Blowing away the cobwebs: No. 2 Gully, Ben Nevis

/0 Comments/in , ,

When Steve asked me whether I fancied joining him and Duncan for a day on Ben Nevis, I knew that conditions weren’t going to be optimum for climbing anything steep, but that we’d have a fun day out none-the-less as it would be a day out with two good friends, regardless of the weather, conditions or route.  As we walked in, in the rain and wind, other teams were heading back out, clearly not overly inspired by the blackness of the crags visible from the CIC Hut, but despite a couple of moments of doubt, we pressed on and up into Coire na Ciste, with our fall back plan being an ascent of No. 2 Gully, which neither Steve or Duncan had climbed before.

The thaw that had arrived yesterday afternoon had clearly left a bit of a mark, as the ice, of which there is still plenty, was quite soft, wet and in need of a good freeze, but the snow slopes beneath No. 2 Gully were already starting to firm up, so we continued up to the mouth of the gully.  The climbing in the gully itself is quite straight forward and having heard that the cornice was next to non-existent, we soloed up.  As a teaching/introductory route, No. 2 Gully is great, it’s hugely atmospheric, being in a deep cleft, sheltered from the worst of the wind, but just as importantly, has a number of good belays and opportunities to place a variety of gear, which Steve was keen to investigate.

It didn’t take too long for us to top-out, and we nipped round and descended No. 3 Gully, which again, had no cornice.  On our way down, the crags were starting to rime up again as the freezing levels started to drop.  It turns out that I was right, and as expected, we did have a good day, more for the company than the climbing, which is fine by me!

Climbing conditions will continue to improve over the next few days, and it looks like we may receive a welcome dump of snow mid week.  Steeper mixed routes will come in very quickly, but may be quite icy.  There is quite a bit of ice around Goodeve’s Buttress, Raeburn’s Wall, No. 2 Gully Buttress, Comb Gully Buttress and The Comb, so we should also see some mid-grade ice routes come into condition quite soon.

 

 

Coached Leading: Broad Gully, Stob Coire nan Lochan

/0 Comments/in , ,

With Storm Frank looking to leave its mark on the UK through tonight and tomorrow, I was fortunately able to move tomorrow’s work, with Andrew and his wife Bethan to today, and listening to the rain and wind picking up now, I’m glad that they were able to swap days!

Both Andrew and Bethan have a good understanding of winter mountaineering, but they wanted to be coached whilst Andrew led and Bethan seconded, with a particular focus on placing and using rock anchors.  As they were staying in the Clachaig Inn in Glencoe, they were keen to make the most of the immediate hills, so we ventured up to Stob Coire nan Lochan, with a few other teams, including Rich and Hannah, who were back out again with their group from Bristol Uni.

On gaining the corrie floor, it was quite clear that only two snow gullies were complete, Boomerang and Broad, (that didn’t stop a team heading up a rather green looking Forked Gully), and so with only one mountaineering axe each, we opted for Broad Gully.  Broad Gully is a very straight forward grade I gully, which was perfect, as both Andrew and Bethan felt that there was no need to be on terrain beyond their comfort zones, enabling them to focus more on the ropework side of things.   We looked at a number of methods of building belays and made steady progress up the gully.  The winds had picked up by the time we topped out, so we made our way back down the same way.

Rich and Hannah and their group also climbed Broad Gully, and made the summit of Stob Coire nan Lochan before descending its NW flank.  The winds were picking up quite a bit at valley level by the time we reached the cars.

 

Skills & latest Ben Nevis conditions

/0 Comments/in , ,

Hannah was out in the corries of Ben Nevis today, delivering a winter skills day for Bristol University on behalf of Mountain Motion.  Overnight, the temperatures had risen to above the summits, saturating and softening the snow pack and leading to cornices becoming unstable and in some cases breaking away.  Needless to say, the crags quickly lost any rime ice, and were quite black, so whilst mixed climbing would have been a non-starter today, what this thaw did is highlight the build up of ice down the major drainage lines.

Much of the ice will be thin and soft and not much fun to climb just yet, but there is a lot about, and with a much more prolonged cold spell starting on Wednesday, after the passing of Storm Frank, it’s looking like a promising start to 2016.

