Some good ice about the Lakes and the snow condition is generally good and well frozen.  Great End is meant to be good with ice etc forming well, Central Gully and variations possible and Window Gully and the Icefall finish climbable.  Lots of other bits around I’d guess, routes on Tarn/Falcon crag have been climbed, ie. Chock Gully, and also routes on Dollywaggon Crag.

Today I went for a quick look at the Blea Tarn Icefalls, a few routes were climbable, the ice varies and is thin in places but was also very good with a bit of selective route choice.  I climbed the upper part of Birkett’s Gully (the narrows upwards) and it was generally really good, plenty of good ice about to link up and snow fairly solid.  I also did the left hand main icefall on Blea Water Gill, the right hand option looked thin…  Above and left of the top of the Gill is a small buttress with 2 pillars, the left was thin with a big ice umbrella at the top but the right one was good, I climbed that at about III and the ice was very good.  The ice pillar on the same level as the main falls of Blea Water Gill and out to the left was not doable just yet.

Lots of other bits of ice around the Cove which could be worth a look.  Access to the car park is possible despite the road closed signs.

Had an awesome weekend running a Winter Skills Course for www.mountainguides.co.uk

We had a good day on Saturday doing a circuit of Stob Coire nan Lochan, then the high pressure arrived and gave one of the best days I can remember on Aonach Mor yesterday, great conditions for skis with the Dubh Coire looking great, great conditions for ice and mixed also, the Ben looking white high up, and all in perfect weather!

Some great conditions in the Lakes today, turf well frozen up high and some crags looking good.  Could all change tomorrow though!

We climbed some routes on Green Gable which was in better looking condition than its larger neighbour Great Gable for steeper stuff.  Our first route climbed a 30m slab pitch with an overlap at about VI/7 and gave a great pitch that we believe is a new route…?

I just had a great 3 days out running a Mountaineering Course for Highpoint at www.mountainguides.co.uk

We took in Ledge Route on the Ben on Saturday which gave a great day out and a slight thaw at most levels.  We then went up into Coire Tualich on Sunday and had a skills day in the Coire, things had cooled again and snow blowing in brought many crags into great condition!  Day 3 on Monday was up in Lochan where we did Dorsal arete with great views throughout the day and the crag in superb condition.  Dorsal had hard scoured snow all the way and all the steep mixed lines looked brilliant, people on The Scabbard, Twisting Gully, Raeburns Route, Crest Route etc.