Cuillin Conditions update 23rd April. Bring crampons!
Sgurr MhicCoinnich, Sgurr Thearlaich and the Great Stone Shoot
UPDATE More up to date photos have been added at the foot of the page from 23 April.
As the first May bank holiday approaches rapidly snow fields in the Cuillin aren’t melting very fast at all; in fact there is more snow forecast over the weekend ahead. The heavy winter has left the old snow very consolidated; nearly a week of warm wet westerlies only removed a small percentage of this with north facing snow slopes appearing almost untouched. Most of the photos here were taken last Friday 19th April. Sue, Jane and I enjoyed beautiful weather and an ascent of Sgurr na Banachdaich.
Sgurr Thormaid and Sgurr a’ Ghreadaidh in detail
MUNROS
Crampons will be needed for almost all of the Cuillin Munros with the exception of Sgurr na Banachdaich, Bla bheinn and Sgurr nan Eag. The In Pinn may be possible without crampons if the south facing slab to the foot of the route washes down & gets some sun over the next few days. Approach by the West Ridge of Sgurr Dearg has small snow patches but is quite well stepped.
TRAVERSES & CLASSICS
Classic routes such as the Traverse, Pinnacle Ridge, Coire Lagan will be very serious undertakings. Linking any peaks still involves a choice of adhering rigidly to the crest or scarily traversing steep snow that is sitting on the normal ledge systems; both slow work compared to ideal summer conditions. Clach Glas is almost clear of snow but the ascent to Blaven is definitely still axe & crampon terrain. Descent from the Putting Green is possible but some caution still needed in the first few hundred feet. Kings Chimney will be way preferable to Collies Ledge for a while to come. More abseils will be required than normal so extra tat should be carried. Quite a few parties have been using snow bollards for anchors too.
DESCENTS
We are choosing our objectives as carefully as possible to avoid long snowfield descents; going up snow slopes is a lot safer than going down! Particularly daunting are the Great Stone Shoot, Coire a’ Bhasteir, Coire na Banachdaich and An Dorus. See the close-up shot of Great Stone Shoot above. Be prepared to turn in and front point down for some quite long distances with ice axe likely to be in “dagger” position.
ROCK CLIMBING
South facing crags were incredibly dry and snow free until the latest rain arrived. They are likely to dry rapidly again luckily, just be careful on descents. The Cioch is clear but Eastern Gully has still got some big snow patches in and may affect choice of descent. There’s always the suntraps at the coast if the hills are too cold; guidebooks for Cuillin or Seacliffs can be ordered through this website if you need them.
UPDATE PICS 23 APRIL
Pinnacle Ridge
Am Basteir
Coire a Bhasteir
Amazing Ice- The Smear 12th April 2013
We managed a perfect finish to a brilliant long winter on Friday by climbing The Smear, the longest steep icicle in the Cuillin and probably only the 2nd ascent ever.
The ice was utterly perfect from bottom to top but still needed a fantastic explosion of effort from Andy to lead the very steep start.
The climb was originally given grade V when V was the highest Scottish grade but we both agreed that it warranted grade VI by modern standards.
Two 45m pitches seemed to pass almost too quickly but the grins said it all for the rest of the day.
Smiles of success
Things weren’t all glorious; a load of fresh overnight snow was sloofing off regularly from left right & centre. The “walk off” down the Upper Rake involved descending dangerous quantities of deep fresh snow lying on a very steeply banked terrace and probably more complex rope-work than the climb itself!
I first went to the foot of The Smear in 1994 but I’ve never seen it anywhere near climbable until this last week. Andy is sailing back to Australia this summer so such a notable bit of Scottish ice is a great Swansong. Looking forward to borrowing his tools & screws for the next few winters:)
The Smear was first climbed by Jim Duff & Doug Scott back in 1979.
Doug Scott below The Smear in 1979
To my knowledge the route hasn’t received a second ascent since; zooming in on Ginger Cain’s photo it looks like Doug Scott had been on the Red Bull to get up the first 10m as the icicle fringe doesn’t even appear to be touching down.
