Coire an t-Sneachda In The Wind

Matt walking into Coire an t-Sneachda, with lots of people passing us the other way, on their way out.

Matt in Coire an t-Sneachda today (New Year's Eve) from Max Hunter on Vimeo.

Matt drove up from Oxford yesterday for 2 days of climbing, so the pressure was on to get out and get it! The forecast looked like a better day was to be had over east, although it would be windy, wet and wild everywhere. We took a gamble and headed east, driving past a very hidden and wet Ben Nevis. The windscreen wipers were on fast by 7am, and were were driving through flooded roads where other cars were turning back. The further east we got the less it rained. When we got into the coire, the rock was running with water, so we opted for The Haston Line (IV,4) which had good neve and good ice. Even the crux had good ice. As I started on pitch 2, there was a shift in the wind direction, and suddenly the wet ropes and gear froze solid. The turf on pitch 2 was frozen solid, and the neve the best I've seen it this winter. We got to where the route crosses Yukon Jack (IV,5) and finished up that. Matt led it well, and managed to find a good sheltered belay at the top. A great day, and only a little suffering - ace.

We saw 2 other teams on the Mess of Pottage, and I think they climbed Jacob's Edge.

Matt starts up Haston Line (IV,4)

Matt waving a wet, cold hand

Matt running up pitch 2

Matt enjoying the new DMM Apex axes

Matt disappearing up the top section of Yukon Jack

Introduction To Winter Mountaineering, in Coire an t-Sneachda

Chris practicing cutting steps

 Glenmore Lodge - Intrduction to Winter Mountaineering

On Saturday I met Chris, Elliot, Gareth and Tim ready to start their weekend of winter mountaineering. We put together a plan for the weekend to meet their needs from the course and to hopefully help them prepare for some future mountaineering plans. We started in Coire an t-Sneachda revising some winter skills, kicking/cutting steps, self belay, ice axe arresting, then moved onto footwork with crampons. We were finally ready for the steeper ground where we continued to look at the snowpack and avalanche avoidance. The thaw is taking it's toll on the surface snow, which is now soft and melting. We later looked at route choice options, and a few safe travel techniques before moving to descent techniques.

The thaw is having the effect of causing a little rockfall at the moment, and there has been a notable rockfall out of the Mess of Pottage at the end of last week (Friday?) - possibly from the Hidden Chimney. 

Fiacaill Buttress behind Gareth

Fluted Buttress

The 'flat ice' in Coire an t-Sneachda

Elliot about to perform an ice axe arrest

Moving up to steeper ground

Moving down steeper ground

Winter Skills - Saturday

Coire an t-Sneachda

This weekend I was working for Glenmore Lodge on a Winter Skills course. I was with Jon Lowe, Phil Rigby, Henry Chown and Davyd Michell. The weather on Saturday was a little full on, windy and frequent blizzard conditions. So, therefore it was a great day 1 for a Winter Skills course to test everybodys ability to stay warm and organised. We headed into Coire an t-Sneachda.

Phil, Jon and Henry

Dav, Henry, Jon and Phil

Some keen climbers setting up camp in Coire an t-Sneachda

So day 1 went really well. Everybody had a full test of their equipment and loved it, and couldn't wait for more on Sunday...

Deep Cut Chimney ****

Matt approaching  Hell's Lum, with Loch Avon behind

After celebrating Hannah's birthday on New Year's Eve, Matt and I got an early night, so that we could have an early start on New Year's Day and head off to the Cairngorms. We wanted to take a look at Deep Cut Chimney (IV,5 ****), but we knew that we would have to take care of the new easterly aspect windslab. The slab turned out to be very patchy and we were able to navigate a way through, and before we knew it we were at the start of the climb, so it was game on.

The start of the initial traverse ramps, to the start of the technical climbing

Due to the conditions we decided to pitch from the start of the traverse, we didn't know what slab if any we would find half way across the traverse. We put the rack together considering the main chimney, and some how we had decided to leave our ice screws at home - mistake! If you go to climb it - take screws, they'd be useful on the traverse, and the first main 60m pitch.

Matt on pitch one of the technical climbing - by now we realised our mistake of leaving our ice screws at home!

Matt did well on the first main pitch without screws and found good rock runners. We didn't really expect this first 60m to be tech 5, but it did turn out to have several sections of 5. With the conditions of snow that we had today, I thought this was harder than Point 5 Gully (when it's in good condition).

Matt about to place the warthog into some frozen turf

My turn - getting deeper into the chimney

It was my turn to take over on the next pitch, and I just kept going, not really knowing where to belay, so I ended up all the way at the top, by the green tat. Next time I would have belayed much earlier to have a more comfortable stance, and room for 2.

Looking back down at Matt

Matt approaching the belay (green tat belay) at the end of the last gully pitch

When  Matt got to the belay we had to fight over who would lead the last pitch, but he gave it to me, so I nervously/excitedly started up the roof turning pitch. Right at the back, I found the good in-situ thread runner (evidence of people ab-ing off from here). From here I found some bomber hooks, then a nut runner, then a spike, then the final in-situ black thread runner. The final moves were equally exciting, then I was out - into the poor weather - I almost wanted to get back into the shelter of the chimney! I took a belay where I could see Matt, then it was his turn. The videos are quite funny, but if you don't like swearing, please turn the volume to mute on the last video!

The climb was awesome and earned all of it's 4 stars. Thanks for a great 2 days Matt, have a safe drive back to England.

Matt starting to climb the final pitch - out of the gully and turning the roof

Matt about to start to do battle with the final section

Deep Cut Chimney with Matt Leggett from Max Hunter on Vimeo.

Searching for those hooks

video 2 from Max Hunter on Vimeo.

It's nearly all over - just the final escape moves - down and around

Finding a way to escape the roof

Deep Cut Chimney - Matt finishing the last pitch from Max Hunter on Vimeo.

20th Dec, A Day Of Digging In The Snow

There was deep fresh snow everywhere. Ice on the cars, on the roads, and on the climbs. We joined the queues waiting for the road to open to get to the top car park, then joined the mass of people heading for Coire an t-Sneachda. We decided to get away from the crowds and aim for the ever popular Invernookie. Just like everybody else that day we had to dig for belays and runners - all were hard to find - so it all got a bit run out..

The climb was excellent - and a great reminder of the delights of mixed Northern Corrie climbing. We waded back out to find our car yet again burried under fresh snow - we drove off knowing there would be more to come tonight - so more digging to be done tomorrow, for a car or a belay, let's wait and see..