Looking tempting but soft and cruddy. |
Frank looking keen but the mountains east side disappointingly snowless |
At the start of Pitch One |
Looking good higher up. |
Heading up Pitch 3 |
A true Scot. |
Some quality climbing |
Add caption |
Definitely having a good time |
Nice conditions |
We were enjoying ourselves immensely by now and each pitch got better as we rose higher. In the occasional clearing I could see the icy summit cross getting nearer and nearer. Eventually we arrived at the crux of the route. This is a wide corner just above the belay that give two exit possibilities. Both are tough and its this section that gives the route a HS summer grading. From the belay it is possible to go straight up the vertical wall for about eight meters before you reach easier ground or take the right hand side (which I did) where a shorter but no less committing option presents itself. A couple of easy moves and then a slightly overhanging shift to the right and then pulling on hopefully bomber axe placements up and over and then followed by a short vertical couple of steps before the exit. Short as I said but I was pleased to be over it and we were left with easy ground to the top of the route on which we moved together. We enjoyed a bite of late lunch and descended the Heavenly Gates. It was amazing to see how much of the ice had disappeared by the time we had reached lower ground. The thaw was doing its worse. Still we didn't care and we were really pleased with our day out. It is rare to get any winter climbing done in these parts and we were delighted to have experienced a proper climb so late in the year. Who knows what the next few weeks will bring.
After the tricky section of the crux |
Up and over. |
4 comments:
Sounds like a nice day out, was hoping to pop down on Saturday to catch the last of it, but hopes of any conditions are fading fast.
Hi Tomas, yes there is a fair thaw on again. However the forecast is a bit promising so I wouldn't give up yet. Only the higher parts have any chance of being in condition.
Managed to go out yesterday, conditions were still fantastic on the route. Remember being brought on it years ago as my first proper mountaineering route. Completely different ball game in winter conditions ha.
Well done. Agreed a totally different ballgame in Winter. A great route though.
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