Icicle Factory (on the left) looked close but not complete in the lower sections
Winter continues. Updates 10th April
Cracking couple of days. 1st & 2nd April
The fine weather continues and plenty of Easter holiday folk out enjoying it. On April Fools day Andy & I headed up Coir’ a’ Bhasteir and took our time soaking up the views as we popped out to the Sgurr and up to Bruach na Frithe. Crowds of folk on their way up Fionn Choire including locals Mark & Ally skitouring! Is Mark the first person to have skied Bruach na Frithe? (I know it has been boarded)
Today we found some snow free scrambling up the West Ridge of Sgumain today. Highly recommended just now if you want some “full value” situations withouot crampons until the traverse off.
In Pinn legislation part of Glen Brittle upgrades
The Black Cuillin landlords have announced that permits will be issued for teams making ascents of the Inaccessible Pinnacle this summer.
Traffic jams are commonplace on most fine days
A spokesman explained- “Queueing to climb the In Pinn has become a real problem in recent years. To sort this out a system with hour-long slots will be allocated between 4am and 5pm. A new high-speed internet connection at the campsite will allow climbers to book a slot either before they leave home, as they depart the Glen or even when they reach the foot of the climb.”
“The situation has got worse in recent years” agreed local mountain guide Mike Lates of Skye Guides. “Something certainly needed to be done. I’m just happy that they aren’t charging for these permits.”
Solitude on the Pinn as it used to be.
The campsite facilities have had a total overhaul this winter and the fine weather has allowed work to finish ahead of time. Wet-weather attractions available now include an extensive bouldering wall, cafe sauna and jacuzzi.
Best view in Skye? Sgurr na Stri 29 March.
With the high peaks so clad in white I suggested to the Furze team that we should, instead, visit the lowly but fantastic Sgurr na Stri.
Taking the Aquaxplore RIB into Coruisk gave a bracing but rapid approach to the jetty and a chance to envy the seals basking on the rocks.
As if the view from the head of Loch Coruisk isn’t enough, the graduaal rise towards Druim Hain threw up evr increasing numbers of snow-clad peaks until the entire Main Ridge was in view.
John, Somerset & I headed up to the summit of Sgurr na Stri while the others headed down for lunch at the Camasunary bothy (Michelin 3* views:)
The peak has 2 summits and on reaching the first summit a raven seemed reluctant to depart. Looking across at the 2nd summit 50m away a huge bird was sitting beside the cairn. With my 16X zoom I snapped a quick shot, studied it and concluded that it was just another raven. I was told I should have lied to keep the client happy but instead went one better. Our friend continued to sit there and eventually turned his head. This time the photo revealed a beautiful hooked beak and definite hints of gold.
Eventually our friend flew off, we scrambled up to his perch, sunny snacks then we had to leave. We spied the rest way below but caught them at the bothy in time for a delux picnic on the beach and the long but stunning walk back out to Elgol as the sun glinted magically.
Nice Ice 28th March. Coire Riabhach
Saw this yesterday & glad Simon & Grant wanted to come & explore. Lots of fun for 500ft or so, Grade III. No name yet.
Serious Sgurr nan Gillean. 27th March
Traversing Gillean with Brian, Kerry and dad Andy proved quite a test yesterday but meant we made the most of yet another beautiful day.
Approaching by the Tourist Route involved 2 roped pitches as well as long sections of moving roped together. Descending the West Ridge proved even more comple. We were forced into an abseil from just below the Window (that I’ve never had to do before).
After the normal abseil at the foot of the West Ridge we had to do another straight down to avoid traversing the banked out ledge that is normally used in summer.
Springbank Gully 26th March
Great day out with my old friend Rupert who hasn’t swung an axe in 20 years!
The climb was in very good condition & steep compared to last time I climbed it. 
Final Svalbard pics & reports
The intrepid explorers are safely home enjoying Arctic weather UK style now but here are a few final pictures & tales. It’s been a pleasure reading, seeing & being able to pass on the adventures; thanks to both Bruce & Steve for the entertainment.
8th March
“Longyearbyen has a festival today. It marks the first day of the year the sun can be seen from Longyearbyen. The days grow by 18 mins or so each day. The weather is fine and its about -28c. Steve climbed up to a plateau above the town with scant equipment and the view included a couple glaciers.
We are staying in Guesthouse 102. It is run/owned by a Norwegian guy called Trond who also runs wildlife tours and is very helpful. The high winter season commenced March 1st and twin couch/bedded rooms cost £364 per week according to exchange rate.
