Monthly Archives: January 2010

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Lakes Conditions & Winter Skills Day

Great conditions on the hill today.

The néve is well consolidated and the gullies have plenty in them, there is still ice around up higher.

There where several teams out behind Red Tarn climbing and chatting to them the routes seamed perfect.

Viking Buttress had a team on and there was even a snow hole occupied by a hound!

Today was the first time Alan and Loraine had used crampons and axes, by the end of the day they had plenty to think about and practice. Next time we will be in Scotland with them…

Click here for the Real Adventure website.

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Winter Skill Training for Patterdale MRT

This course was provided by Mike Margeson of Mountain Recreation and myself and was designed for Mountain Rescue Team by Mike and the team leader.

Day 1 – snow & avalanche revision, self arrest practice, snow belays, confidence roping and navigation.

Day 2 – rock belays, pitching, taking coils, short roping, lowers & abseiling steep ground, slope stability inspections, route choice on suspect slopes.

With Mike’s vast experience with mountain rescue we provided a useful and fun course.

Thanks to the team members on the training.

A good laugh was had by all with some great skills revised.

Get in touch if you would like a course designing for you.

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Raven Crag Gully

Just to keep the appetite wet, some shots of the team from the 12th.

This weekend – Cairngorms teaching winter skills.

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Thawing Conditions…

Well all good things have to come to an end, valley ice climbing gone until it goes cold again.

Have a look at this… as a climber it has got to be one the most depressing things you could watch!

Fisherplace Gill Melting click here

On the bright side, as long as it does not wash away all the higher snow when it goes cold again we will have the best néve to climb on, the walk in’s will just a little longer!

Keep an eye out on the blog for conditions and other info.

I’ll be up in Scotland next weekend teaching winter skills to a Mountain Rescue Team.

Grey Mare’s Tale

Well after a studdy of the weather reports during the day tonight we headed up to Grey Mare’s Tale.

With the van giving a temperature of -0.5 to 0 c the team of 5 made it to the top.

Large chunks of ice have fallen off the upper section however it was still fine to climb all be it a little wet in places!

Not just sure how long it will stay for looking at the huge rise in temperature and rain we are expecting.

Met 2 other climbers from Penrith, top blokes.

Just on the way home up dating this from my phone.

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Cautley Spout – back again…

Well I first saw Cautley Spout when I was about 14, I had been rock climbing for a few years by then and was leading trad routes and done one winter ascent, some one pointed at Cautley when we where at Fell End cottage and told me “you cold climb that in winter”.

Many years later and with a few disappointed visits tonight Simon, Roger, Gareth and I got up it.

The temperature had dropped today, after a trip over to bitterly cold Long Churns Cave with a group during the day a decision was made and we headed over.

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Tebay Ice

2 lads from the east have been at Tebay today.

They reported on it being a little damp but still holding in.

The top of the crag is a little loose in places.

The last time I was there, there was significant evidence of the odd lump or two that had come free.

Take care if you end up going and it is still in.

Grey Mares Tale

Well Steve, living in the north Lakes has just done it tonight.

Ill get the full report from him later,

Cautley Spout

Thanks to phil for this immage taken on Monday 11th

It came into condition by mid last week and improved up until the big thaw (sunday).

Heading over there really early tomorrow morning to see if it is still climbable. Tuesday @ 0600.

Updating this from my iPhone, the teperature is just too high to allow for a safe ascent!

Ended up on a smear of ice in a valley between Dent and Kirkby Longsdale.
The gill is one that we use with groups from Real Adventure.
Not worth it realy but was better than arriving at work to early!

New Alternative Line in Trough Gill

The line takes an icicle about 20 metres up Trough Gully on the left wall (Good ice screw belay). Dont confuse this route with Icicle Start which is much lower down at the entrance to the gully.

Cliff Lowther

roxcool.co.uk

Video put together by Real Adventure

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