Crowberry Gully - A Busy Place Today

Lena leading off on an early pitch in Crowberry Gully (IV,4***)

All season I had heard about people enjoying Crowberry Gully, and I was jealous. I tried it years ago, but found it out of condition and had to abseil out, due to no ice on the steep sections. Today was the day to finish the job. Well - it was a great grade IV climb, and really atmospheric. We made a relatively quick start to the day, and were glad we did, because shortly after we started 4 other teams arrived behind us! The climbing was great, but a little easy in places with the belay ledges waiting for you, and the ice stepped and hooked. It was a little thin in a couple of places, and I wonder if there is much left leaving the junction belay after the 5 teams today...

I'm having fun on one of the first icy pitches

Lena enjoying her new Edelrid axes

Lena coming up to the junction belay

I enjoyed the thin ice away from the junction. There was plenty for my axes though. There were 4 teams behind us though, so I wonder what is left now!

Lena's turn for some fun. She sets off on the cave belay pitch

A great position - the cave belay pitch (normally the crux pitch)

Somebody's had a good day!

Lena's camera takes great panoramic shots. Mine doesn't :(

Off we go to check out a way down

The way down involved plenty of bum slides - a brilliant way to finish a great climbing day

I got back to my van happy about our day, and wondering what to do with our extra time on our hands - to discover that somebody had smashed into my wing mirror and smashed it!!! I wasn't happy TO SAY THE LEAST. Some kind person had witnessed the whole thing and left a note on my windscreen to tell me what they saw - and the REG NO. of the person :)  . So what I did with my spare time was go to Fort William Police Station and get them on the case. So now an investigation has started - it was an old man driving a SIXTH rental VW van - hopefully in the near future I'll get him to pay. The police are more interested with him driving off without stopping!!!