Delux accommodation
Expedition leader White; whiter than ever:)
9th March
“Steve and a guy from our hostel summited a snow arrette today in mild -12c conditions,They didn’t encounter an ice bear but a beautiful ptarmigan.“
“The 4hr dog sled trip costs £148 per person but I don’t think it could be more authentic. We set off with 5 teams and scattered reindeer on the plain that led us up to a glacier in -28c but beautiful sunshine. Steve was so good at getting the dogs from there individual kennels and attaching each of the 6 dogs to the line and unattaching on our return they suggested he could come and work for them. You can see from the attached pic how the ice affected him. My fingers gave up very quickly & I had cowered down into the sled; they thought I had died.. “
“Skol Letzboy,Ve kum ind der holitz,Ve hoppen ze vroom der vindow der terrain inderozt,Hoppen en joy der pic storeez.”
And the final gallery-
Peaks n Rock n Ice
Louis & Hannah gave us an open brief to improve their mountain skills & experience; mission accomplished.
On Wednesday Guy Steven gave them a revision of crampon and axe skills before climbing Great Gully on Blaven. Amazing weather & views all day-
On Thursday I headed into Coir’ a’ Bhasteir to give them their first taste of ice climbing.
Today we opted for some sunny rock climbing down at Elgol which culminated in Louis leading his first route in over 5 years.
Remote Red Cuillin 12th March
The Black Cuillin tops are harsh and serious just now so I opted to take Jacqui & Dave around the snow-free Red Cuillin horseshoe on Tuesday.
With dry and mostly frozen bog the approach walk was a pleasure.
The biting wind nipped at the left ear on the initial rise so we took some shelter in a wee recess as soon as we could. Reward for this move came in the form of a magnificent display by a golden eagle in the corrie below us. She eventually spotted us as she came level and soared away out towards Portree.
Fantastic; I’ve got a bit of a bee in the bonnet about white-tailed eagles taking over the Golden eagle territory so a victory all round as it meant Jacqui didn’t have to go on the disneyland Sea-eagle ride the next day:)
Fed & watered we zipped to the top of Beinn Dearg Mheonach with snowflakes growing in thickness and size.
Cloud clung to the Black Cuillin tops but the views were just as magnificent in that dramatic way that Skye does so well.
Conditions as we continued along the ridge deteriated to a “mild blizzard” which was pointed out to me as a blatent oxymoron. I agreed to full-blown blizzard as our bearing changed straight into the teeth of the weather right up and over Beinn Dearg Mhor and down to the Glamaig bealach where it was time for a sharp exit in the direction of Sligachan rather than the 1000ft rerise.
Spring Newsletter March 2013
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Beautiful but Bitter weekend. 9/10 March
Chasing my tail a bit just now so apologies for short & sweet blog posts.
James & Joe had their first outing on crampons on Saturday. Immediately after practising ice-axe arrest we found the snow slopes to be steel-hard so had to concentrate fully on the rise and descent to An Dorus.
The short stretch to the summit of Mhadaidh exposed us to the strong winds and we all looked suitably weather-beaten by the time we reached the Old Inn.
Sunday was an even more bitter day, possibly the coldest of the winter. The wind picked up soon after we left the hotel, adding a real intensity to the freezing temperature. Donning more clothes at every break we eventually took shelter in the cave in Coir’ a’ Bhasteir.
Here we concluded that neither open snow slopes nor narrow ridges were a good idea.
Instead we backed down slightly, traversed beneath Sgurr a’ Bhasteir and enjoyed some sunny scrambling on dry rough gabbro onto Meall Odhar.
This minor summit is a rounded grassy knoll but also happens to be one of the most impressive view-spots on Skye. We took in stunning views of Pinnacle Ridge, the north face of Sgurr a Bhasteir, Bruach na Frithe, Outer Hebrides, Red Cuillin, Torridon etc etc until we had nearly refrozen.
The gallery is a mix of the 2 days; hopefully in order-
Wow!
Arctic updates.
More tales from Bruce; thanks mate we’re really enjoying hearing about it.
Tuesday 5th-
We woke this morning and Steve saw a set of horns sticking out of the snow,When we looked a little later there were 3 reindeer hoofing holes down thro the soil to feed,A male and 2 females just outside our hostel,We kitted up to go out in the -26c to take pics.
Steve decided to hike up to a disused coalmine he encountered sheet ice wearing his snow boots and contemplated his situation on a 30degree slope 100metres up and tenuously retreated in the absence of crampons and ice axe.
