Mid-winter round up

What an epic winter it's been.. getting milder now for a wee while, hopefully not for too long and the higher routes will benefit from some thaw/freeze, but as this is the first really mild spell since, um, November, we cant really complain!

Winter highlights since coming back from El Chorro: topping out SC Gully at 11:15 into blazing sunshine, more ice entertainment at Udalaih, including leading my first couple of grade 5's, and Tower Ridge on the Ben, in great conditions but cloudy, until the summit where it all cleared.. And ski touring above Crianlairich looking at massive avalanche debris, see other post..

And skiing in the Campsies above Glasgow, that's a rarity..

Not so nice was almost getting swept away by large spindrift avalanches on Stob Corrie nan Beith and twatting my knee on the walk out..

Also took part in a Winter Mountain Leader course, which left me with plenty to think about, including how to dig a bucket seat and axe belay in ice in 5 mins, and how to find the time to log 60-80 hill days prior to assessment..

Retreating off Central Gully

Spindrift on Stob corrie nam Beith

John takes a break

Snow hole fun and games 1

Snow hole fun and games 2

Damp and cold at weem - not time for summer rock yet!

Early Morn in SCNL

Start of SC Gully

Wandering over to Bidean nam Bian

Bidean nam Bian

Glasgow from the Campsies

Paul coming up Organ Pipe wall

Approach to Organ Pipe wall

Udalaih vista

The Smirk - melting!

Pete N on 1st pitch of The Smirk

The Smirk VI/V 5

Me on Doctors Dilema, pitch 2

My first grade V, Organ pipe wall

Team in front on Eastern Traverse

Mist clears

Randoms below Gardyloo Buttress

Pete H

Jaybob

Photo Pete H

The mist clears

Team climbing Tower Gap

Top of Tower Ridge

Lots of snow

Indicator wall, figure top left

Me on Eastern traverse, photo Pete H

Approaching the Douglas gap, photo pete h

Random atop Tower Ridge

Corrie na ciste

Cic hut icefalls

Getting dark over the Orion Face

Crianlarich Avalanche

Big slide..

Out for a mid week ski tour on wed 10th, and came across this massive avalanche debris, just above Crianlarich.

The slide looked like it came from almost the very summit of Ben More, with a crownwall visible just below the summit ridge.

Avalanche starting point, just below summit, crownwalls visible

All this occurred on a westerly aspect, probably about 5 days ago.. It travelled about 900 vertical meters, and would have been deadly! The only casualties appeared to be some unfortunate sheep..

The debris have in places pilled up to around 7 meters high, at a guess, and came down with such force that the slide travelled a short distance up the other side of the valley. Some fairly big rocks have also come down. Must have been quite a sight to see come down, and the debris look more Alpine in nature than Scottish!

Don't want to be buried under that

Debris tongue

Lots of debris

Ben More debris

Stob Binien slide

Debris on Stob Binien

The main force of the slide probably came down this gully

Blast debris on left

Rest of the tour went well, skis on from road to summit, with approx 1000m descent back to the car on a mix of soft spring like snow below 900m and harder packed snow above, great for skiing on. Gordon managed fine despite wearing jeans and trainers.. and never having used an axe before..

Another huge avalanche was spotted on the west slope of Stob Binein, this one almost running as far as the Ben More slide..

Top day out, and spring seems just around the corner!

Gordon makes first munro in 8 years

Summit views

Looking south

Perfect weather

Gordon using an axe for the first time

Clearly loving it

Nice spring snow

Me clearly loving it 2

Crossing the crown wall

Descent from Stob Binien summit