Fiacaill Couloir - Is this the end of winter?

What a difference from our last visit to Coire an t-Sneachda! We were down to base layers as we sweated our way from the base of the corrie up the start of the Fiacaill Coulior which is hidden away on the side of the Fiacaill Buttress.

From here we weren't too sure of how much snow was in the couloir itself but as a grade II/III we thought it would make a good end to the season (if it is the end!).

As far as we could tell, Central Gully was complete; The Runnel looked bare in the chimney (?), not sure if Central Left Hand, Crotched or Spiral were complete. Jacobs Ladder and Aladdins Coulior (not in picture) looked ok.

Willy, leading the way up to the base of the Fiacaill Buttress.

Almost alpine conitions as Gordon makes his way up the approach slopes to the couloir.

Viewed from the Fiacaill Ridge, which we descend, the couloir looks deceptively steep and patchy, which it was (patchy that is). I remember looking at it last year as we came up the ridge and thought, "What kind of idiots go up there!" Ahem.

Looking back into the couloir from further down the ridge, with Coire an Lochan over to the right.

All in all a hard (for us) but enjoyable day, despite the snow/ice conditions (or lack of in some places), and we managed to stay fastened to the mountain by some means for 99.9% of the time!!!

Hopefully we will make it back next year and climb it earlier in the season!

Blackford Quarry, 13th April 2009

Today myself, Gordon and Mark, spent a few hours in Blackford Quarry (Edinburgh) enjoying the Easter Bank Holiday sunshine.

We top roped for a couple of climbs followed by some abseiling.

We then moved the anchor points for the top rope higher up the quarry for a longer climb, and then practised belaying a second using an Italian Hitch, indirectly (more like the kind of belay we might use on a winter gully).

Windy in Sneachda!

Today myself, Gordon and Stevie made our way through the fresh snow into Coire an t-Sneachda in the vain hope of finding the gully lines in condition to climb. However after breaking trail for most of the way in , before letting three younger folks take over, it was soon becoming clear from all the spindrift cascading down the Goat Track that there would be lots of loose snow being moved around the corrie in the wind.

Coire an t-Sneachda looked stunning, but this photo doesn't show just how windy it was!

Stevie making his way up from the relative warmth of the sun into the shadows of Sneachda.

As any of the gullies seemed out of the question, we headed up below Jacobs Ladder and the Mess of Pottage to check things out. Aladdin's Couloir can just be seen top left of the photo and the Fiacaill Buttress on the right.

The Fiacaill Ridge and Buttress. We saw a couple of people on the ridge, but not many taking the most exposed line in the wind.

A couple of teams were looking for routes on the Mess of Pottage. Here two guys are checking out the Haston line, left of centre (grade III, 4). Just right of centre there are teams on the Slant which rises to the left, and in the centre you can just see a climber heading for Hidden Chimney. We headed for the edge of the rocks to the left of the Buttress and took a rising traverse up to the broken ground, top left.

Stevie and Gordon traversing below the buttress, before we roped up and pitched up to the broken ground.

Myself, struggling with the wind and a pack full of rope and metalwork!

360 view as we headed down to the ski centre.

By now the wind had increased and walking down above Coire Cas became a little challenging!

Central Gully and Crothched Gully - Sneachda

Myself, Mark and willy met Adam of Hughes Mountaineering again as we gearded up in Coire an t-Sneachda. I'm sure Adam smells food from 500m! (although he was unlucky this time). After Adam and his client set off for Central Gully, we were behind the team behind him. We pitched Central Gully and used it as prcatice for placing protection and belaying. We then dropped back down to the corrie and set off for The Runnel but it was quite busy so we settled for Crotched Gully practicing moving together (oh o!) and placing runners (ah ha), oh and a bit of gardening in the middle!

About 1 pitch from the top, we stopped using runners and I set up a belay form Mark and Willy. Crotched Gully is a grade I/II, so with the short steep (gardening) section with no snow, and a choice of steeper exits at the top, it felt about right to our limited experience.

We walked back through the incoming fog and used the wind to blow us back to car park at the ski centre.

Northern Corries

Today myself, Gordon and Willy had a great day out in Coire an t-Sneachda, with none of the crowds of last week.

Having decent weather helped, as you can see form this shot of the Fiacaill Ridge in the centre and the Goat Track on the left. We climbed Jacobs Ladder ( Gordon and Willy's, first trip up it ) as practice with the rope, placing and removing protection and belaying. Even managed a "stomper" belay at the top this time!

A deserted Jacobs Ladder with Gordon and Willy waiting to come up from the last belay point. We only saw a handful of people climb it and two of those were descending! At the top we turned right (West) and walked back along the top of the corrie, checking out the exits of any complete routes and enjoying the views.