A very stiff breeze feels like -40 and is blowing fine snow into drifts.
Steves snore valve is not operating thank goodness. Our dog sled trip is booked for Thursday when it’s forecast to be -31c.
Wed 6th-
The weather had calmed down after yesterday’s blast. We are told it was minus -40 in the teeth of the wind and we went up onto a glacier this evening on snowmobiles with guys that claimed the temperature had gone down even lower at higher levels.
We went into a cave caused by summer melt underneath the Longyearbyen glacier.
The ice crystals formed by condensation are amazing in there variety. The hike up onto the glacier would be a welcome activity but we would have to hire someone with a rifle as Polar bears have killed people here. The dog sled trip will be at 9am tomorrow morning and we have discovered how important it is to have the right equipment: One of our cave guides had no skin on the tip of his nose from frost nip. The wind chill on sled and skidoo rides will get you unless you completely cover up.
Arctic adventurer Bruce James
Beautiful on Bla Bheinn. 6th March.
Cracking day with Deidre & Martin heading up Great Gully on Bla Bheinn. Great views all round and a couple of Sea-eagles just to add to the quality.
Enjoy the gallery-
Love Is….Winter Mountaineering. 5th March
Damp mist was clinging to Skye this morning so we headed inland to find the Glen Shiel tops mostly clear of cloud; good result.
We opted for the classic Forcan Ridge and were rewarded with a truly apline day with a mixture of dry rock, mixed climbing and a fine snow arete to finish.
We skipped the usual descent east towards Sgurr na Sgine. Instead we doubled back from the summit headed directly north down the glen before traversing back below the cliffs to rejoin the approach path. With the snow so perfect it was an easy variation that was also far quicker.
Our descent was pretty much straight down the snow slopes from the peak before cutting out left.
The clients certainly seemed happy with it all:)
Svalbard arrival, 3rd March.
More incredible stuff coming from Bruce James in the Arctic. If you haven’t looked yet check out just where Svalbard is; nearly 80 degrees North!
“We’ve just arrived at Guesthouse 102 in Svalbard. Our flight was delayed from Tromso due to a minor navigation problem.
Tromso is on mainland Norway; a mere 70 degrees north.
As there are no other landing options in these latitudes they were not permitted to fly without all nav devises working. We arrived 3am in -23c conditions set to go lower. The permafrost on this archipelago is 100-150m deep and up to 400 in the mountainous region. The Raasay contingent of Steve, Duncan and Naomi have their youth to sustain them but my silver surfer status has given me a struggle.”
About Bruce:
Bruce James (the Now World Famous:) is a climbing enthusiast who didn’t discover the joys until well into his 60’s. A couple of bad car accidents haven’t exactly helped the mountaineering but his enthusiasm has seen him reach the summits of Sgurr nan Gillean, Blaven, & Sgurr Alasdair. He is most at home on rock climbing and made an ascent of the Cioch last year.
Bruce climbing near Applecross last year.
Brief foray up Broad Gully, 3rd March
Martin had shoulder surgery just a few weeks ago so a gentle try-out was in order.
Broad Gully on Sgurr a Bhasteir is still holding plenty of well consolidated snow despite the thaw.
The mists still swirled around as we topped out so we skipped continuing up to the summit.
Descending to the lochan in Coir’ a’ Bhasteir we were greeted by the sight of 25+ members of Skye MRT all brandishing avalanche probes.
Apparently they had buried Jonah somewhere in the corrie for the exercise. There didn’t seem too much hurry and I couldn’t work out why they were all filing the ends of the probes…..:)
A wee bit of concentration to get out of the corrie and then a sprint to the pub which has finally reopened; yipee!
Arctic adventures. 2 March
I’ve just received some inspiring mails from a Skye Guides correspondant on the trip to Svalbard inside the Arctic Circle. Enjoy the story…… First photos added in now
“Subject: Boda
Arrived this evening after an epic 22hr railway trip Oslo to Boda,It must rank amongst the greatest rail journeys but stopped at every station and didn’t sleep a wink so am exhausted,Weather fantastic but we’ve been thro a couple of really heavy snow storms,At one stage we had to abandon the train and do a 2hr coach trip,Norway had a hard cold winter and a sharp short thaw brought a lot of melt water threatening bridges that were in deep gorges so trains unable to use them,It’s awesome seeing the sea froze but when we got off at Boda you could imagine the sea can freeze and we have a 24hr sea journey and 2hr flight,Need sleep and back online Monday.
update, we r on the Hutigruten off the Lafoten islands, We have seen incredible ice climbs and northern lights this evening,My god the arctic is awe inspiring.
