Latest mountain conditions

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:

Plenty of deep Snow

Thursday, 29 January 2009

Emerging into Tower Gap on Glovers Chimney today. The first pitch was in good shape with well-formed ice. In between the first and the last pitch we encountered a significant amount of unconsolidated snow.

The easy middle section of Glovers Chimney.

A very windy day today and the snow around Ben Nevis still requires a good wetting, before a freeze to stiffen it up.

posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 21:40 0 comments
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Wet then Cold and hopefully good.

Wednesday, 28 January 2009

Ben Nevis yesterday had loads of unconsolidated snow in Observatory Gully, making travel difficult. Our target was N.E. Buttress via a route on the First Platform. After spending 120 minutes on Raeburns 18 Minute Route, time and snow conditions were not on our side and we descended the normal approach to the buttress into Coire Leis. Point Five Gully and Orion Face look to be holding ice, but the snow in between needs to firm up. Gardyloo Buttress has the icicle variant formed as far as I can see. The next few days look unsettled, but a return to much colder and benign weather will hopefully bring conditions back in quickly.

The weather detail below from a friend and climbing client, who is also a long-serving professional weather forecaster suggests we may be in for a bonanza in the coming weeks. Watch this space folks and never second-guess Scottish weather! I have a few more weather links and will post them shortly.

Yes the High and lows are not entirely sorted yet. Some sort of east or south easterly flow looks likely, but each different run of the models come up with a slight variation. Very cold temps look most likely with 2-4C across much of the UK and yes mainly freezing conditions up the hill and frost at LL. However a south easterly has in one or two of the latest runs brought in Med air rather than E European, some 3 or 4 degrees warmer. Can't see a widespread thaw on higher slopes. I would think Feb could well be a cold month, with only brief incursions of Tm air. Something to do with the polar vortex??????

The Cairngorms are in good shape just now, with reports of good snow and sunshine. Very novel.
This picture below from James Thacker earlier in the week on The Seam. Thanks James. James is over there again today, so more sunshine shots no doubt in the pipe line this evening.

posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 09:03 0 comments
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Cold Russian Air

Monday, 26 January 2009

As the next week progresses it appears that a very cold easterly could establish itself for a while into next week. In the meantime most of the snowpack will soften and harden under some small freeze/thaw cycles. Just what is needed in fact. Check out Weather Charts to see what I mean. Anything blue or green is colder air.

Hi Alan

Good ice over east was working there on Sunday almost continental with good ice all over Lurchers, sun soaked dry rock and no wind. Have attached a pic in case you dont believe me !!

Cheers Danny Dan Goodwin

Alan,

A final shot from Rjukan a couple of days ago (Saboteurfossen, WI5***). Lots of new snow during the week and a bit of a thaw should be setting things up for some cracking conditions when it gets colder again. Returned to some typical Cairngorm weather on Fluted Buttress Direct!

Duncan

posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 18:17 0 comments
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Splendid

Wednesday, 21 January 2009

Thanks to Chris Ensoll for these two photos taken today whilst descending from Ben Nevis. Chris is running his guiding from our basecamp for a few days.

Above the "Halfway" Lochan today.

Coire an't Sneachda today with a little less snow than on the west coast.

Hidden Chimney - Mess of Pottage.

Crumb of comfort for a Snow Bunting.

Carbo-loading after a day out. Check out Mountain Cafe Aviemore Watch the calories girls :-))

Thanks to Tim Blakemore for these lovely shots taken today in the Cairngorms. Tim is running his courses from my place this week.

Plenty of good weather and snow on Ben Nevis today.

The CIC Hut extension is looking good.

New ice forming at 700 metres.

Point Five Gully is complete but almost certainly full of suspect snow. Weather forecasts are suggesting a short mild spell and that might stabilise the snow pack. But, be very careful for a while yet.

Teams returning from the Aonach Eagach reported very good conditions on the ridge.

posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 16:54 0 comments
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Significant Snowfalls

Tuesday, 20 January 2009

Plenty of snow still arriving in large amounts. Apparently Nevis Range are concerned that they have the wrong sort of snow! It's the material that their snow groomers are finding difficulty with. Too much powder makes grooming a problem and snow does not stick too well in cold windy conditions. Sales in snow-shoes are on the increase!

Tough conditions today in Glen Coe.

Stob Coire nan Lochan - Ordinary Route - Central Buttress today.

Climbers out on Central Grooves/Buttress area on Stob Coire nan Lochan today. Thanks to Tim Blakemore for these lovely shots. Tim is running his courses from my place this week.

posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 15:41 0 comments
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A Fine Day

Monday, 19 January 2009

Stob Coire nan Lochan with plenty of snow today.

