Berghaus Gear Testing at GL - 2

Colours from a new jacket on show today

Thursday at GL was day 2 of Winter Skills for the Berghaus team to test their gear. The weather was very different. The cloud level had risen, mostly to above the summits. The wind had dropped even further, and there was due to be be low temps and no additional snow - fantastic. Unfortunatley due to the nature of the deep soft snow we had not found anywhere for ice axe arresting on Wednesday, and the often reliable flat ice of Sneachda and the Lochain path were buried, so no icy crampon work.

A climbing team looking into Coire an t-Sneachda choosing where to go. They followed the crowds to the Mess of Pottage.

We followed the well tracked path into Sneachda, and found that several teams of climbers were already making their way up a select few climbs. There were queues on Hidden Chimney and the Slant.

Mess of Pottage - people on Direct Start to Hidden Chimney, Hidden Chimney, The Slant.

Aladdin's Buttress - a climbing team at the bottom starting on Original Summer Route.

Aladdin's and Fluted Buttresses

Fiacaill Buttress - climbers on Invernookie

We made our way over to the Fiacaill Buttress, and with crampons, and careful route selection we made our way up to the notch to the right of the crag. There was some 'interesting' snow on the way, and Kevin's team in particular was being cautious of slope convexities, where they had found easy deep shears lower down.

Both Kevin's team on the left and my team on the right avoiding the 'interesting' snow in the centre of this slope - which showed some easy deep shears.

Team Berghaus - Loch Morlich behind

Phil. Behind Loch Morlich, there is snow on hills as low as 687m (Craiggowrie)

Angela - with Stob Coire an t-Sneachda behind her head

We made our way over to Stob Coire an t-Sneachda and met lots of climbers topping out from the Mess of Pottage in particular. The climbers were reporting a lot of rime ice on the rock, which could generally be cleared easily, often revealing a clear dry crack beneath. The snow was crusty/cruddy, unconsilidated and covered well frozen turf.

Team Berghaus had a good week, of learning about winter apparel, layering, ventilation, wicking, comfort and function - and having a good measure of early season winter fun along the way.

No. 4 buttress, Coire an Lochain, showing Savage Slit in the middle.

Celebrating a great day on 1141m at the top of the Fiacaill a' Choire Chais