Holiday of a lifetime here. It was so bleak this morning with fine powdery snow in a stiff wind ( like spindrift) and the environment here well inside the arctic circle is absorbing,A white tailed sea eagle flew over the ship with a group of seagulls accentuating its size with a background of sea cliffs around 4000ft high creating a scene that is captivating. We are having so much fun and laughter and today I learned my team won and are 5th and within 3/4 points of the leaders. “
Fox’s Rake; 23 February
I’ve been spoilt with quality days recently but yesterday was right up there with the very best. Hard to say why but good company, a fresh covering of snow, an easy ice climb turning out to be serious, top out in the sun, knife-edge snow arete, blood-red snows and a moonlit descent all played their part.
The Amphitheatre held a huge dump of avalanche debris from last weeks washout.
I walked down Foxes Rake from half-height in January but yesterday even the snow slopes were hard and serious from the start.
As the mists cleared the ice pitches began to look pretty challenging.
4 sketchy pitches followed with just enough ice and protection to justify not reversing 200m of steep snow slope. The top-out was a relief combined with all the aesthetics of incredible views, sunshine and clear skies.
We opted to continue over the summit via the final 100m of the north ridge. This was the highlight as the snow arete dropped away on both sides and a combination of au cheval (leg either side bum shuffle), crawling and tightrope walking led to even more stunning vistas from the summit.
Descent from An Dorus still required concentration and effort but finally we were able to remove crampons and enjoy the darkening descent. Just as clarity was fading the moon provided an enormous burst of light rose from behind the Ridge; I genuinely thought that one of the guys had put a head-torch on!
We got down at 7-30 and are still buzzing from one of the best days ever.
Enjoy the gallery-
Serious but superb Gillean. 22 Feb
Steel hard snow and crampons on bare rock made for a concentrated day traversing over Sgurr nan Gillean by the Tourist route and down the West Ridge today.
Mark and Brian were up to the challenge and everything went to plan.
Roping across the exposed snow on the Tourist Route was probably the most gripping and descending the same way unattractive.
Numerous exposed rocks offered up good anchors and the crest of narrow snow on the final 100m felt far less serious than what we had already crossed.
Weaving from side to side of the crest, mostly on rock, made the descent feel controlled but the final abseil came as a relief from the ankle twisting.
Descending together from Bealach a’ Bhasteir to the lochan was easier than I had feared and finally removing crampons on the lip of the corrie was like putting on a pair of slippers! Good day in the office!
ABC; Alpine Blaven Climbing
Yesterday was probably the best day of the year so far with not a cloud in the sky or a breath of wind. Having a break at the boulder in Coire Uiginish and lazing around in the sun, discussing rock climbing options, it was certainly tempting not to head for the shady confines of South Buttress Gully but we knew the rewards would be worthwhile.
We cramponed up beneath the Colditz routes that had been completely washed away. We were forced into the dog-leg entry to SBG but the snow pack was superb as soon as we were in the shade
I led the first mixed step and then passed the lead to Mark for the upper icy corner (he had missed out when we climbed it in December). Logistics for climbing as a team of 5 were interesting but the scenery and conditions gave plenty to admire while awaiting turns.
Still not a cloud in the sky across the whole of Scotland as we summited the south top.
The Main Cuillin Ridge looked dramatic but was almost overshadowed by the vast array of views and light effects in every other direction.
Stunning day for the first Pinn of the year. 18th February
The stunning weather today belied the serious nature of the snow conditions. Rock hard on the rise out of Coire na Banachdaich became a wee bit slushy on the descent to the foot of the Pinn and then deep and unconsolidated on sunny slopes by the end of the day. Not a complaint but, with a perfect forecast, it is certainly a warning to concentrate through the week ahead.
Enjoy the pics-
Sgurr a’ Fionn Choire 17th Feb.
Cracking first day with James, Sam & Josh. Strong wind kept us away from the ridges but we made great time up Coir’ a’Bhasteir, dodged quickly through Bealach na Lice and sneeked up onto the summit of Sgurr a Fionn Choire without getting blown off.
