Easy Gully II (adj Curved Ridge) with video , 24th February 2013.

An absolutely stunning day in Glencoe today with Gordon, Ian and Willy. From what we could gather from various blogs, and information on UKC, the Aonach Eagach seemed to have lost much of it's snow. So we went for the grade II (III ?) Easy Gully (between Curved Ridge and the Rannoch Wall). The path from Lagangarbh was icey in places and some of the rock steps you normally fly up on the way to Curved Ridge were quite tricky with ice, big boots and big gloves!
On the way, we passed the Waterslide Slab which had a nice ice curtain on it.  

In hindsight, it may have been better to head straight up through various snow patches as if heading for Crowberry Gully, as the normal round-about summer route was a bit of a waste of time! However, we got ourselves up to the crowberry basin and struck left for Easy Gully, with the Rannoch Wall towering above us to the right.   

We only saw four people in or around the gully all day. Two headed left onto Curved Ridge itself. The other two joined higher up before the narrow ice pitch and we met them again at the cairn.

Ian and Gordon looking for gear before we headed up to the narrow ice section just right of centre.

Gordon, with Ian just behind (Willy out of shot) above the narrow section with the Rannoch Wall to the left and the A82 way below.  

Ian on his way up to the crest of Curved Ridge.  

We sat by the cairn marking the end of the ridge and chatted with the two climbers who had left the gully to come up the ridge. After more food, we sorted the gear out and moved together up the snow basin and then right to go up behind Crowberry Tower.   

Willy in Crowberry Tower Gap, belaying for Ian.

Gordon heading up to the gap with Glen Etive behind. 

Never can find the right name of this gully between the tower and main summit? 

Looking over Buachaille Etive Beag towards the Ballachulish Bridge.

Ben Nevis and Carn Mor Dearg Arete in the late afternoon sun.

Sun set, as seen from Buachaille Etive Mor. 

Finally the long descent back to the car down Coire na Tulaich. 

Glenshee (skiing conditions) 17th March 2013.

Ian and Brian at the bottom of the Butcharts Access Poma, listening to AC/DC blasting out of the K2 ski tents pa system! There was a little hil fog around early morning (fourth row of the car park  - the best position this year so far!).  

Every run was fence to fence and near perfect. Just needed the visisbility to improve...

Looking across to the Cairnwell with the clouds starting to break up and the wind easing off.

Slalom course looking good with a course being set up for some racing.

Carn Aosda run , the best I've seen it for a long time.

And the sun finally break through as we mess about in the Butcharts Coire area and fun park.

Over on Glas Moal it was getting busy as everyone had the same idea to get there for the sun.

Looking down the Glas Moal motorway. Great high level cruising! 

The main gully of Glas Maol.

A Gully, Corrie Fee, Glen Clova - 3rd January 2013.



It wasn't a promising forecast for the wind, and the avalanche risk was meant to be considerable. So think the east would be the least windy (ha!) , we went to Corrie Fee in Glen Clova. The walk in isn't too bad, but the soft snow made it hard going. As we left the wooded trail and entered the corrie we were blasted by the wind immediately. However we headed for the most likely safest part in relation to the wind  - "A" Gully to the east of the corrie.

Heading up to the gully was heavy going and it wasn't looking good for the gully itself. We did see several ice falls forming amongst the crags so we hoped things would improve higher up, although it did seem as mild as the forecast predicted.  

Gearing up and trying to get shelter from the bitterly cold wind. 

There was some fairly recent avalanche debris from the gully (?) to the right of "A" Gully. 

Snow conditions did improve slowly as we gained height, although a little soft in places, we saw very little loose snow, just the odd patch. The wind was blowing into the gully in places and the left hand exit seemed firmer and more wind scoured. To the right looked inviting but we choose not to and exited through the rocks to the left.   

Very tempting to turn right into the leeward slopes of the gully. 

Much better snow now and a chance for a bucket seat!

Willy on the final exit to the summit. 

"I'm a lumberjack..."