Ethics rule at Lochnagar

Tom Stork and I made an early start to get out to Lochnagar for what we hoped would be our first winter route of the season.  After a brisk walk in leaving the car park at Loch Muick at 6am (delayed by much tea drinking and biscuit munching) we reached the col before 8am.

Lochnagar panorama.

Unfortunately the white on the corrie rim seen form afar did not tell the full story.  The ground on the approach is all nice and frozen with ground ice in many places.  What little snow found on the ascent form the land rover track has been blasted off most of the buttresses in the corrie.  There may have been something in nic on the main crag but as Tom was due in work in the afternoon we were confined to the eastern crags.  Our ethics and common sense drew us back from the thought of getting any climbing done and we resided in the pece of mind that winter routes were not far away at all.

Tough Brown face, Black spout and the Western buttress.

Central and Shadow Buttresses.

The Cathedral area.

Form seeing it up close before we turned back from our second option of soloing an easier turfy option (which was bare)  we both agreed that a little more accumulation of snow with a thaw and freeze will allow for a good build up of neve and ice.

Until next time...