Highlight of the day was the superb bumslide from the bealach which took us down over 1000 feet in a couple of minutes. The snow as just the right consistency but may be too hard in another day or 2 for such indulgence:)
Snow conditions are thinned out but what’s left is consolidating rapidly now that we have some clear skies. Shame all the ice washed away but there’s gonna be some great days on the Ridge ahead.
Garbh bheinn; Golden light and Golden Eagle 15th February
2 days of intense wind & rain finally eased off yesterday morning and it was time to go and see what conditions were like. Parking for the beautiful peak of Garbh bheinn is just a 2 minute drive from home at the head of Loch Ainort.
We opted against the north face because we reckoned that the snow would be very soft after so much warm weather. Retrospectively this seems not to have been the case as the old snow fields are so well consolidated that they are still a good consistency.
An hour of walking up the Druim Eadar da Choire took us to the hill marked with a spot height 489m on the Harvey’s map; there is a local name for this wonderful viewspot (a best on Skye contender for sure) but I’ll have to write it down next time I remember to ask the crofters. The Main Ridge was clear and showed the crest to be well plastered still along the entire length. Undoubtedly some exposed rock sections but very, very wintery still!
The dip at point 429m just below is the geological boundary between the Red and Black Cuillin and the cliff of black gabbro can clearly be seen sitting on top of the more rounded red granite hillside. For another hour we all indulged in as much scrambling on the hugely crystaline gabbro as we could find with a fine narrow crest as a finale.
The view of the ridge from Clach Glas to Blaven from here is uber classic; great background for the team pic!
We’d planned to descend north-east towards Belig but the hard/sugary snow interspersed with rock-hard turfs looked far too serious for such a relaxed day out with friends so we retraced our steps and were treated to some wonderful mist and light effects out to the west.
Recovering from the re-rise to pt 489 and taking it all in Mark’s jaw hit the flaw and he gestured horizontally out over our heads; we all dived for cameras as quietly as possible as a mature golden eagle circled around and slowly upward.
Seeming to change his mind he suddenly folded the wings and soared down past us and settled amongst the boulders not far from where we had just descended. Magnificent display thankyou!
Flight of the Colditz Cock. 12th February
A groove & slab of thin ice right of Sailaway has enticed me for years. As well as waiting for enough ice I’ve been intimidated because I know the whole buttress is very compact and unlikely to yeild much protection; and so it proved. The climbing wasn’t too hard but all a bit thin & run out.
The first pitch eventually yeilded a good wire at 15m and a bomber belay at 25m. A detour for a good nut left a bit of good but delicate hooking to regain the ice groove. A column of stacked blocks was frozen together enough to justify a sling and the ice above finally began to thicken up nicely. The final steep ice was even well protected by 2 bomb-proof screws.
A bit of a steep learning curve but Simon took up the challenge well and also enjoyed the (nearly as hard) challenge of naming the route. Something related to Escape from Colditz and Birthday Breakout made sense and I’d heard about the escape glider they built but never got to use. We had to look up the name on-line but, 19 years after I first saw this line, it felt like the Colditz Cock had finally taken off!
Escape From Colditz 11th February
Back on Blaven today but time for some ice at last; it’s been close for weeks but not quite got there. Guy Steven was guiding Julian & George on the very high quality South Buttress Gully (II) and we were passed by Harvey the scottie dog and his owners while we kitted up. He proceeded to make what must be the first winter ascent of Great Gully by a dawg:)
Escape from Colditz (III) wasn’t as thick with ice as I would have chosen but I knew that the key lower section doesn’t need much to make it climbable. Backing and footing for 10m leads to a massive chockstone and then escape onto the wonderful ice ramps above.
I belayed below the steepest section of ice so that I could keep in touch with Simon as he fought his way up the tunnel.
The climbing in the top pitch was superb with an added bonus of topping out into the sun.
Here are a few more shots-
Back in time for the rugby.
Rugby took precedence over blogging this weekend but below is a gallery of the 2 days out Paul, Martin & Damien enjoyed with early starts so matches weren’t missed.
Great Gully on Saturday was superb again with amazing ice formations hanging on the south walls. Harder work because of the snow that had drifted over from the north earlier in the week but it built up an appetite for the pub:)
On Sunday Sgurr an Fheadian looked quite black from below but was holding plenty of fresh powder which made the ascent pretty challenging.
