Honeypot

Mess of Pottage

So last night, despite the forecast of winds gusting to 85mph Dave Buckett and I planned to meet and go to Coire an t-Sneachda - it was supposed to ease a little in the afternoon. We arrived at the Cairngorm Mountain bottom gate to find that it was closed and all snow sports were cancelled for the day! There was a lot of black ice of the road to the top car park apparently and it would take an hour or more to clear... What to do, we waited.... At about 9.40am the gate opened and we were allowed up - today waiting paid off. Today there were only a few teams of climbers setting off (less than 10 teams), and there was nobody heading for the Honeypot (IV,6**) on the Mess of Pottage. Dave had unfinished business with the crux of this climb form last year, so he wanted a rematch. The wind had other ideas, and there was a ferocious wind on our backs as we walked in, and the gusts accelerated through the coire and spectacularly shifting snow up the faces. We decided to go for it.

Aladdin's Buttress today

Dave coming up to the end of pitch 2 (a stance below the capped roof pitch)

I had the climb up to the crux. I read the guidebook - 'the start of the climb is V,6 with no build-up' - brilliant, let's go. ... It probably wasn't that hard at the start though! So, in 2 pitches, I got us to the stance just below the capped roof, and it was over to Dave.

Dave setting off on pitch 3

The wind was still awful, and as I watched Dave I thought, is it wise to be standing directly beneath him, when stuff flies down at me - but on this occasion everything was rushing up the face in the wind - fast. Whenever Dave released some snow or ice, it shot up and out of sight.

Dave about to start the crux sequence

Finding a good hook

Find more hooks

The awkward crux moves

Dave dispatched the crux and disappeared from sight. I climbed up to the crux and seemed to feel a lack of gravity, the wind seemed to be actually helping me - until I tried to look around and got punished for not wearing goggles - so I placed axes and feet with eyes open, and pulled with them closed to protect my eyes form the blasts of snow and ice - great. I got to Dave who was sat in the full force of the wind, I stepped past him and the wind threw me to the ground. Okay, goggles on and let's got out of here. We stood shoulder to shoulder trying to talk, but had to shout and still I didn't know what he was saying.

A great day, a great climb.

Intro To Winter Climbing - Sunday

Mess of Pottage - Coire an t-Sneachda

Nick and Rich wanted to learn about how to lead themselves safely up a winter climb. We headed to a popular Grade I gully in Coire an t-Sneachda - Jabob's Ladder (I**). It was the obvious complete line of snow on any climb in the coire on Sunday, so it drew a lot of attention. Most climbers soloed up it - the snow was relatively firm, and the exit was simple. It was the perfect climb to learn to lead, with excellent rock anchors all the way, on dry and clean rock. The morning started with light winds, clear and dry. There were firey skies over the Cairngorms at sunrise. This visibility stayed until about midday, when the clouds drew in, winds rose, and a light rain started.

Aladdin's Buttress

Rich setting off on pitch 1

Nick and Rich quickly put into practice the ropework they had learnt yesterday, and built upon this by learning about placing rock gear, and switching leads.

Searching for gear

Pitch 1 of The Slant on Sunday, on Mess of Pottage - almost summer conditions

Several teams headed off to the left from the gully on the start of the Slant. I couldn't see what climb they moved onto.

Nick's turn to place gear on the lead

Nick's turn to build a belay

There was a choice of belays and belay ledges all the way up the gully, so conditions were perfect for learning. This has set them up well for consolidating these skills, before moving onto bigger adventures. We later went down and looked at bollards and stompers as a means of descent.We were definitely lucky with our weather window as today (Monday) the rain has set in again.

Nick and Rich building their bollards for an abseil

Nick abseiling

It was a really sociable day in the Coire and we bumped into Tim Mosedale, Zac Poulton and Scott Kirkhope, all seeming to run around with a single axe.