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Blog - Winter Conditions

Coniston Winter Conditions

POSTED: 10th January 2010 BY: Dan
CATEGORIES: Staff @ Play, Winter Conditions

So after a great little am session in Langdale we headed to Coniston.
The water ice is well formed and also well hacked at. We arrived at Low Water Beck at about 2:30 and where pleased to find no one on it.

The tarn is frozen over and is over a foot deep in the middle.

We climbed the largest piece of ice up behind the tarn and just at the R of the start to South Gully...

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Gatesgarth Chimney – High Crag Buttermere

POSTED: 10th January 2010 BY: Dan
CATEGORIES: Staff @ Play, Winter Conditions

Gatesgarth Chimney IV,5* 55m High Crag Buttermere
Takes the deep chimney bounding the buttress on the right.

40m 5: climb directly to the base of the chimney proper, move left into it at a small spike and ascend on hooks and fist jams gradually easing to a block/turf hook belay a few metres below the chockstone.

15m 5: Thrutch victoriously over the chockstone and belay...

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Shelter Crag

POSTED: 8th January 2010 BY: Dan
CATEGORIES: Staff @ Play, Winter Conditions

Simon Willis was up on Shelter Crag today after doing a pitch or two of Whorneyside Force.
He did Shelter Corner, excellent route but not very good snow - too powdery, so the route felt more like a 3 than a 2. Ascent from Whorneyside was good till the steepening to Shelter Crag, where the heavier amongst the team where falling through the crust.

There was no real...

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Shoulthwaite Gill – Iron Crag

POSTED: 8th January 2010 BY: Dan
CATEGORIES: Staff @ Play, Winter Conditions

Simon and Mick where back out today Ice Climbing in the Lake District.
They headed up to Thirlmere and climbed a great little V,4 called Shoulthwaite Gill.

This 50m climb is at an altitude of 300m so is below most of the soft powder and has seepage from the slopes above that catch the sun.

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Low Water Beck – Coniston

POSTED: 8th January 2010 BY: Dan
CATEGORIES: Staff @ Play, Winter Conditions

Stunning day in the Lakes. Some ice and neve now forming on routes - but water still flowing despite -12C overnight.
Hopped up to Low Water Beck at Coniston for happy days winter cragging.

The hills are full of teachers as schools are closed, and we had 1in front of us, 2 in our team and 1 behind. Mad ! All checking for txt’s to see if school closed tomorrow.

Low...

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Tebay / Rjukan

POSTED: 8th January 2010 BY: Dan
CATEGORIES: Staff @ Play, Winter Conditions

Well it’s not often you can go road side ice climbing in the Lakes.
Tebay ice falls have been in condition for a couple of weeks now and it is well worth a visit, day light or dark.After a day out on the hill with a group looking at snow layers and digging shelters / snow holing, Roger and I headed over to Tebay.

I lead the first pitch with one screw and a clove hitch...

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Cautley Spout turns into top roping on the side of Whernside.

POSTED: 5th January 2010 BY: Dan
CATEGORIES: Staff @ Play, Winter Conditions

After returning from Scotland an seeing the lakes in great nick it would have been rude not to check out Cautley Spout on my way home from a days work in the Dales today. However a trusty source urged me to leave it until the end of the week before popping up there.
Although still keen to go out on play… Simon and I headed over to Ribblehead. A short walk past the...

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Dollywagon

POSTED: 4th January 2010 BY: Dan
CATEGORIES: Staff @ Play, Winter Conditions

Steve, one of Real Adventures Instructors was out on Dollywagon today.
With stunning views all round they did central route grade iii, but more like iv at the mo.. turf frozen part way up, snow dry powdery and still unconsolidated, but definately getting there.. they also looked at Chock Gully, and all the routes on the crags.. all doable, just… but unconsolidated...

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Steall Falls

POSTED: 2nd January 2010 BY: Dan
CATEGORIES: Staff @ Play, Winter Conditions

Wow what a treat, Steall Falls comes into condition once in a blue moon.
We saw people on it when we wondered round to Meall Cumhann and where praying for the temperature to stay cold enough to return after our new new mini break in the snow holes.

Thanks to all on the fall for a safe and fun experience.

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