Andy. Two days introduction to winter climbing for Greg and a building on skills for Andy. We did North Gully on Beinn Bhan, the intention perhaps to head up and over the A Cioche ridge as well but the conditions were thawing rapidly so we gave the teaching priority and practise plenty of skills, looked at lots of different options for belays and got plenty of practise at the art of climbing steep soft snow.

 

Greg and andy enjoying the waterfall effect on the belay.

Andy getting stuck in digging a bucket seat