Fiacaill Ridge via Twin Ribs, 21st March 2010

Quite a busy day in Sneachda today as myself an Lorna headed for the Twin Ribs area so she could get used to some easy winter ropework in the sun, rather than the cold of the gullies. Although most people seemed to be avoiding them anyway, probably due to the large droopy cornices hanging over them. Most of the gullies looked complete though so hopefully there's a few more weeks in them yet!

Lorna walking into a bright, sunny Sneachda with the Twin Ribs area over to the right.

 The straightforward ground on the Ribs was ideal for Lorna to get used to this winter thing, and a better way up to the Fiacaill Ridge than the long slog up the approach slopes.

Someone had already beaten me to the next belay!

The RAF came for a wee fly past whilst we were there.

Looking across the corrie from the Ribs.

From the top of the ribs we followed the Fiacaill Ridge to the plateau. The ridge still had a decent covering of snow giving some entertaining sections; probably about grade II ? Didn't see anyone climbing the Fiacaill Couloir but it seemed complete-ish? There were teams topping out on the Fiacaill Buttress though.

 
Large droopy cornice over the Jacobs Ladder area which everyone avoided by heading over to the right.

More cornices over the Trident Gully area.

Climbers at the top of (i think) Fingers Ridge?

  Lorna and those cornices! The top of Jacobs is in the centre of the picture, but is way too dodgy to go anywhere near it. Anyone climbing near there exited way over to the right. 

Resistance training!

With no available climbing partners (?) i opted for a short day on the Tarmachan Ridge near Ben Lawers.
It was 5c at the carpark so the chances of firm snow were slim!

Looking along the ridge to Meal Garbh from Meal nan Tarmachan. The climb up was pretty hard going on the soft-ish snow and it was a fine line between "crampons or no crampons". In the end it was slightly easier with them and little safer on the steeper sections.

    

Meal Garbh getting closer and looking much more severe than it really is.

 From the summit of Meal Garbh, a short ridge leads off the west. Again this is not as bad as it looks, although the strong winds made it more interesting!

  

Don't have the sound too loud on the video as the wind was a bit wild!

Looking back east along the sprawling ridge to Meal nan Tarmachan on the far left.

Looking back (east) to the so called "bad step", roughly a rising diagonal line - left to right through the broken ground. I descended to the left of the picture due to the dodgy snow. It didn't look anyone had been up or down that way lately as it wasn't stepped out.

All along the ridge there are short gully sections to play in although nothing over grade I and most about 5-10m high. There are some nice looking gully lines on the south of the ridge overlooking Loch Tay, but I suspect they may have been dodgy in todays milder weather.

 

On my descent back to the landrover track which leads back to the car park I had some friends for company.

 

The view of Meal nan Tarmachan (far left) from the landrover track on my way back to the car. Note the two gully lines, centre and right of the picture.