Classic Mountaineering - North West at its best (Sun 16 Feb)

The first decent forecast (i.e. low wind) on a weekend saw us desperate to escape the DIY. In need of some hill fitness, a mountaineering day was in order. We chose the A'Chioch traverse on Beinn Bhan. This is a good choice when there is lots of snow, especially when it has come from the south.  The roads were icy, so the drive from Cannich took just over two hours, but we left the road before 9, a good performance for us!

It was a popular choice, with several parties on the route, but it was very sociable and the belays are relatively spacious. The snow was mostly ok (reasonable neve, not powder), turf was firm, and a good track helps. However, there isn't much gear. This is especially true on the last crux pitch, although thankfully the placements are good. Personally I think there are moves of III (as per the Scotland Ridges guide) and with little pro on the crux I think it has serious fall potential, so I think it is closer to III than II. It certainly felt harder than Curved Ridge.

There is quite a bit of snow even on Beinn Bhan. Looking down March Hare looked loaded and the back wall of the coire with Silver Tear there wasn't much ice visible under the soft stuff. 

Birthday weekend

Great birthday weekend in the Cairngorms - skiing on Saturday, climbing today. We did a quick hit in to Sneachda to beat the approaching storm - back on the coire floor by noon. Red Gully can be III but was banked out so only II today. Approach slopes were quite soft and 'slabby' in places, but steeper ground generally gave good placements. Not much gear though. No photos of the route as we were hurrying and then the spindrift started! I should have taken one on the walk-in as it was beautiful, but all I've got is this one after the route, which shows how plastered the crag is.

Christmas cobwebs

Driving back north from Christmas in Surrey and Swansea, we took the opportunity of a decent forecast for Sunday to stop in Dumbarton and explore the Arrochar Alps. It was good to blow the cobwebs away and start working off some of the Christmas excesses! There was plenty of soft snow, and a rising freezing level, so we decided to give climbing a miss, and headed up Beinn Narnain from the main path to the Cobbler. The southern corrie was a bit of a slog breaking trail in snow up to knee deep, but the South East ridge past 'the Spearhead' was good fun. There appeared to be good ice on the rocks above 800m, but deep soft snow on NE and East aspects, just as predicted following SW airflows.

The Cobbler

Starting the SE Ridge of Beinn Narnain. The Cobbler in the background.

Skirting 'The Spearhead'. Soft snow on this NE aspect.

Successful return to Aonach Mor

Forecast was +2'c at 900m, so we had to go high. Just over 2 weeks after running away from avalanche slopes on Aonach Mor, we were back on the off chance that there was ice to climb. We were right! Visibility was poor, there was some definite dripping going on, but no wind. Surprisingly there wasn't many teams out.

It was a little soft at the bottom of the route, and foot placements never felt totally secure, but White Shark IV,5 *** gave a good climb. We felt rusty and weak, but just about managed to hold it together long enough to get up the crux steep section on the second pitch. There was soft snow on the upper slopes (a while since I've used a deadman in a belay on a route), and a tricky cornice which succumbed to swapping axes so that I could use Vic's better plunging HB Hurricane, and a traverse to the right.

We just made the gondala and relaxed in the new cafe. Very civilised.

A day with my bruv

One of those rare things, a day with my brother, nige. Jules and he joined us in Aviemore for a very pleasant couple of evenings, and we got out on Friday. The forecast was for the weather to deteriorate so an early start and an an escapable route in Sneachda was the correct call. We started up Wavelength (III,4) for a couple of pitches, taking a slight detour up some steep ice as a wall/groove didn't have much build up. With time pressing on, we followed Spiral Gully (II) for a pitch, then did it's Direct Finish (III), which gave 2 further icey pitches. Conditions on the plateau weren't great, so we took a hard right and descended the Goat Track. Conditions in the corrie were far nicer, but we were soon chased out by the snow arriving. 1st photo is a ptarmigan that decided to watch from a nearby rib, 2nd is nige having just done a steep bit.

Great Green Gully - Classic

The time had come for a big day after lots of time spent in cairngorms. It was forecast to brighten up, so we went to the Ben. A 5.30 alarm, a rainy drive, and a cloudy walk to the CIC with snow showers did not make for happy feelings, but as we gained height in to Coire na Ciste the clouds lifted and the sun came out. With the crowds heading for Comb Gully, we went for Green (a third of the way along the trapezoid buttress) and it was a great choice.


We were at the bottom of the route for 12.30 (under 4hrs from car), and conditions were spot on. 5 pitches of grade III with grade 4 steps were a test for the calves and allowed practice in placing screws while on front points.

Protection averaged 2 pieces per pitch (of between 30 and 45m), but peg belays are in situ. The deadman was invaluable for the plateau belay. Topping out at 4.30 in to a setting sun completed a perfect day.

Thursday 20 Jan - Haston Line

Any day off work is a good day, but this was a belter. A lie in, drive to cairngorms, leave car park at 12, walk in with no wind and blue skies, grab a quick route, descend by sunset. We did the Haston Line, which has a short sharp crux, and has been graded variously III,4 ; IV,4 ; III,5! I'm not sure which is appropriate as the moves are quite powerful (layback off torqued axes with front points on an icey wall (1/4 inch ice)), and the gear's not great (as the cracks were iced up), but then, there's only a bit of it, so it's not sustained.