In the last few weeks winter weather seems to have started dominating
news feeds more than it’s been dominating my blog! The so called ‘beast from
the east’ has been making waves along the length of the UK. Tales of deep and havoc-wreaking
snow in London only topped by mountains of drifting snow in Falmouth. Ironically
the only place that didn’t see any significant snowfall was the West Highlands,
which has been wind blasted but in no way freshly snow plastered.
With stable slopes and rumours of icy walls abound we headed
up to the Ben. Dan’s first visit to the north face too. After a late start we
climbed Harold Reaburn’s pioneering classic Green Gully (IV,3). A slow party
in-front of us in the narrows slowed us enough to banish ideas of a second
route so down we went stopping only a MacDonalds for a belly full of chicken
nuggets.
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| Dan seconding the lower icy runnel of Green Gully IV,3 |
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| Typically Scottish conditions just below the top of Green Gully. Dan waiting on one of the many ice screw belays. Solid! |
The next day the beast sailed off and in its wake exhaled a
final warm breath, marking the end of the continental style ice climbing we’d
all come to enjoy. In slightly damp conditions we climbed South Gully of the
Black Wall (IV,4) up at Beinn Udlaidh, which was a great route, aside from the
slightly harrowing sugar soft cornice.
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| Ice ice ice ice. Beinn Udlaidh looking like a dream |
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| Looking up the first pitch of a banked out South Gully of the Black Wall IV,4 |
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| The crux icefall on South Gully of the Back Wall IV,4 |
