Stunning conditions in the Highlands!

However, for various reasons we didn't go! :( With luck, there may be another month or so of possible gully climbing left if the snow doesn't thaw too fast or become way too soft to be safe (along with the danger of rockfall). Maybe this will be a year of classic summer ridges, scrambling, overnight camps and mountain biking? Form an orderly queue...

Chris Boardman MTB Sport and views on a disappointing winter so far!

Well I finally got a new mountain bike after many months of deliberation! The Boardman range of mountain bikes have been getting good reviews so I finally took the plunge at the weekend. Hopefully this will make up for all the lost weekends due to bad weather, duff forecasts or lack of available climbing partners. Having only been out three times this winter (once was skiing at Glencoe) I'm starting to have second thoughts about winter walking and climbing. Along with the soaring cost of petrol, and the boredom of going solo (and the long drive there and back), it is becoming harder to get anything meaningful acheived.
With this in mind, at least getting out on the bike (again) will fulfill some need for the "great outdoors!"
Sadly I seem to have missed opportunities to tick off winter routes such as Sron na laraig, Curved Ridge, Castle Ridge, and a few of the lower grade gullies in Sneachda (Spiral, Crotched, The Runnel etc).
Winter isn't over yet though, and it is allegedly going to cool down again after this weekends mild temperatures and thaw!

       

Glencoe Ski Conditions, Monday 14th March, 2011.

Met up with Keith and his MTB crew for a day on the slopes at Glencoe.Visibilty was poor for most of the day, but every now and then the sun would threaten to burn through especially at the top. When it did, everyone took advantage and went up a gear until the Haggis Trap, or the Canyon (not as murky) where the fog hadn't cleared. The snow was pretty good though, better at the top but a bit heavy lower down. Powder would maybe the wrong description!  

Hanging on a bit longer at the top of the main basin just in case the sun finally came out!

Looking down to the cafe and the Cliffhanger chair and the chance of some blue sky maybe?
With a forecast of freeze thaw cycles the snow should settle down a bit through the week with the possibility of a top up later on. The car park run was a bit heavy going, although sticking to the right hand side of the fence may have been better!

After a hard run down the black below Creagh Dubh, just too deep and heavy going for me - sorry guys, (probably spoilt with all these groomed pistes in Austria!),we stopped to admire the views as the sun finally came out at the end of the day!
Looking over at the Buchaille we could just see Curved Ridge silhouetted against the Rannoch Wall. Hopefully the snow will consolidate and last into the weekend as it may be my last chance to go for Sron na Laraig, the Aonach Eagach or even Curved Ridge? I would imagine gully lines will be well loaded now and should last for a while yet.

And finally as we were just about to leave the car park , I noticed a boarder really close the stream to the right of the chairlift and thinking he should be careful! Then this happened! Double click for larger screen.