Cairngorms 01-03 December

We had a great 2 days out over the weekend with 16 students from Lancaster Uni on a winter skills course. We had brilliant weather and conditions in Coire Cas and on Sunday in Coire an t-Sneachda.  There were many people out climbing over the weekend with a lot of effort going into clearing the inches of rime and frost build up off the routes, some routes were so white they were barley recognisable!  Thanks to the crew from Lancaster Uni for a great 2 days out…

 Loch Morlich

 Looking at snow bollards

 Looking at bucket seats backed up with a buried axe

 Putting some new skills into practice

 Some climbers clearing the way on Fingers Ridge

Invernookie and the Seam cleared

Before heading back to the Lakes tonight Tom and I headed up to Lochain for a climb.  Some fresh snow overnight and a change in the wind had caused some fairly spooky wind-slab conditions in places, a loud ‘whoompf’! from an approach slope caused us to look for another route on the way up….  Today was a bit warmer but the wind was stronger than yesterday so it felt cold, we ended up getting on Savage Slit, a classic mixed route that neither of us had been on before.  The traverse to the other buttresses was not a good idea today so we decided against the route we had originally intended, that and also the fact that it was plastered in rime up to about a foot long in places.  Another team arrived and felt the same about the traverse and so got on Fallout Corner.  These routes were both cleaned on Sunday so progress was quick on the routes.

 Tom on 1st pitch

Abb back down

Plastered crags, The Overseer Direct had been climbed and cleared Sunday