Lots of rime on Shelf Route, Buachaille Etive Mor

Ken: I was back out with Ryan, for day two of the Advanced Winter Climbing Course. With strong easterly winds on the cards, we chose to seek a bit of shelter in and around Crowberry Gully on Buachaille Etive Mor, but the winds didn’t seem to ever really materialise, but that didn’t matter, as we had great fun on a very snowy and rimed up Shelf Route, which overlooks Crowberry Gully. The route was barely recognisable from when I last climbed it last season. The tricky steps were about half the height today. The snow started off very firm and great for axes, but by the top pitch, had turned to fairly loose stuff, and so axe placements needed to be searched for. We continued up Crowberry Tower, before dropping to the col at the top of the Left Fork of Crowberry Gully, and continuing to the summit. We saw one other team in Crowberry Gully, and Scott and Chris with their mountain medic teams on Curved Ridge.

Steve was out with Mike and Chris, on day two of their Introductory Winter Climbing Course. They headed up to Ben Nevis, where they looked at various anchors as well as developing their avalanche awareness.