Thanks toTim Blakemore for these lovely shots. Tim is running his courses from my place this week. Aonach Eagach Ridge in the background.

Route 999 on page 158 of the latest SMC guide book. A very sensible place to climb on a day like this, when the avalanche hazard was category 4.

Follow the blue line. Plenty of other routes to climb in this area.

posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 18:40 0 comments
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Winter with Attitude!

Sunday, 18 January 2009

No let up in the returning polar maritime airstream, pumping in plenty of new snow. Route choice will be crucial in the next week to avoid sliding downhill on the big white mattresses of windslab! Today it has been snowing on and off in Fort William. Ridges and buttress climbing with safe approaches and no big snowy headwalls are to be recommended.

Alan,
I promised you an update from Rujkan. Following a period of too warm weather, and a lack of snow and ice, it is now much colder, and has started to snow. Forecast looks good for the rest week or so as well. Most areas are in, less for the lower areas such as Bolgen, which still lack ice. We have been climbing on Gaustatoppen, Kroken, Vermork, Lower Gorge, Ozzimosis and Rujkan Centre. Plenty to go for! A few photos attached; hot news is that Vairai (WI3), which the guide says should not be climbed, is now open to traffic, as the water source for the village has changed.
Duncan

Thanks Duncan. Leashless is the way to go:-)

posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 16:44 1 comments
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More Snow to Come

Saturday, 17 January 2009

More snow on the way. The Nevis Range today.

posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 18:29 0 comments
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Snow - Wind - Blizzards

Friday, 16 January 2009

Batten down the hatches folks, some shaky weather is approaching Britain with snow following behind.

posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 23:20 0 comments
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Avalanche - Lost Gear and fine weather

Thursday, 15 January 2009

This report relates to yesterday. Today was very warm, especially in the Ice Factor:-)

Gardyloo Buttress (Smith's Route) looked in good shape yesterday. A climber can be seen at the top of the main hard pitch.

We set off a small avalanche just to the left of the foot of Tower Scoop. We lost a flask and a ski pole in the debris. Anyone who finds this gear, maybe consider returning it. Thanks. Our intended route of Gardyloo Gully was forsaken for some training on the lower section of Tower Ridge. Better to turn back in the face of obvious avalanche hazard. It's easy to overcome disappointment. Death is another matter entirely.

Of interest is the fact that the team of two that were at least one hour ahead of us and who crossed the same ground did not appear to have problems with the snowpack. Avalanche hazard can appear in a short space of time and maybe our party of four just tipped the balance regarding stressing the layers.

Looking up Point Five Gully yesterday. It looked in good shape.

Yesterday we had a good cold and benign start to the day, which later turned into rain and wind.

The lower initial section of Tower Ridge yesterday. A good place for training with an abseil descent of the Douglas Gap and down its eastern gully. Observatory Gully in the background.

posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 17:21 0 comments
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Fine and Cold

Tuesday, 13 January 2009

Fairly busy today on Aonach Mor East Face, where there are plenty of routes worth climbing. The turf and ice are in good shape. A dusting of new snow down to around 700 metres is giving the hills a more wintry look. Thursday sounds like a good day for treading water:-)

posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 19:37 0 comments
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Getting Colder

Monday, 12 January 2009

Alan,

Now in Rjukan, where it is 5degrees. Everything melting and falling down.
Should be getting colder tomorrow.....

Duncan

Also. Today I went up to Number Three Gully and down Number Four Gully. Green Gully is still complete and ice in various places high up above 1000 metres. It started to snow and chill down as the day progressed. Unfortunately, just as I decided to dig out the camera we were attacked by a nasty squall and photography took a back seat!

Check out Weather Charts to see ten days ahead. In general it shows more snow and cold weather into next week.

Plenty of accommodation at Calluna Bunkhouse and even if it is raining Bunkhouse Bouldering is on site.

posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 20:29 0 comments
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Wild Wet Windy

Saturday, 10 January 2009

A fairly solid sheet of wind and rain crossed over today from the Atlantic. It was snowing on the summits though for those hardy folk who left the shelter of their homes. That's what I was told anyway!

posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 18:40 0 comments
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Getting Milder, but Cairngorms look good

Friday, 9 January 2009

Getting windy and mild for a short period. Check out Stormy Weather Charts which show unsettled but wintry weather for the high ground over Scotland in the next ten days. Space available on Winter Mountaineering courses next week,

Hi Alan,

We were out in the N Corries today; had Lochain to ourselves, and climbed Sidewinder in immaculate nick. But clouds were coming in as we left.

Earlier in the week we were in Glen Feshie, which has some good unknown routes; shot of James on Waterfall Gully attached. Off to Norway tomorrow!

