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:

Stob Coire nan Lochan

Thursday, 31 December 2009

Hi Alan

Update on Stob Corrie nan Lochan on Wednesday- wind depositing large amounts of snow on lee slopes and very thick soft snow in these areas. Broad Gully looks as if it should be well avoided as do slopes below same and Forked Gully.

We 'swam' up to Twisting Gully and climbed a couple of pitches but didn't fancy the snow fan exit slopes so ab'ed off for a well earned chippy in Tyndrum. A hard day with strong winds and plenty of spindrift. SC Gully looked rather thin! Pic taken looking down first pitch.

Cheers
Craig



Thanks for that and the good looking photo.


posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 20:11  1 comments
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Bridge of Orchy Hills

Alan,

Have been out past couple of days on Beinn an Dotaidh, and then on Beinn Udlaidh. West Buttress had outstanding frozen turf and some good ice, with not too much powder. Taxus was also being climbed by groups, although the avalanche risk there remains high I would guess; we avoided it because there was a lot of slab breaking away in the lower part of the gully.

Beinn Udlaidh was busy; we did the first pitch of Green eyes and then the second pitch of South Gully of the Black Wall to give almost continuous good ice.An 'instructor' of some sort got to the bottom of Quartzvein SScoop before anyone else, and then spent the next hour teaching his two clients how to belay at the bottom of it, thus stopping anyone else from climbing the route. Caused some considerable rumblings in teams who had to make do with other routes. But there is loads there to do.

Duncan Francis





posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 13:09  3 comments
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Beinn Udlaidh

Wednesday, 30 December 2009

Beinn Udlaidh today had plenty of windy weather, some good ice and avalanches on the top apron of most of the routes. Please be careful when topping out.


Beinn Udlaidh West sector.


Quartzvein Sccop is in good shape. Some of the icicles are dripping, but the ice is good.


Quartzvein Scoop.


Plenty of steep ice around Peter Pan Direct area.


Central Gully on the right side of this photo avalanched today, bringing down rocks, snow and two climbers, one with broken leg. Fortunately three rescue teams were having a 'cuppa' at the Bridge of Orchy Hotel. just fifteen minutes away. They had been on Beinn Dotaidh on another call-out. A helicopter that had been on Ben Nevis was also able to put down a medic in the corrie and effect a quick rescue. Well done.


posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 20:47  0 comments
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Piles of Powder

Tuesday, 29 December 2009

Thanks to Stephen Gregory for these shots taken today on the Stob Ban - Sgurr a'Mhaim horseshoe. Plenty of snow to plough through. No let up in the cold weather.


Ben Nevis from the summit of Sgurr a'Mhaim


Stob Ban climbs from the 'Devil's Ridge'


Winter sky at sundown.

Some folk up on the CMD Arete today told of strong winds and meeting teams who had backed off of Nevis approaches to routes due to the amount of bottomless snow.

Teams back from Glen Orchy reported good ice on Beinn Udlaidh. Certainly the lower icefalls seem to be the best bet at the moment. Has anyone been up to Steall Waterfall recently?


posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 22:26  0 comments
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Still very cold

Monday, 28 December 2009

Thanks to Gillian Culshaw for these two photos taken in Glen Coe today.


Stephen and Stephen (Greg) on top of Stob Coire nan Lochan today. Bidean behind.


The cliffs of Stob Coire nan Lochan, well plastered.


posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 22:22  0 comments
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Lake District Photos

Sunday, 27 December 2009

Hi Alan,
Thanks for the Newsletter and the stunning photos. What a great start to the winter!

Wednesday before Christmas was a super day for a quick tour over the Cumbria / Durham border.

Boxing Day was a day of two halves down here. In the morning we managed to catch the soggy end of a good run of cold and snowy weather - semi frozen turf low down in Nethermost Cove and deep drifts. In the afternoon the sun came out for the mass ascent of Blencathra. All we need now is some of your really low temperatures to sink south.

Best wishes,

Phil at Freetime









posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 21:34  0 comments
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Agag's Groove

Rannoch Wall has been climbed again by Andy Nelson and Kenny Grant via Agag's Groove very good climbing, well protected, tricky and sustained. Respect to MacInnes for doing this almost 50 years ago now.


posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 12:04  0 comments
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Point Five Gully

A quick report on Point Five Gully, which was climbed by folk staying at the CIC Hut. They said the first pitch was okay. The second (Chimney) pitch was a little cruddy in places. The remainder was okay, but the top easier section had loads of loose snow in it. They exited centrally and the cornice was not a 'big' problem. The hill was quiet.

The next week looks set to remain cold at all levels with some new snow falling, but not very windy at all. The best options will be buttresses and ridges in popular locations that have a trail blazed in to them. Snow shoes or skis are definitely the order of the day.


posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 10:24  0 comments
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Good Weather

Saturday, 26 December 2009

Aonach Mor West Face glistening under an azure sky. Today a little high cloud has encroached on the west coast, but no significant stormy weather around according to the weather charts.