Hannah and Rich took the group on a tour of Coire na Ciste, looking at cramponning and ice axe arrests, before a journey day in Glencoe tomorrow.  Not many other folk out today, although one team did make an ascent of No. 5 Gully, before coming back down No. 4.

 

Long time coming! Crest Route, SCNL, Glencoe

/0 Comments/in , , ,

After weeks of storms, super short lived freeze cycles, and generally a frustrating start to winter, things finally took a noticeable turn for the better this weekend.  So, with the promise of clear skies, calm winds and low temperatures, Steve and I quickly hatched plans to venture up to Stob Coire nan Lochan yesterday and have a look at Crest Route on North Buttress.  Steve had already climbed the route before, so knew that due to it’s rocky and steep nature it didn’t really rely on turf, which hadn’t quite had the chance to thoroughly freeze, and me having not climbed it before, it seemed like a wise idea, and a great one, as it’s been on my tick-list for quite a while.

The approach was quite tough going due to some deep snow drifts covering the path, but luckily for us, we weren’t the first ones of the day heading up.  We were also just as lucky that the couple of teams in front didn’t have Crest Route in their sights!  The first pitch was a fairly straight forward affair, led by Steve, before I took over, and made my way up the sustained, technical, but well protected and enjoyable second pitch, before Steve slowly and steadily made his way up the technical and awkward third pitch.  We topped out to virtually no wind and clear panoramic views in every direction.  Not a bad way to open this winter’s account!  Other teams were on Yankee Go Home, Scabbard Chimney, Dorsal Arete, Twisting Gully, Central Grooves and Intruder.

Today unfortunately didn’t turn out to be quite so productive.  Steve and I made our way up high, to the entrance to No.4 Gully on Ben Nevis, with intentions to explore and climb on the upper tier of Trident Buttress, which overlooks No. 4, but unfortunately, due to the longish approach, probably coupled with yesterday’s efforts, Steve’s back, which he has had quite a few problems with this year, was causing him a bit of discomfort.  For life as mountaineering instructors, there’s almost nothing more important than looking after your body, particularly with a busy winter looming, so for both Steve and I, there was no question that pushing on would be foolish, so we made our way back down.  It was just nice to be out on such a glorious day, to have a look at an area of Ben Nevis that I know less about and see what else people were on (quite quiet today, with teams on Tower Ridge, Cutlass, No. 3 Gully Buttress, Sioux Wall and Ledge Route).

Hannah has also had a busy weekend, working with a group from Maximum Adventure.  They enjoyed a walk into Coire na Ciste, whilst looking at a number of core winter skills, all in preparation for today’s assault on the summit of Ben Nevis, which they succeeded in achieving. They’ve certainly had a great weekend for it.

Surprisingly snowy on Ledge Route, Ben Nevis

/5 Comments/in , ,

Yesterday was my first day of mountaineering work this winter.  I was working for Abacus Mountain Guides, and was joined by Sally, who was keen to observe a mountaineering day on Ben Nevis, and Amanda, who originally hails from South Africa, and had come up for the weekend from down south to reach the summit of Ben Nevis via a more technical route than the mountain track.  Ledge Route is often a great option, weaving an intricate line through some outstanding scenery, beneath imposing crags and buttresses, and above yawning gullies and snow laden corries, so that’s what we set out to do.

The forecast promised an improving picture as the day progressed, which was reassuring, as early morning brought with it strong winds and heavy rain down to sea level.  As soon as we gained the entrance to Coire na Ciste, things noticeably calmed down,  and we picked our way though a lot of fresh snow to the top of Moonlight Gully Buttress, before traversing across the bowl of No. 5 Gully and reaching the start of Ledge Route itself.

Amanda did exceptionally well, particularly as conditions underfoot weren’t easy with the sheer volume of soft snow sitting directly on the rocks, typical for early season, before a good firm base of snow has established.  Once on the plateau, we made our way over a mixture of scoured ground and the occasional snow drift to the summit, which was well rimed.   Whilst visibility was quite poor, the winds by this stage were far more gentle than earlier in the day.  We had a look at descending the Red Burn, which is starting to fill with snow, but soon changed our minds as it was slow going and ventured back onto the mountain track, which made for a far easier descent.

