These are posted as and when I have the time or information. Climbers are welcome to let me know what they find anywhere in Scotland, and I will try and post this information also. Links to other relevant sites are at the top and foot of this page. Important links as follows:

Happy Hippies

Saturday, March 31, 2007

Thanks to Alan Dougherty for these two pictures taken on 31st March.

A pleasant stroll up Observatory Gully today, followed by an even more pleasant ascent of Psychedelic Wall. In it's current state it is a pretty straightforward, if exposed and not well protected grade V route. The ice on the second pitch is not great for ice screws, but takes axe picks very well. Sixty metre ropes certainly pay dividends on these climbs. Plenty of other folk out all over the Indicator Wall area, plus Smith's Route on Gardyloo Buttress looked very fine.

Some of the ice is just beginning to delaminate from the rock beneath in the very fine dry conditions, but nothing to drastic to worry about. Plenty of ice climbs to go for in all of the grades and the weather looks set to continue fair.

Tonight there is a big fullish moon and no doubt another frost to come. Certainly nothing was dripping in the shadowy parts of Observatory Gully today, although those in the sunny sauna of Tower Ridge must have been very toasty!

Quite a lot of folk camping or bivouacking beneath the cliffs to get ahead of the crowds and not a breath of wind on the summit.

View towards Tower Ridge Eastern Traverse today

Lindsay on the first pitch of Psychedelic Wall. I hope you got home in time for the party in Edinburgh!

Davie on the second pitch of Psychedelic Wall. Thanks for the loan of the pegs guys!

Davie topping out on the last pitch of Psychedelic Wall.