Hello Alan
Thanks for your Christmas message - A Merry Christmas to you and your wife. Spent last 4 days in Patterdale in Lake District. Snow up to waist! Very difficult walking. Very powdery but good sod busting underneath. Couple of photos attached. Just wondering if 67 might be time to take it a bit easier but Scotland continues to be in my thoughts.
Geoff

Thanks Geoff. You are never too old to stomp up even a small hill!




posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 16:10  0 comments
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Winter Peace

Thursday, 24 December 2009




The..."You Won't Die of Boredom"...dog-walking route, Great Glen, Caledonian Canal. Grade XII,12. This grade is very flexible and reduces on wet and windy days:-)


posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 14:20  0 comments
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Travel if you can - Snowden is good

Wednesday, 23 December 2009

I am working via dial-up mobile phone connection but will try sending you a couple of pics taken in Snowdonia yesterday – it was just FANTASTIC – clear sky, sunshine, fantastic clarity for views, and as much snow and ice as you could wish for. We did a route up over Pen-yr-Ole-Wen, to Carnedd Dafydd and back – just wonderful, and almost no other people on the hill.

Please just confirm that they get through OK.

Best wishes

Roy

Thanks to Roy Starkey for sending in these good winter shots, taken on 23rd December in North Wales.






Road Conditions around Fort William are okay just now, but keep an eye on this link before you travel and carry a big shovel and a sleeping bag in case you hit deep snow.

Still plenty of space at the Bunkhouse


posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 16:30  0 comments
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Cold and Calm






A couple of shots taken from Fort William seafront at sunset today. Not a difficult route, but very photogenic just now. Ice and snow at all levels, but some approaches will require a lot of trail-blazing and maybe a team effort to ease the uphill tread!


Meanwhile, somewhere in deepest Hertfordshire, where they need a Government inquiry every time it snows! This is what they get up to to pass the time. Nevis Range, eat your heart out:)


posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 15:47  0 comments
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Cold until New Year at least

Tuesday, 22 December 2009

Plenty of space at the Bunkhouse folks. Call me if you need to make a booking.


posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 22:50  0 comments
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Still 'Baltic'



Line Up Rannoch Wall





I've attached a couple of pictures from yesterday on Rannoch Wall where Andy Nelson, Andy Sharpe and I made a winter ascent of the HVS Line Up. Superb sustained climbing, not too sure of the grade but probably VII,8. Andy Nelson is definitely on form and dispatched the crux corner and roof very smoothly.

Climbing tomorrow so I'll let you know what we get up to.

Regards Kenny
Kenny Grant
MIC Mountain Instructor

Thanks for that Kenny.


Hi Alan,

I've spent the last couple of days wading around Torridon in some very deep snow. I could see that the ice lines on Liatach are formed and starting to fill out nicely specifically in Coire Dubh Beag and Coire Dubh Mor and that Triple Buttress on Beinn Eighe was getting a good coating of rime with the northerly winds. Approach times to the crags will be greater than the guide book suggests but the climbing looks like it might be worth it.

Scott Kirkhope.

Thanks to Scott for this report and photos below.







The Aonach Mor climbers gondola will be open at 0800 other than Boxing day and New Years day when it will be on at 0900, all presuming that the weather behaves!! Apparently the climbing is pretty good too.

Beinn Udlaidh is pretty good by all accounts.


posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 18:02  0 comments
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Rumours of Snow

Friday, 18 December 2009


Snow by all accounts back in the U.K. Well, in Nigeria it is definitely tropical. Myself and Richard Bentley of Mountain Motion are back out in Ondo State, Nigeria helping to set up part of The Mare Festival. Plenty of good clean rock, but no protection to speak of. We are definitely looking for a keen team with drill to set up routes on these superb crags. Hopefully back home next week, avoiding the problems in S.E. England at the airports.


posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 22:43  2 comments
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Christmas Cold

Tuesday, 15 December 2009

Check out Cold Weather Anything in Blue or green over the UK is cold and wintry. It may not be settled, but could be very cold. Head north folks. Plenty of accommodation in the bunkhouse over Christmas and New Year.

Cairngorm Report (slightly dated)

Over the back of Cairngorm on Friday, snow spring like, fragile ice formations on Hells Lum, party on Deep cut. Stag rocks, Afterthought Arete, Cascade all devoid of snow and warm in the Inversion sunshine. Friends on Etchachan reported poor snow conditions with exposed turf frozen and all else poor. We have had another thaw/freeze cycle since and snow on its way.
have a good Xmas would be nice to catch up sometime.

Regards


Thanks to John Lowther for these snippets.


posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 13:26  0 comments
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Waymarks improved on Ben Nevis

Monday, 14 December 2009

This is not breaking news but just a reminder that Nevis Waymarks Improved should be visited and copied onto your map if you are climbing on Ben Nevis this winter. The line of cairns is a big improvement on previous markers and shows that common sense has broken out on this sometimes thorny issue. Even so, the markers may get covered by snow and map and compass skills of the highest order will still be required even if the cairns remain above the snow.

