Great view with a great wind

Killing time on the belays

Now you see them....

... Now you don't!

Nothing to see or climb here!

Two cars in the car park means that there are two teams ahead of us.  Who knows where they are going but I would have put money that they were going for the same route as us.  After 40 minutes I glanced back to the car park and counted 8 cars.  I would have put money on it that they were all heading for Number 6 Gully (IV,4).  I was right.  It was a good choice by all, relatively sheltered, fantastic ice, belays all over the place and a Cold Climb!  Alan has been over coming a chest infection so a big walk in was out of the question.  This was ideal!  On approach to the route, Elliot's Downfall (VI,6) was looking great!  Still thin at the bottom but shouldn't be long until it sees an ascent and I hope its me!  Most of the time I like climbing when there is nobody else around but today was good fun.  Everyone was really friendly and considerate, everyone was climbing well and efficiently and no ice was bombarding us like some angry birds.  We opted for the right hand finish but some of the teams below, including Lakes wad Paddy Cave, took the direct finish which also looked good.  For me and Alan, our lunches looked better....so we found a boulder and had a good scoff with a fantastic view looking down to Glencoe village.  Alan is keen to go back out on Wednesday when the winds will have died down so we took a nice gentle stroll down ensuring we didn't tire our legs out.  With a combined age of 90 odd years we are no spring chickens...!  Oh and saw a little lamb too!  Which reminds me, I saw one on Skye the other day too.  Spring is here!

This lamb looked cold!

This is the second time I have climbed this route and I am convinced it is grade III and not grade II.  This route fitted the bill for Tim and Tristian for their second day as it gave them plenty of steep climbing which will have felt a little harder in their summer walking boots!  We were sheltered from the winds for most of the route and the views on the summit were just amazing.  Unfortunately I didn't charge my camera so couldn't get any photos today.  Today I was working for Skye Guide's.

After 3 days of fantastic skiing at Aonach Mor I was really keen to get back into the mountains for some climbing.  Today I was out with Tim and Tristian, who originally, were keen to do a ridge traverse should the Cuillin be in suitable condition.  With 90mph gusts forecast there was no way we were to spend any length of time exposed on the Black Cuillin. Instead we opted for some low level snow skills and a spot of low level ice climbing.  On the walk in to Coir' a' Bhasteir we were pelted by the strong gusts at uncomfortable regularity with a skin peeling blast of snow and ice.  On arrival into the coire we had now entered the washing machine.  The cycle was irregular with slight breaks in the wind which meant we could stay sane and have a full day.  After some skills and some ice climbing we decided to make our way up onto the ridge for one of the best views of the country.  This was by no means an easy feat, the winds were still powerful, bringing us to our knees on several occasions.  Arrival to our summit was rewarded with a stunning view of the ridge and some wind blasted faces!  A great day in some truly wild weather.  Today I was working for Skye Guides.

Good mixed conditions

Simon ready for the squeeze into the cave

Lots of snow had fallen overnight here on the West coast.  With this much snow it would make moving around the mountains hard work.  By no means impossible but time consuming and sweaty!  Simon had a flight to catch this evening so we opted for a route that isnt too committing and didn't require a time consuming wade.  The mighty vanishing Gully (V,5) fitted the bill.  We were not the only ones with the same idea, two teams were ahead of us and two teams behind but as I arrived at the top of the first pitch I found the cave empty so Simon and I sheltered in there.  Unfortunately whilst at the bottom I was struck by a large piece of ice which damaged my helmet.  It didn't take a spinal surgeon (Simon) to tell me that it would have fractured my scull had I not been wearing a helmet!  I'm just glad it hit my helmet and not my shoulder.  Anyway, despite needing a new helmet, it was a great day to Simon's weekend of Grade V ice.

My helmet with the fracture.  Fracture is also visible inside the helmet.  (Never a good idea to climb below other people)

After yesterdays day off I was back in on Ben Nevis, this time with Simon.  He had driven up from Glasgow and after meeting him at 8am in Fort William we were at the bottom of our route just after 10am.  So many options to go for today, I had fancied Observatory Buttress as I was climbing near it yesterday and looked cool but with only one team on Orion Direct (V,5) we went for that instead.  The route was still in great condition.  I thought the crux felt a bit thin and with the screws were a joke but the rest of the route was amazing.  Big thanks to the team of 3 that let us scoot past them, it was nice to be making fresh tracks on such a classic route.  On the top it was full on navigation to the summit, into the shelter and we polished off a hip flask of whiskey before making our way down the tourist route, picking up a couple of chaps who had bitten of more than they can chew by walking up the tourist route in these conditions.  Lots of other teams out, all the Minus Gullys had ascents, Zero, Point 5, Orion Directissima, Tower Ridge, Green, Comb, Tim and Donald did Point Blank and i'm sure many other routes were climbed too.

Wade

Murdoch on the first pitch

Me on 4th pitch

Thin climbing with no gear

Hard work on the snow

We had loads of snow over night which meant getting to the routes was a bit harder than its been for quite a few weeks.  Murdoch and I headed up Observatory Gully and made our detour off to the base of Rubicon Wall (V,5).  Waves of spindrift were coming down the face, filling our ledges and swamping our feet.  After one substantial wave we did look at each other and thought the same.... this is grim!  But we pressed on and were rewarded with a great thin face route.  The ice was brilliant all the way up, thin in places and with limited gear but it always felt of as axes and crampons went in well.  Plumes of spin drift kept attacking us but we were able to wade through it and make our way to the summit of Ben Nevis.  Despite there being lots of snow around we found the slope we waded up to be pretty stable, just hard work.  A great day and a great route.  Back up tomorrow for a bit more ice climbing.  Other teams were on Vade Mecum, Hadrians, Observatory Buttress, Ledge Route, Green Gully and teams went into Zero Gully area but not sure what route they got on.

Last night after Umbrella Falls I drove over to Skye to meet Lou and Hannah.  We hatched a plan and headed up onto Great Gully (I) on Blabheinn.  We did some initial skills lower down to remind them how to use axes and crampons before doing some pitches up the gully.  The snow was coming and going but cleared nicely for when we topped out.  We had amazing views of the Cuillin.  Shame I left my camera on charge.

Murdoch soloing up the first tier

Murdoch bum sliding down.  Ice everywhere!

More ice everywhere!  Crag is in great condition.

A day off today and it really did feel like a day off.  A nice late start to 9am followed by an ascent of Umbrella Falls (V,5) on Liathach.  Murdoch and I had planned to climb this the last time we were here last week but decided to save it and get it done today.  It was brilliant.  A little harder than Poachers Fall but the quality of climbing was brilliant.  Really worth doing.  We soloed up the lower tier (about grade IV) and then roped up for the main two pitches.  There were other teams on Poachers Fall and another team on Umbrella by the time we had got back down to the bags.  A great route....better than Poachers....maybe....