Very few people out and about, and climbing conditions wouldn’t have been great following a substantial thaw on Thursday, and a dumping of soft, wet snow on Friday before the ground had time to refreeze.  Another variable week of freeze/thaw cycles ahead, which will all help in the long run.

Don’t forget to let us know what you’ve been up to on the hills, as we’ll include any useful information and pictures on this blog.

Sgor na h-Ulaidh and Beinn Fhionnlaidh, Glen Etive

/0 Comments/in , ,

Before you spend the whole time reading this blog wondering how an earth to pronounce the two mentioned Munros, here you go: Sgor na h-Ulaidh is pronounced ‘skor na hoolya’ and means peak of the treasure and Beinn Fhionnlaidh is pronounced ‘byn yoonly’ and means Finlay’s peak.  And it’s these two Munros that Johnny and I, working for Steve Fallon, guided a strong group of ten around yesterday.

Following a rather wild and wet week, with some quite mild temperatures, things took a distinct turn on Friday evening, with a drop in temperatures, and with it, the promise of fresh snow, possibly down to valley level.  Fortunately for us, the snow was nowhere near as heavy as some forecasts predicted, allowing us to drive safely down the often untreated road in Glen Etive, and set off at 8am on Saturday morning.  What snow had fallen, had been brought in on fresh NNE winds, therefore transporting much of it onto southerly aspects, which was quite apparent when making an ascent of the south eastern flank of Sgor na h-Ulaidh.  A thin layer of windslab was starting to form in hollows, but without a base, was of very little concern. As ever, it’s interesting to see it forming.

The group made steady progress up the steep SE flank and ridge, and we were soon enjoying the summit of Sgor na h-Ulaidh, with little wind, and great visibility over towards the Aonach Eagach and Ben Nevis to the north, to Beinn Cruachan to the south and over to Mull out west.  From here, a long descent down to nearly 400m, brought us to the foot of Beinn Fhoinnlaidh.  We ascended the mountain’s west flank, again, up steep slopes, to gain a short but interesting summit ridge, which led us, via a couple of tricky steps to the summit.  As it was 3pm, and therefore with limited daylight left, we chose not to hang about, and managed to negotiate all the steep ground to the SW, before having to don headtorches and make our way over easier ground back to the cars.  All in all, it was a big yet rewarding day for the group, taking in 2 Munros, 17km and 1600m of ascent with less than perfect underfoot conditions.

Winter climbing wise, things are improving, but reports suggest that Stob Coire nan Lochan in Glencoe may not be quite there yet.  A mild and wet start to this coming week, but again, next weekend looks promising.

Here’s a very short film that I quickly put together, it’s amazing what you can do on a phone!

Winter has arrived!

/2 Comments/in , ,

Storm Abigail brought with it the first substantial snowfall this season, giving the mountains their first winter coat, down to about 600m or so.  Winter has arrived in the Scottish Highlands! Quite a few folk made the most of this early season wintry snap with mixed routes having been climbed in the Northern Corries of the Cairngorms over east, and on the high crags of Ben Nevis and Bidean nam Bian on the west coast.

It’s a bit warmer and wetter today, which will wash most of the recent fresh snow away, however, there is plenty of snow and a cold spell in the pipeline towards the end of the week and into the weekend.  It’s looking like a very promising start to the season!

Phil Thompson was out in the Mamores yesterday and reported:

“Yesterday we went up Stob Ban via col and then up East Ridge. I broke trail in up to 25cm of drifts. The normal summer exit from the East Ridge where it meets the summit was totally filled in so took a detour right to avoid floundering in powder ! ” 3:45hr car to car.

Mamores in winter

Early snow in the Mamores

From the East Ridge of Stob Ban

View from the East Ridge of Stob Ban

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to Phil for the report and photos.

Meanwhile, Han was also out, leading a group up the mountain track to the summit of Ben Nevis, for Atlas Mountaineering.  She encountered soft snow all the way, and so the group didn’t need to use crampons or an ice axe.  There was plenty of rime on the summit cairn and shelter.

