Raeburns Gully

Making the most of the sunshine and settled weather that Scotland has been experiencing from the lingering high pressure Ross and I made for Lochnagar to get in some more winter climbing.

Lochanagar on the 5th March 2011.

The weather was calm but muggy in the morning with some low lying cloud hanging on.  Throughout the day the visibility improved brilliantly moving from a slight inversion in the corrie to higher based broken clouds.  Eventually all making way for blue skies and sunshine! Just what the doctor ordered...

There were a number of parties out yesterday with six on Raeburns!  unsurprisingly those looking for a harder challenge had to search around for the ice and neve that was hanging in there as quite a lot was looking a little fragile.  Scarface was a good example of the harsh thaw that has stripped back what was nice solid ice conditions.

Avalanche debris at the bottom of Douglas Gibson and Polyphemus Gully.

So up we went moving quickly to keep ahead of the masses and keep above much of the debris that was to be dislodged down the gully.  The recent avalanche debris on the run out from Douglas Gibson and Polyphemus can be seen from quite a distance.  Raeburns had a small amount of debris but I suspect this has come from adjacent routes as we experienced snow and ice falling from these routes and funnelling down the gully.

Raeburns Gully II**** from above the crux.

Due to the exiting dodging of ice and snow I don't have any pictures of the bad condition the crux of the route was in.  In a word: "wet!".  The remaining ice was melting fast and very hollow.  However all teams seemed to make fast progress through the difficulties.

Ross after the crux (and after feeling pump!).

Sun breaking through the cloud at the top of Raeburns.

One happy chappy.

Ross leading through to the cornice.

Ross was moving well and fought through the crux and back into the safety of the side of the gully and out of the firing line of falling ice.  Once we had gained the upper snow slopes and were within reach of the top out Ross was eager to continue.  So on he went climbing confidently and cautiously making sure all placements were good placements.

Raeburns top out (bottom right) with large cornice at the opposite side.

Fortunately the escape out left of the large overhanging cornice had experienced a small collapse; thus providing a nice easy ramp to surmount and top out.  We topped out at 2pm and in the sun.

Greeted back to the car park by the Red Deer.