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

Ice Photo Dump!

Way too much climbing going on to write up, so picture tells a thousand words and all that.. Its cold here in Scotland..

Perfect training for El Chorro next week!

Sundown from Beinn Udalaih

Eas Anie

Eas Anie

Top of Sunshine Gully

Sunshine Gully

Beinn Udalaih vista

Random on Quartzvein Scoop

Paul atop Beinn Udalaih

Peter Pan Direct looking good

South Gully of the Black Wall

Quartzvein Scoop

Quartzvein Scoop p2

Al on a wet Oui Oui

Oui Oui

Travels in the fridge

Al takes (another) tumble

Powder turns above the home road - this is usually full of boulders the size of cars

Hoping the fragile ice holds up on the Steall Falls - 1st time climbable in 8 years

Steall Falls 2nd Jan

Steall Falls

Steall Falls first pitch

Steall again

Dave atop the Falls

Steall Falls 3rd pitch

Pete and Dave come up second pitch at Steall

Top pitch on Steall Falls - note water

Monolith Grooves Crux

The Monolith

Monolith Grooves pitch 2

A fine peak - Beinn an Lochan