If you’ve been out walking, mountaineering or climbing, then feel free to drop us an email: info@51.38.64.114 with your trip report, which we can then include in our blog posts.

It’s cooling down – Scottish winter courses

/0 Comments/in , , ,

It’s been a busy summer, both on the Isle of Skye and in the Alps and it’s been great to meet new and also catch up with familiar faces. The late Indian summer we’ve had has been very much appreciated and t-shirt climbing in October and November has been great! We are however also pleased to say it’s now cooling down, and with winter not far away, it’s a good time to start laying down plans for the upcoming winter season.

Our first Scottish winter courses this year start in mid December and we also have some running over the New Year period. This coming winter, we will be offering a greater range of courses than previously, with the inclusion of a Winter Skills & Summits course, aimed at hill walkers looking to take their first winter steps in the Scottish mountains and who wish to tackle snow covered Munros.

Should you wish to tackle something steeper, such as a snow filled gully, iced up buttress or classic icefall, then our range of Winter Mountaineering and Climbing Courses may be just what you’re after!  We’re lucky to be surrounded by some of the finest winter venues, from Ben Nevis to Aonach Mor on our doorstep, to the impressive peaks and crags of Glencoe just to the south.

We will, of course, be running our flagship CIC Hut Weeks too.  The week is spent in the UK’s only alpine hut, at the foot of the North Face of Ben Nevis, which means minimal walk-ins, maximum climbing time!

Don’t forget, we also take Private Guiding bookings too so if you can’t quite find what you’re after when it comes to climbing, winter skills, or walking make sure you get in touch whether your an individual or a group so we can talk through what you’d like to achieve and we’ll come up with a tailor made itinerary for you.

The West Coast Mountain Guides blog will also be kept up-to-date throughout the winter season and please feel free to email us with your own conditions updates and pictures that we can then include on our blog

Oh, and if you haven’t yet, don’t forget to ‘like’ us on facebook and we look forward to seeing you soon!

Ken & Hannah to head up Scottish Courses

/1 Comment/in , ,

With an ever expanding Alpine climbing and ski touring season, and with Scottish winter and Skye mountaineering courses continuing to be busy, we have brought in Ken Applegate and Hannah Evans, who are based in Fort William, to head up our Scottish mountaineering and climbing courses.

Over the past couple of years, since taking over West Coast Mountain Guides, we have been developing both our Alpine ski touring and cascade climbing courses, along with running our flagship Scottish winter and Skye mountaineering courses, all of which has led to an increase in administration and additional pressures on logistics, to the point that we feel our level of service is beginning to feel the strain.  It therefore makes sense to bring in Ken and Hannah to spread out the work load, and ultimately offer quicker turn around times to enquiries and deliver smoother courses, right from initial contact and booking,  through to enjoying yourselves in the mountains.

Ken, who holds the Mountaineering Instructor Certificate and International Mountain Leader, and Hannah, who holds the Winter Mountain Leader and International Mountain Leader, have been based in Fort William for the past 8 years, and have worked and climbed extensively on Ben Nevis, in Glencoe and throughout the Scottish Highlands.  In between seasons, they seek adventures ski touring, rock and alpine climbing, and recently successfully summited Ama Dablam (6956m), as an independent team,  in the Nepalese Himalaya.  They are both part of Lowe Alpine’s Outdoor Team, and regularly test clothing and equipment for Lowe Alpine and Rab and will bring a wealth of experience into West Coast Mountain Guides and have a constant presence in Fort William.

Contact:

ken@westcoast-mountainguides.co.uk
hannah@westcoast-mountainguides.co.uk

Phone number: +44 (0)7799 863068

Vicky and I will continue to process all Alpine enquiries, both summer and winter.

Bruce.

 

Minus Three Gully, Ben Nevis

/0 Comments/in , ,

There is deep snow all over Ben Nevis at the moment, down to low levels. The team in the CIC Hut were all alone on the mountain today and climbed the brilliant Minus Three Gully on the side of North East Buttress.  They encountered high quality climbing on each pitch.  Rather than battle up the buttress, they chose to abseil back down the route. Tomorrow looks fine and clear, so they’ll look at climbing a route that tops out on the summit of Ben Nevis.