Fingers Ridge

Fluted Buttress

Much less wind was forecast today, so I was excited to have an easy weather day of climbing after being beaten up yesterday, when I was out with Dave. I met up with Hannah Evans, and we drove to the east and made our way up to Coire an t-Sneachda. She had her eyes on Fingers Ridge (IV 4/5 ***). We were happy to find nobody else on it, but there were lots of skiers on the pistes and lots of climbers in the coire. We left our ice screws in the car, but we saw other people placing screws in the ice that was about. I was excited to find that the turf is well and truely frozen.

Hannah on the first pitch

We saw lots of people on the Fluted Buttress, Red Gully and Goat Track gully got lots of accents.

Hannah leading off on the second pitch

I enjoyed the first pitch and found the snow soft in places, but under the surface, and exposed in many places it has formed a solid neve. Hannah joined me and took the rack for a walk on the second pitch.

Hannah after the second pitch

After Hannah's rib over looking Broken Gully, we got onto the wall leading to the large right facing open groove - up to the narrow ridge. This is where I clipped an in situ hex, and later when I said to Han - did you see the insitu yellow hex, she pointed at her harness, and asked 'this one?!'

Han on the fine narrow ridge

Hannah enjoyed the ridge, but was excited about leading through the fingers.

Han dealing with the fingers traverse

The blocks on the fingers are well frozen together, and there was a lot of ice on their far side. Still Hannah managed to find some non-winterised cracks for good cam placements.

I'm on the final wall

Eventually I got what I was looking forward to - the final wall. There are brilliant deep hooks all the way up, and it finished with a horizontal axe torque. What else could you ask for.

Stunning scenery. I learnt today that there used to be 3 fingers

Han on the final wall, concentrating on footwork

Hannah showed good footwork on the way up - always looking down, and rarely at the camera!

Han using a brilliant axe shaft torque in a horizontal crack, and applying nearly full body weight

So it was a brilliant day. The weather was great and lots of people were taking good advantage of it. The climbing conditions were awesome, frozen turf, hard neve, and a day full of hooking..

Direct Start + Hidden Chimney (Sunday)

Direct Start (IV,5)

Glenmore Lodge - Intro to Winter Climbing

On the second day (Sunday) on their course at Glenmore Lodge, Chris and Dave wanted to do something slightly harder, and keep learning about winter climbing. We headed for Mess of Pottage again and got to the belay for Direct Start (IV,5**). I'd told them we'd have a go at some III today, and they said that this pitch looked okay, so that was that. I tried to show them the hooks on the way up, but there was also a lot of ice and neve for the axes as well - it was a great pitch in good condition. 

Looking down at the first few moves, and trying to tell the guys the basics of mixed climbing

Telling the guys where the hooks are

Chris near the belay

Dave nearly there - phew

Dave and Chris got to the top of the pitch and I told them it was a IV,5 in the book. The hard part of the day was over, only the III of Hidden Chimney to go. The conditions were brilliant, the rock was often clean and dry and it was like placing gear in the summer (but on a cold day) - the ice solid and the neve firm.

Getting on to Hidden Chimney

Hidden Chimney in excellent condition

The top of the climb

I found the loose block on the RHS (looking down) of the last section of Hidden Chimney. It looks like a good belay spot, but then a simple test of the block shows that it rocks easily, and unnervingly - so it was time to top out instead. Chris and Dave climbed really well, and had a great day. On the way down they were keen to check out the emergency shelters dug out on the morraines. Cheers Dave and Chris for a top weekend.

Relaxing in an emergency shelter

I'm chilling in the sun as the guys are in the shelters

Fingers Ridge

Happy Days