Helvellyn a good introduction to winter climbing

Alex Ridyard giving winter climbing a go on V Corner Helvellyn.

Helvellyn

Climbed above Red Tarn today. Descent of the snow basin was not great, a softening base with a 4/5cm layer of new wet snow on it gave very treacherous balling snow. Climbed V corner, freezing level was hovering around the summit but climbing conditions were good, ice and good turf being the order of the day. Viking buttress not looking that white but would probably be OK once you were on the route looking down. Forecast temperatures would indicate that conditions will probably stay in for the next few days.

Bowfell Buttress

Climbed Bowfell Buttress after work yesterday. Really nice conditions which made for a rapid ascent. Turf well frozen. Good conditions for easier mixed climbing all around the Bowfell corries, N gully looked good on the good old neve.

Cold Wind.

There is a very cold NE wind blowing today with frequent snow showers, Exposed turf will be freezing from approx 600m upwards, I was at about 300m this morning for work and it was starting to freeze down. Quite a bit of water ice appears to have formed very quickly around the head of Langdale under Bowfell Buttress etc. No new snow laying on the fells around langdale. N gully on Bowfell Buttress looks complete and the old snow will be solid. Hellvelyn will be giving the best climbing on old snow at the moment a bit more snow will be needed to bring somewhere like Gable into nick.

Skye Pictures

Top Conditions on Skye Ridge

After seeing a number reports hinting that the Skye Ridge might be in condition, (thank you Mike Lates) I thought it was time to go and have a closer look. Leaving the car at 5am yesterday, I left the summit of Sgurr Nan Gillean at 7am. The snow conditions were near perfect hard enough to take a placement but soft enough to allow quick descending, a set of tracks seemed to be taking a good line which was a bonus. In a few showers visibility disappeared for periods but on the whole it was a clear sunny day. I reached the Innacessible pinnacle at 12:15, it was a bit breezy but again it gave just the right combination of firm enough snow and the rock on the arete was dry having been in the sun. I lost a bit of time here and there not having been further than Bruach Na Frithe before, I lost the most time at the TD gap climbing out of the far side to see that it would probably be quicker to go down and round so I rapped back into the gap. I down climbed most obstacles abseiling from Kings Cave Chimney to get off Bastier Tooth, From the top of The Inn Pin, down Kings Chimney and into the TD gap. I reached Gars Bheinn at 16:07 and was back at Glen Brittle for 18:00. I used a combination of 2 tools and a set of poles. I had crampons on from the ascent to Gillean to the ridge leading up to Gars Bhienn where the snow was soft after being in the Sun.

Good Looking Forecast.

There is still quite a bit of snow hanging on, on Helvellyn. A number of freeze thaw cycles have been improving it's quality and the cold nights have been freezing the turf down. The freezing level is forecast to be well above the tops for around 36 hours from tonight what snow survives this will then freeze down as freezing level should then drop to 350m on Friday.

On high north facing crags the strong winds and snow that is forecast from Friday afternoon onwards coupled with the recent cold nights, should bring some mixed climbing into condition. We need to wait and see what happens. Gable crag would be my top choice but it all depends on how warm it gets tomorrow.