Intro To Winter Climbing - Sunday

Mess of Pottage - Coire an t-Sneachda

Nick and Rich wanted to learn about how to lead themselves safely up a winter climb. We headed to a popular Grade I gully in Coire an t-Sneachda - Jabob's Ladder (I**). It was the obvious complete line of snow on any climb in the coire on Sunday, so it drew a lot of attention. Most climbers soloed up it - the snow was relatively firm, and the exit was simple. It was the perfect climb to learn to lead, with excellent rock anchors all the way, on dry and clean rock. The morning started with light winds, clear and dry. There were firey skies over the Cairngorms at sunrise. This visibility stayed until about midday, when the clouds drew in, winds rose, and a light rain started.

Aladdin's Buttress

Rich setting off on pitch 1

Nick and Rich quickly put into practice the ropework they had learnt yesterday, and built upon this by learning about placing rock gear, and switching leads.

Searching for gear

Pitch 1 of The Slant on Sunday, on Mess of Pottage - almost summer conditions

Several teams headed off to the left from the gully on the start of the Slant. I couldn't see what climb they moved onto.

Nick's turn to place gear on the lead

Nick's turn to build a belay

There was a choice of belays and belay ledges all the way up the gully, so conditions were perfect for learning. This has set them up well for consolidating these skills, before moving onto bigger adventures. We later went down and looked at bollards and stompers as a means of descent.We were definitely lucky with our weather window as today (Monday) the rain has set in again.

Nick and Rich building their bollards for an abseil

Nick abseiling

It was a really sociable day in the Coire and we bumped into Tim Mosedale, Zac Poulton and Scott Kirkhope, all seeming to run around with a single axe.