Raeburn's Route - In The Wind

Raeburn's Route from NC

 Abacus Mountain Guides - Winter Climbing

This morning I met up with Dale and Lewis and we made a plan to go climbing - what else! They've just got to Scotland for a few days of climbing and they wanted to start it with a refresher on about III/IV. They like the full on Scottish experience so they are also camping - last night they slept in their down jackets! We went to the SCNL car park which was full - so we may not make our plan A climb - Twisting Gully. Eventually we got up to T Gully and found 3 teams on it - 1 climbing and 2 waiting! So we moved onto SC Gully - here 1 team had just started and 1 waiting (and 1 arriving behind us), so we moved on. We found Raeburn's from the NC start free of people - brilliant. There were 2 teams on Central Grooves, making good progress. However it was a bit windy, but the route was in amazing condition - the neve was hero and the rime ice was everywhere - what else can you ask for... More days of the same.

Lewis

Lewis and Dale

Lewis finishing the crux pitch

Dale getting rime in his face

Dale climbing on the final pitch of Raeburn's Route from Max Hunter on Vimeo.

Through The Pearly Gates

Julia and Phil on pitch 1 of Pearly Gates

Jagged Globe - Winter Mountaineering

Today I met Julia and Phil on day 2 of their course. They had never climbed with 2 axes before but were up for adventure. We got up to the basin of the SCNL coire and we could just about choose any climb we fancied. People were heading up towards Boomerang Gully, Dorsal Arete, Langsam, NC Gully, Twisting Gully, SC Gully etc - so we went for Pearly Gates (II**) on the summit buttress, slightly up from Langsam. I started pitch 1 just to the left of the true Pearly Gates start because the ice looked good for an ice belay, and it would make the climb a little longer. The 2 screw belay was good, and I headed off to find the 'gates'. We made it to the top in 4 pitches. As I topped out into the sun, I suddenly overheated - the priorities were to make the belay fast, then get the 2 jackets, hat and gloves off - phew! Well done to Julia and Phil for their first winter climb - it was a pretty special day - good company, amazing neve, ice, a new climb for me and the weather !!!

Ice belay - end of pitch 1

Belay at the entrance to the gates

Andy and 2 clients on Dorsal Arete

The start of the last pitch

Phil topping out on the SCNL summit ridge with Ben Nevis behind

Of course we had to go to the summit and get all the normal photos - Buachaille Etive Mor behind

Vicky makes it to the summit and joins the party

SUN !!!!

Pearly Gates in the centre of the photo, on the flank of SCNL

A second climbing up SC Gully on the last pitch

Twisting Gully

South Buttress, Central Buttress and North Buttress of Stob Coire Nan Lochan

This week I'm working for Jagged Globe on their 'Snow and Ice climbing course' - alongside Ed Chard.

Today I was with Fred and Tariq. who aren't new to snow and ice, so we thought we would kick the week off with a look in Stob Coire Nan Lochan, with a view perhaps to do Ordinary Route on Central Buttress, but I thought I saw people on it, so we went for Twisting Gully (III,4****) instead. Ed was in NC Gully with Adrian and Jim. There was a team on Intruder who had a good day, and there was a team on Central Grooves. I also saw Scott out with his team heading for the Summit Buttress.

Fred and Tariq in Twisting Gully

Twisting Gully was in great shape and had seen a lot of action at the weekend. The crux was fairly straight forward with solid neve about.

Fred gaining the ledge on the left wall

The neve was terrific on the entire hill. Even the cornice was safe today and easy.

Tariq on the same move moments later

There was a fair amount of wind today (enough to make sure the Nevis Range Gondola didn't run - causing a great deal of extra walking up and down for some teams today), and there was some transportation taking place.

Fred abseiling in Broad Gully

After a great climb, we had a mini abseil session in a secure Broad Gully. Just before this I had seen Louise Beetlestone lead the fine arete of Dorsal Arete (how many more times will she be up there in her outdoor career!)

Thank you to Fred and Tariq for great company, and I look forward to tomorrow.

Twisting Gully, Stob Coire Nan Lochan

Trying to take a photo of the crux on pitch 2, I found it to be well protected

Andy coming out of the crux onto the easy crest

Steve and Andy on belay before the final 4th pitch

Another stunning day and view, looking down to Glencoe and Ballachulish

Day 2 with Andy and Steve on their climbing week. We headed into Stob Coire Nan Lochan and jumped onto Twisting Gully, another **** route. We were looking at winter belays, equalising multi point belays, double rope technique, parallel climbing, managing 2 ropes and saving our calves!

It's a great climb, and we had terrific weather and snow conditions to enjoy it (and there was a hole in the cornice which is always handy!)