Please can you all consider contacting Nevis Partnership and lobby them to extend the path crossing above the 'Half-Way' Lochan towards Torlundy. Where is the sense in leaving the path half finished? Finishing that path would also create a very good mid-height footpath for summer visitors wishing to access Glen Nevis from Nevis Range.

By the way the weather is still very good and cold. Lots of ice in my back yard!


posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 16:27  0 comments
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Aladdins Couloir in good 'nick'

Sunday, 13 December 2009

Hi Alan, we were up in the Northern Corries on Friday 11th and did Aladdins Couloir in perfect conditions.

4 photos attached. Most of the couloir was firm neve with some light patches of accumulated spindrift, ideal for a first time novice to winter climbing. The ice patch has formed only part way across the gully. The small cornice was very soft but could be easily avoided by keeping to the right at the top - although we went left and had some mild excitement!

Ian & Mark

Thanks to Ian Fozzard for these pics showing the ideal early season conditions in the Northern Corries.









posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 13:31  0 comments
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N.E. Buttress in good shape


Ben Nevis just now, looking over to Tower Ridge.


'Forty Foot Corner' The final hard pitch on N.E. Buttress.


Hi Alan,

Myself and a couple of mates from OB where out on N.E. Buttress yesterday. It was a surprisingly quiet day with a couple of other parties on N.E and a couple on Tower ridge. The conditions are good at the moment with some good ice on top of dry rock. The rocks in the shade are still covered in rime making gear placements a bit of a mission but solid axe placements. I've attached some photos for your blog if your interested.

Scott Kirkhope.


Thanks Scott,

I also heard on the grapvine that Smith's Route on Gardyloo Buttress has been climbed in 'thin' conditions.


posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 13:01  0 comments
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Superb Weather

Saturday, 12 December 2009

Hi Alan

Yesterday I walked from Moy, over An Cearcallach and round the plateau, up to the summit of Meagaidh, then down the Window and out along the Coire Ardair path. The weather was very sunny and mostly still, with a bit of hazy cloud towards the Nevis range, and completely clear looking eastwards.

On the basis of the forecast (3C at 900m) I thought I could do without my crampons, and this was more or less right, but there was one bit--the slope below the Window on the way down to the lochan--where I could have gone faster and less cautiously (and less on my backside) if I'd had them. There were other patches of white ice here and there on the plateau, but nothing you couldn't walk round-- most of the snow was crust or powder, very pleasant going underfoot.

There is a lot of snow above about 800m, nothing at all below that. There's been a lot of avalanche activity on the Inner Face, but there are some big new cornices forming too. Raeburn's Buttress is pretty well bare on the face facing the lochan, but the Post Face is forming quite well, with a lot of water ice even low down. If I'd been there winter climbing today, I think the Inner Face would have been the best bet. But looking at the forecast everything may change soon anyway...

Oh, and I saw something I've never seen before. As I was walking across the plateau from An Cearcallach towards Meall Coire Choille-Rais, the sun was shining brightly on me from above, and was also reflected in Loch Laggan below me. So I could see two shadows of myself on the snow, a ten-foot one cast by the sun in the sky, and a fifty-foot one cast by the sun in the loch. Uncanny, and rather beautiful.

Best
Tim


Thanks Tim,

I'm pretty sure that conditions in various locations must be quite good. A couple of friends did The Hoarmaster in Coire an Lochain yesterday and found it quite difficult!


posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 14:29  0 comments
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Frosty Weather

Thursday, 10 December 2009

A good frost this morning and the conditions could be improving for the weekend. Check out the new Met Office weather widget on my blog. It has some useful stuff, including a forecast that the weather may be cold up until Christmas!


posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 16:27  0 comments
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Machete and Bolt Gun required!

Wednesday, 9 December 2009

Just returned from Nigeria exploring some rock climbing potential in Ondo State at a town called Idanre. We were filming a promo video to encourage climbers to visit the area.


The rock is solid Granite and almost holdless with plenty of friction and no protection. Richard Bentley of Mountain Motion rated one of the routes we climbed as HVS, 4b! The area needs a lot more exploration and a bolt gun would be very useful.


Approaches can be rather green and overgrown with tropical vegetation. The climbs have a very slabby nature. Some are similar to Etive Slabs with bigger crystals in the rock and less protection than Etive. Others are far easier angled and some are near vertical. Crack lines are very few and not at all obvious.


Di Gilbert padding away on the upper slabs


Plenty of scope for development of trekking and climbing on the neighbouring hills.


Stob Coire nan Lochan yesterday on the way back home through Glen Coe. Great to be back to some cooler conditions and fresh Scottish mountain air!


posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 22:18  0 comments
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Plenty of Snow

Tuesday, 1 December 2009


Hi Alan,

Thought I'd send you a couple of photos of the snow in the East.
Taken yesterday wading into Invernookie and on the route.
Looks like there is plenty of snow right across the country.

Nick Carter - Alpha Mountaineering

Best Regards,
Nick


posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 17:02  0 comments
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