Avalanches

Al and I thought we may have enough time to climb Minus 2 Gully V,5 on Ben Nevis before wind and snow moved in from the north east. Wasn't to be. Walking in towards the CIC hut we could see snow drifting and slab starting to form at our feet. The wind was up and carrying lots of snow. So we started to think of a plan B, especially as a friend Paul who was walking out told us about a group who got away with being avalanched on the west facing slope leading up to Vanishing Gully.

From the CIC we decided to go for the steep cascade just across from the hut, which would mean that we wouldn't have to cross serious ground to get there, which was just as well because we got avalanched on the way (first couple of pictures).
The slab was about 25m x 5 and around 50 - 60cm deep and more than enough to shift us a short way down the slope, which was quite shallow, (maybe 25 degrees), for a slide.
This really isn't surprising as all the hoar frost crystals that have built up over the last week are being buried in sheltered areas by fresh wind blown snow, forming wind slab on top of a very weak layer.

We climbed the cascade, which was excellent, thoroughly recommended.
Unfortunately, unknown to us at the time a chap just to the north of us triggered a small pocket of wind slab which avalanched and was enough to take him off his feet and slide him down serious boulder strewn ground, were he sustained injuries. He was stabilised by a passing instructor and his clients and then lifted by RAF to hospital.

Unfortunately the day didn't end there. I arrived home to receive a rescue call out to Buchaille Etive Mor in Glencoe were a pair had been avalanched.
This party contained significant experience and had made a valued judgement about a safe route off the hill. Unfortunately despite that they triggered a small avalanche which sent them on a long fall down the hillside and as a result they lost their lives.

Today (Thursday) lots of wet snow is falling at sea level and dumping lots more on the hills. Any movement for the next few days up there will have to be highly tactical and require even more careful judgement than usual.
Good coffee drinking weather.

It should be noted that information about exact locations given in the media are incorrect. Many articles are stating that the incident occurred on Curved Ridge and my concern is that this may cause people to form an incorrect idea of what happened and make assumptions based on this.
The chaps involved were descending via the large spur that bounds the west side of Coire na Tullaich and leads down towards Creag a Bhancair - a recognised route if the normal route down the corrie is unsafe.

More ski fun

Instead of knuckling down to some work, like finally finishing my website, I went to Aonach Mor to ski. With weather like this it seems a shame to stay in.
The ski hill was practically deserted, in fact I'm sure there were more pedestrians around the east face and Nid areas than there were skiers.
Weather looks great tomorrow, then some snow and wind likely for Wednesday and Thursday. Cold conditions look set to continue.

Sweating on Curved Ridge

It's been a while since I've climbed Curved Ridge on Buchaille Etive Mor in winter that wasn't on a rescue call-out and in the dark. With that in mind Kat agreed to being short roped around the hill so I could refresh my memory for a guiding perspective.
Stunning weather and the best conditions anyone can remember for ages are helping to make this a really memorable winter! Snow on the route is generally helpful. There is lots of exposed rock so hands are useful as well as axes, (in fact the rock routes on Rannoch Wall would have been a pleasure to climb today).
The Coire na Tulaich descent involves a steep step or abseil down onto the headwall which had a few people waiting, so we opted to walk down above Creag Coire na Tulaich. This can be a good option if the snow in the corrie headwall is suspect.
As expected, lots of people out on the ridge, East Gully, North Buttress and Crowberry Gully.

A fantastic day. At no time did any posing take place.

Skiing the light fantastic

After a very cold night camping at Fersit, during which time everything froze, Kat and I toured up to Chno Dearg... and down again. Conditions are perfect! Several centimetres of surface hoar, on top of soft snow on a firm base gave for fun skiing.
If these crystals are buried before thawing they will represent a very weak layer in the snow pack. They're also very easily lifted by wind, smashed up, transported and deposited as wind slab.

The Zig Zags

The second day out with Fraser, Andy, Paul and Sam. We went to Gearr Aonach to polish up some moving together, lead climbing rope work as well as protected abseils and retreat tactics.
Several other teams all had the same idea which was not surprising given a large snowfall over night and an avalanche forecast predicting a High risk.
Lower down the snow is soft and a little damp, and although pretty discontinuous may well have formed wind slab higher up. With conditions like these ridges and/or a tactical approach are a good bet.

Congestion

Who needs social networking websites? If you want to meet new friends, just go and hang out around the Eastern Traverse on Tower Ridge on a good day during half term week. You won't get lonely.
The ridge is in good shape, lots of powdery snow covering firmer old snow underneath. The going is about average in terms of difficulty, the snow being generally helpful but a bit hard work in places.
Today I was working for Fraser Coleman and climbing with Andy, Paul and Sam who fared brilliantly after only 3 days into their winter climbing careers. A great day.

MIC training

Just finished a very enjoyable week over at Glenmore Lodge undertaking MIC training. It was a strong team full of good characters, so many laughs were had and overall the weather wasn't too unkind to us.

The Northern Corries are still holding lots of snow, ( the boulders, toblerone stone and rescue box in Sneachda are still well and truly buried), most of which is now very firm. There are however small pockets of soft to medium windslab on all aspects, mostly above 900m.
The crags are heavily rimed so protection generally requires a lot of digging. Strong climbers have been backing off medium grade routes in the event of such difficulty.

Ski touring looks awesome.

I'm off

Going to Glenore lodge for MIC training, so no posts 'till next weekend. Here's some nice pictures from the beach at Inchree.

Moonshadow

Jamie B and I met this morning with a view to Lost Valley Buttress in Glencoe. However things looked a little murky so we headed into Coire Nan Lochan instead.
I did wonder about the safety of the north facing approach slopes which I must admit felt a bit creepy. The snow pack is quite wet, the weak layers still very much in evidence but we got there.
In the end we climbed Moonshadow IV,5 which I've walked past many times and never been specifically excited by. But boy is it good, I think it's worth 3 stars in the guidebook. Varied steep climbing , turf, rock, snow, ice it has it all. Nice.
Visibility today was at about 20m most of the time, so the photos aren't up to much. Sorry.
The corrie was fairly quiet, a couple went up Dorsal Arete and Matt and Keith did Central Grooves.

Snow, ice and quartzite

Mark and Eddies' last day, Stob Ban by the North Ridge. The morning started blue and clear and crunchy underfoot but by mid day a veil of high cloud had slid insidiously over head and the sky threatened from the west. By mid afternoon wind and dry snow was blowing in, but that was ok because by then we were walking down and had it all at our backs.
Pockets of soft slab were evident all round, more significantly on the north side of the Stob Ban - Sgurr an lubhair col where, whilst on benign ground, we were easily able to pop plaques of slab off.
Thanks boys. Happy Mountaineering!

Sun

Day 2 with Eddie and Mark. Sometimes the pleasure of a Scottish mountaineering day is reflective, after the abrasion and thuggery of foul conditions. Today however was a day that smiled from the outset, and that's as good as it gets.
We journeyed a circuit above Stob Coire Nan Lochan via the summit, along with most of the United Kingdom it seemed. It was all very sociable.
Climbers were on Dorsal arete and Crest Route amongst others.
Spot the spooky orb in the third picture. An optical effect I assume.