Left Twin On Aonach Mor

A busy day on the East Face - this is the top of Easy Gully

Today Lena and I had a leisurely start and made it to the Nevis Range gondola - heading to Aonach Mor East Face. We had an open mind, but realised that there would be only a few climbs in anything like guide book condition. The East Face was busy, but Easy Gully was very friendly, with no dangerous cornice to worry about and bomber neve to enjoy.

Lena making her way down Easy Gully

We made it down the gully and started to wander along the base of the cliff towards Morwind. We found a team all set to go on Morwind, so we moved on to Left Twin. We had it to ourselves so we climbed it in 4 pitches to share the leading. Pitch 1 was a little steeper than normal, due to less than standard ice build up. There was good ice for screws. The ice/snow was cruddy in places, but this was easily avoidable, and you could keep on the quality ice and neve. The turf was 90% frozen, and seemed bomber during the entire climb - particulary helpful at the exit of the gully at the top (a couple of easy mixed moves), below the final snow slopes.

Looking up pitch 1 of Left Twin III***. The first pitch had a few metres of tech 4 today.

Lena finishing off pitch 1

Looking up Left Twin from the end of the first pitch

Lena starting up Pitch 2 - making a belay in the middle of the photo

Pitch 2 starts off at about grade III, before it rears up a little, to make about tech 4ish (or 4+) today, for the crux.

Looking up at the crux ice

On the crux pitch the ice was good enough for good screw protection, with bomber axe placements all the way, and even some huge ice hooks. It did feel at times like I was back in the Ice Factor, pulling up ice hooks. Fantastic climbing fun.

Looking down at Lena and the next team queuing up. They had just abandoned Typhoon, finding a lack of ice on it, so they traversed right ot join Left Twin at the end of pitch 1.

Lena exiting the gully difficulties - enjoying the frozen turf

Lena making her way to the top - finding the top snow straightforward, and no cornice to worry about

So it was a great day on the East Face, with a large number of routes being climbed - with variable conditions! The turf was generally frozen, the neve was usually first time placements, except a few cruddy places, and the ice was more than climbable in Left Twin - what more could you ask for..... More Snow you say - okay wish granted, it's on its way to Lochaber tonight and tomorrow. What a difference 24hrs can make!

A lack of snow on the lower hills