Super on Smith's Route

Another very good day at the head of Observatory Gully climbing on Gardyloo Buttress (Smith's Route). The climb is in really easy Grade V condition at the moment, in so much that it has a line of steps and hooks which could almost be climbed blinfolded! Sorry guys, but that is the case. However, that does not take away from the situation and quality of the ice. Just consider the first ascentionists who cut steps all the way. If you want a bit of a buzz, try it with one axe, cutting pigeon-hole steps and use a pair of woolly Dachsteins!

Plenty of action on Rider's on the Storm and Albatross, plus a flying axe on Indicator Wall which just goes to show that one axe is possible on some routes just now. The weather forecast appears a little mild after tomorrow. A good ploy for Easter would be a day on Ben Nevis, followed by Etive Slabs and a trip out to the Ardnamurchan climbs. Easter Sunday looks a little 'dreich', so you could go for a distillery trip at Lochy Bridge, followed by mountain biking at Nevis Range on that day!
We have it all in the Outdoor Capital:-)




Hi,
Completed South Central Gully on Ben Lui yesterday in Alpine weather conditions, still a reasonable amount of snow left in all the gullies but none left on the ridges. Best climbed early to avoid the afternoon heat as the snow melts pretty rapidly, in the South gully there is still a lot of hard neve and even some ice higher up. There is nothing much of a cornice at the top. The gullies should be good for another week, weather depending.

Craig

Hey Alan

Hope the guy who dropped his rucksack from high on Slav Route last Saturday (31March) found it at the bottom. He was very lucky not to have found me and my mate as well, since it nearly took me off 'Zero', on one of the more 'flimsy' sections. It actually hit my trailing lead rope and would have hit me a minute or so earlier. Fortunately, there was nobody below us. Would have taken them for certain. The lesson should be that if you have to take off your rucksack in this situation, make sure you have something to clip it to rightaway.

Otherwise, a very good day on 'Zero', with magnetic ice, as has been said. I attach picture of first pitch (climber - Pete Sterling (sterling-adventures.co.uk))

Terry Kenny


Agree with your comments about soloing well away from other parties - that was partly what got other climbers so pissed off. I got up at 3.30 yesterday to solo Orion and felt justified doing that - I knocked some ice onto parties below but that hazard is the same - or less than with a roped party. I came back down to do Zero but there was a party gearing up to do it so I left them to it - Imagine a soloist falling high on Point Five with lots of teams below - Carnage!

So when should we expect the refuge Nevis?

Rob

Hi Alan,

I expect you are inundated with good photos just now in these Scottish alpine conditions. But here are some photos from green gulley on Saturday which we found to be in perfect condition from top to bottom. From well frozen neve and ice we arrived for lunch on the summit plateau in 16 degrees of sunshine. It really is a magnificent route. Hats off to Harold Raeburn.

Donald Thomson

Thanks Donald.