As we walked along we passed the top of Aladdin's Couloir which was tempting to descend but there were quite a few people coming up so we decided not to get in the way

We also checked out the area at the top of Central Left Hand, Central Gully and The Runnel, with teams topping out on most of them.

Willy near the top of Aladdin's Couloir with the Fiacaill Ridge in the distance. We dropped down into the corrie just short of the Goat Track where there is a well worn path through the snow below the buttresses, right down to the stretcher box. We stayed high and had lunch in the snow bay at the start of Central Left Hand, Central Gully, The Runnel and Crotched Gully (the Trident Gullies). A couple of teams passed on their way up the various routes, so after checking the Cicerone guide book, we chose Central Gully.

Gordon climbing Central Gully, a straightforward grade 1 so we didn't rope up. Central Left Hand to our left had a team in it and looked very icy for a grade 1 with quite a fat bulge of ice that required them to get the rope out.

Willy and Gordon at the top of Central Gully, just as the snow started. We chose a line to exit at the left of the gully which was quite thin in places with grass showing through. In hindsight the right hand side may have been better, but with more snow forecast this week everything should still be in place for the weekend.

Bumped into Adam of Hughes Mountaineering in the Ski centre car park. He told us he had been over at Hell's Lum with a couple of clients, but it didn't take him long to scran some food off us!

Birthday in Coire an t-Sneachda

Today I spent my birthday in Coire an t-Sneachda with Mark, Willy and the crowds of other folk out enjoying the bright, but very windy weather before the forecast (?) storms were due to arrive later in the day.

Following the crowds into Sneachda. It looks pretty miserable but in fact was quite bright, even sunny alot of the time. Most of the gully lines seem to be still complete so hopefully they'll last a little longer?

The Cicerone Guide to winter climbing routes in the Cairgorms, page 29.

Heading up into Aladdin's Couloir. Although we soloed it, there was a nice ice section on the left just before the dog leg where one team was practicing with ice screws.

Looking back down the couloir to Aladdin's Pinnacle with Cairngorm in the far distance. Aladdin's Mirror, our second route, comes up to the right of the pinnacle (left in the photo) and then joins the couloir. On the plateau, we headed west and then back down into the corrie to start Aladdin's Mirror.

Looking west across the corrie to Aladdin's Mirror on the left of the picture. It was from here that earlier in the day we saw our first falling rucsac of the day, coming from somewhere in the centre of the photo!

At the left turn in Aladdin's Mirror, Mark saw what he thought was a "do-able" gully (ahem). So we headed up high above the Mirror into the narrowing chimney which turned out to be more difficult than it appeared, even with the rope. Luckily I found a handy piton to use and we "retreated" back to a snow bay above the dog leg and traversed across to the Mirror, just below Aladdin's Pinnacle.

Willy belaying Mark across the snow bay, across to the Mirror (where the other climber is). It was from just where Mark is where we saw our second falling rucsac heading down the Mirror, apparently belonging to a skier on their way down the couloir!

Back in the couloir, taking the steeper exit to the left. Then right (west) and back into Sneachda for a soggy walk back to the car!

At last! A view of Ben More and Stob Binnein!

Ater some deliberation over the road (dodgy), snow (deep) and avalanche (Cat 4) conditions in the Northern Cairngorms (Coire an t'Sneachda), Myself, Gordon, Mark and Willy, decided to head for either Ben Lawers or the Tarmachan Ridge as alternatives. When we could only get 50 meters up the Lawers road, we headed for Ben More instead! At 1174m, Ben More became the first, no doubt of many training "slogs" for Mont Blanc!

As there had been Northerly winds for the previous 2/3 days, we had good neve for most of the way up - even icy in some places.

Mark having the first of his crampon malfunctions shortly after dropping his axe which fortuneatly only went for a short slide!

Prior to this, Willy had thrown himself down the mountain whilst trying to create a large snow-ice ball to launch at Mark, resulting in an entertaining display of a self arrest!

Don't know if this is me or Willy near the top? Could be me surounded by my "aura".

Once at the top of Ben More, we were back in the sunshine with great views over to Stob Binnein and beyond.

What a difference from two weeks ago when we sheltered in this hollow out of the wind and spindrift. Now we had a perfect lunch spot amongst the rimed up boulders around the trig point.

Looking down from the summit over Loch Tay with Ben Lawers just to it's left. Spot the "face" on the rimed trig point.

Heading down to the bealach before climbing Stob Binnein.

Mark having more crampon issues! It turns out that his feet are the wrong shape-or something?

Attempting to take the faster way down, although it can get sore on your backside after a while.

Gordon approaching the 1165m summit of Stob Binnein.

Me having a rest whilst Willy "carved something" in the ice before we headed back down to the bealach and the car.

We told Gordon there was a weight limit!