Curve Gully on Carrauntoohil. Winter Grade1 Climb

I went back to The Reeks this morning in the hope of getting a winter route done. There had been a lot more snow on the Kerry mountains over the past few days than on The Galtees so I was hopeful that something might have been in condition. As is so often the case the weather hadn't played ball and heavy overnight rain had stripped much of the snow cover away and the temps were well above freezing as I left the car. Nevertheless I took an axe and crampons but ultimately they weren't needed. As things looked so stripped I had resigned myself to going up O'Sheas Gully to the summit of Carrauntoohil and come down the Devils Ladder. I'm still struggling a little with a lingering flu and I was puffing away as I walked into the Hags Glen. It is of course possible that my overdose of sugar hasn't helped matters either but the new year will put paid to all those excesses. I climbed up into the first level of Coumeenoughter where I reached the first of the slushy snow and things stayed just as soft when I reached the second level. I toyed with the idea of climbing the bottom section of Curve which was still nicely banked out but I feared it would have been a desperate wallow so I climbed into the third level and decided to join the gully higher up.

Most of the snow gone but still very pretty

High in the gully and looking very good. I was tempted to put on the crampons here

Looking down

Final slopes..a bit steeper that it looks here..About 40 degrees on top

A party of four were up ahead and I was hoping that I would be able to enjoy using their steps in the soft snow and indeed I was until I reached the first rocky step before the gully narrows. Here the rocks were covered in snow-ice and the party decided to stop and put on crampons. The snow-ice was pretty soft and was taking a good step so I left the hardware in the bag and continued on up. Things weren't as bad as I had feared and while I had to wallow the odd time, I was able to make more pleasant progress for the most part. Once I reached the final 100mtrs or so of the gully things were actually quite nice and I was even tempted to put on crampons for the final semi-icy difficult step. I got over it easily enough though and enjoyed the final few metres to the summit. It had felt like a proper winter outing with occasional spindrift slides and rime ice still clinging onto the frozen ground. If there is a frost tonight then tomorrow the conditions would be very nice indeed. The summit remained clear of cloud throughout the day and it was nice to be able to enjoy wintry views as I ate my lunch. I returned to my car via the Heavenly Gates and even though I ached a bit and was tired it felt great to have had a proper winter climb. Hopefully there is much more to come this winter (either here of abroad 😊 ).

Clydagh Valley Horseshoe in The Galtees on Stephens Day

Grand day for it

It's official....I'm a pig. Turkey-ham-trifle-sweeties-biscuits-drink,,,oh dear, and that's just yesterday. I have been eating voraciously all sorts of rubbish of late and unfortunately it's showing. My normally "robust" physique is quickly turning to rotund therefore a day out on the hills was badly needed. With that in mind I got up pre-dawn and headed for the Galty Mountains and en-route I decided to do the Clydagh Valley Horseshoe. This offers a nice outing of around 13 kilometres and approx 1000mtrs of ascent.

It was a pleasant morning with clear skies and a light chill breeze and the temperature hovered at around the two degree mark as I drove down. I was delighted to see that a nice dusting of snow covered the hills above the 600mtr contour and I found myself really looking forward to getting out. I left the car at 09.40 and walked up the road as far as the stile that allowed access to the open mountain. I had decided to do the walk in a clockwise direction as this means that a nice easy descent from Slievecushnabinnea ends the outing, always a plus in my book. The flu/cold/chest infection is still clinging on a little and I was huffing and puffing a bit as I climbed up the shoulder of Cush but I was able to maintain a decent pace and I was soon enjoying the splendid views of the range that are to be had from this summit. I was now also in the first of the snow and the breeze had become a wind here so it definitely felt like proper winter. It was great. I descended to the col under Galtybeg and faced into the long slog to the summit. This climb really has little to recommend it except for the improving views that are to be had, especially over Lough Borhee and towards Greenane. As I got high on the slopes of Galtybeg there was some icy patches of snow around and if it had been a little colder then crampons might not have been a bad idea. As it was progress was straightforward and I was soon on the pleasingly narrow summit crest.

Climbing Galtybeg with the Knockmealdowns in the distance

Wisps of cloud appear on Galtymore

A wintry Galtymore summit

It was now clear that the bad weather that was forecast was soon to arrive so I pressed on towards Galtymore. Once down at the col there was again considerable evidence of icy stretches where the snow had melted and refroze and as I rose up the slopes above the cliffs over Lough Diheen some care was required. I was okay in my good mountain boots but a couple of people on the way down were finding the going a little tougher. As I got high on the slopes of Galtymore the first snow arrived but it wasn't too bad and visibility remained reasonable. I crossed a wintry Dawsons Table and dropped down to the broad boggy plateau above Lough Curra. Now the wind that had been coming from my left suddenly switched and was coming into me from the right. It is strange sometimes how the wind reacts to mountain terrain. I continued onto Slievecushnabinnea and descended easily the heathery slopes. Soon I was back in the forestry and hotfooting it back in the light rain to the car. I arrived back at 13.05 so it had taken not too much over three hours. A nice warming cup of coffee and a turkey sandwich (what else :) ) set me up for the drive home. More snow please...

The Bone to Carrauntoohil..Fickle Winter

It has been cold here recently but frustratingly it hasn't quite managed to get cold enough for decent winter conditions to arrive on our mountains. Rain has stripped The Reeks of nearly all of their snow cover and while the east and north of the country have experienced temperatures down to -8, cloud cover and fleeting frosts have been the norm down here. I had been hopeful that this weekend might provide a reason to break out the ice axe and crampons as some snow had fallen on high and frost was forecast but alas it was not to be. A slight frost had formed when I left home this morning but it was raining and 7degrees at Lisliebane when I parked my car so once again the hardware was left behind. I had hoped to perhaps climb Curve Gully and maybe break out left onto the "Grey Area" but a walk would have to do instead.

All looking a bit bare

Starting to look and feel a bit more wintry as I got higher on The Bone

Easy walking towards Cnoc an Chuillinn

I wasn't overly despondent as it is always a pleasure to get out on the hills and I also hoped that it would be just the medicine I needed to try and dislodge a chest infection from the system. I opted to climb The Bone and head from there to Carrauntoohil and descend via the Heavenly Gates. It would therefore offer a decent outing but not be overly taxing and should I struggle because of the infection I could easily cut things short. I tried to set a good pace and I was pleased to find I didn't feel too bad. That nasty burning you get in the chest when the breathing becomes deep wasn't too prevalent so, once I set a sensible pace I was fine. Even though the temperatures were above freezing it was still chilly in the breeze once I reached the sparse snow cover. Some of the turf was frozen which made it all the more disappointing that the promised frost hadn't transpired as I fancy the Grey Area might have offered good sport. Once on the ridge the walking was very easy all the way to Cnoc an Chuillinn  except for the nasty shower of rain on the way. The track down towards Cnoc na Toinne was full of snow so that was also super easy. Unfortunately the cloud now cover Cnoc na Toinne but a brief clearing gave a nice view to Broughnabinnea. Next up was the slog to Carrauntoohil, which I took nice and handy and eventually I was able to sit and enjoy a bite to eat on top. On the way down it was great to run into Terence Hoare who was leading a group down after bringing them up Curve Gully. I made good progress after that and reached the car surprisingly fresh at 14.10 after a five hour outing.

Sometimes a little magic happens

 Please Santa bring some winter conditions...pretty please 🙏🙏