Duncan

Thanks. Enjoy Norway and send some pics if you can.
Alan

Hi Alan,
Thanks for the web site, keeps me sane down here in Dorset. Here is some more photographic evidence of Welsh ice above, taken on Wednesday 7th Jan. The climber is James Thompson from Dorset, currently working at Plas y Brenin.
He has been out climbing most of this past week making early (0530) ascents of routes before heading back to work for the day and often squeezing something in early evening. Oh to be young again !!!!! Pictures are of the Screen III/IV, Clogwyn Y Geifr.
Thanks again
Mark

Thanks Mark. Tell PyB to give him some more time off work:-)) I'm sure JC or Doyley could fill in for him after breakfast for a while!

Stirling Bomber

Cascade

Hi Alan,

Went for a wee walk yesterday into Loch A'an. Buttresses were looking good and the ice was building.Attached are a few photos for your blog. Climbers on Stirling Bomber are Phil Ashby and James Edwards.

cheers,
Nick Carter

Hey Alan

It has been nice just to get out and enjoy the conditions have attached a couple of shots from yesterday if you want some for the blog with Gillian out at Lurchers where the ice was great. Looks like a warm up though at the weekend.

Dan Goodwin

Stormy Weather Charts

posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 13:34 0 comments
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Stormy Weather

Wednesday, 7 January 2009

Stormy Weather Charts Are showing some more rugged winter weather over the next ten days. A lot of Polar Maritime air, which will hopefully cloak the Scottish hills in more white stuff. The experience might just be a little rough in the making though. Anyway, it is not possible to get good snow without a little bad weather! Or pictures of Elephants without getting close. We were in the little white Toyota in REVERSE:-))

posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 23:18 0 comments
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Getting Warmer for a While

Hi Alan,

It is great to see you are up and running for the current season. Just looking at the photos and reading your reports and blogs is always inspirational.
Vicky (my partner) and I were ill over the festive season so we did not get up North but out of sheer frustration we got out last night and found some ice at Fryupdale on the North Yorks Moors. It was not much but it felt good. I have enclosed a photo to show that (very) occasionally winter still stretches down this way. Even the turf was reasonable (ish) which was just as well otherwise I would not have got to this point!

All the best for the year and the season.

Alan Chape

Thanks Alan. Looks cold down south.

Number Two Gully yesterday in very good shape. Today, teams were out on Left Twin and reported okay conditions. The forecast is suggesting a spell of rain and wind in the next few days.

posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 20:36 0 comments
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Welsh Ice and a Lost Camera

Monday, 5 January 2009

Please contact Fort William police station if you left a camera at No 4 Gully post on 2nd January.

Hi
just some views from the welsh bit on Saturday-100m above A5 below Ogwen on Carnedds side.

Happy new year.

Will be in touch soon

Chris
And closer to home where winter is more extensive! Loch Lochy from Aonach Mor today.

View due west towards Loch Eil and the Isle of Rum.

Steep ice on the East Face of Aonach Mor today.

A route not far from the Web to the south of Easy Gully. Conditions are very good.

Also

Hi Alan,

We had more entertainment than expected on a thin Scorpion. Sorry for not sending a report; it is on our blog

Best wishes,

Henning

Scorpion

Thanks Henning. Good blog.

Alan

posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 21:09 0 comments
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It Rained!!!

Sunday, 4 January 2009

Just a splattering of raindrops and a touch of snow on the tops. Nothing significant though. We joined the poor unfortunates who waited patiently for the Nevis Range Gondola to fire up this morning, only to be told it had an electrical fault and might not run for a long time. A good squirt with WD40 might have helped, either into the fuse box or down the neck of the electrician. A Sunday so close to Hogmanay is a bad time to find an electrician or spare parts. Possibly a coin in the meter could have injected some energy into the system. I understand that the free coffee was appreciated though.

Still all was not lost and we headed off to Buachaille Etive Mor Rjukan. Plenty of big icy smears all over the place low down and within 30 minutes walk from the road. Belays and runners require some imagination and hope. The odd bush of Heather or a passing sheep and some rock or ice anchors.

posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 17:37 0 comments
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Still Dry

Saturday, 3 January 2009

Conditions are still cold and dry. Climbs high on Ben Nevis and Aonach Mor still looking good, but getting a little chopped up. This view shows Coire na Ciste from the CIC Hut today. The ice low down on the right is good for practice at a variety of angles.

Aonach Mor summit success. Thanks to Gillian Culshaw for this photo.

posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 22:14 0 comments
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Still Cold

Thursday, 1 January 2009

posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 12:14 0 comments
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