Eeking out some routes in a thawing Cairngorms

The embodiment of enthusiasm in adversity

Having spent a whole two weeks waiting for the weather to improve it was clear that Christmas in the north was not going to be a classic for climbing, however a long standing plan to have Arjan visit for the last weekend of my holiday (7th-8th) for an introduction to Scottish winter climbing had me scouring the conditions blogs and weather forecasts for a glimmer of hope.  I didn't find any, so with the only hints of a less bad location being east and high it was going to be the Cairngorms.  Luckily Arjan's enthusiasm took over and his positive attitude to the dripping and sometimes flowing ice was extremely refreshing.

High winds looked like they could be a problem for Saturday but I had heard of a fair accumulation of ice on the lower and possibly more sheltered Lurchers Crag, towards the north end of the Lairig Ghru.  A 6:30 start was decided upon due to the forecasted rising temperatures through the day.  Excitement started to creep in as we left the sugar bowl car park, head torches on, and peering in to the darkness.  Light was just starting to brighten the sky as we reached the Chalamian Gap and helped us across the tricky jumble of boulders which fill this perched glacial outwash channel.  It was then in to the looming gouge of the Lairig Ghru with the clouds just above the base of the 3000ft high pass and just high enough to reveal numerous icy trickles descending through the impending crags.

Central Gully on Lurchers Crag looking quite promising

After some precarious boulder hopping we made it to the bottom of Central Gully which looked to contain the most promising ice line, sporting three clear pitches of which the topmost looked a serious challenge and certainly warranting the suggested elevated grade in lean snow conditions.  Soloing up to the base of the first stepped ice fall the volume of running water was a little distressing but the hanging fangs of the tiered ice were to enticing to circumvent so with a cautious approach I started up the first pitch.  Although a little insecure a couple of rock runners and the soft nature of the ice smoothed the way for enjoyment of the setting and the anticipation of the pitches that lay ahead.  After moving up to the base of the next icefall Arjan took the lead, carefully testing the ice to find the most solid line, which a thicker ribbon, accumulated in a groove on the left side of the icefall, provided, even allowing a couple of only slightly suspect ice screw placements.  Following up this pleasantly angled but fairly sustained pitch the next obstacle came in to view, holding within a spectacular array of ice fringed bulges with a depth of blue that tells of better ice than we had yet encountered.

Taking a direct line up the upper ice fall

Starting below the dripping and thaw contorted icicles to the left encouraged rapid progress (to get in to the dry) as did the sinking axe placements and the the steep angle of the ice.  This was however, the sort of pitch it is tempting to abseil back down and climb again.  Unfortunately it was over all to soon despite needing to use the rope stretch to reach a very secure belay round a massive granite block.  Untying, we made our way up the last 100m of turf and patchy snow to meet the icy blast that awaited on the plateau.  Descending the spur to the north allowed us to miss the blocky recceses of the Chalamain Gap.  Once below the cloud base the land out towards the Monadhliath seemed alight with blaze of low sunlight streaming through the clouds but by the time we regained the van darkness had begun to fall.

Some beer and good food and it was time to bed down for a 6:00 start to Sunday, trying to snatch something from worsening climbing conditions.  By 8:30 we were standing below the Mess of Pottage in Coire an t-Sneachda trying to figure out what might be in condition.  The comment from a fellow climber that the Haston Line had a tricky tech. 5 crux in lean conditions stripped some of my enthusiasm but after some encouragement from Arjan I managed to convince myself that the thin smears of ice may offer some help rather than just blank out all the cracks for any protection. 

The Haston line takes a rising traverse line across the Mess of Pottage during which a tricky notch behind a small pinnacle has to be threaded before the crux corner is surmounted and easier ground follows on to the top.  Arriving at the crux the build up of snow on the sloping ledge was of little help in decreasing the height of the awkward corner which lay ahead.  After some contrivance a couple of nuts were worked in to some less than perfect cracks....,best only worried about if falling entered the equation.  I started reaching up to investigate where my axes might get purchase.  Fantastic - one slotted in to a helpfully crack and just lodged, in a way that inspired confidence  And it was going to have to as the next move required laying away off the axe, walking my feet up the left wall, and then bridging out right before I could find the next placement.  The few millimetres of ice smeared down the walls of the corner actually made the footwork feel relatively secure and eventually I was in a fairly strong position even if mid crux, escape being by an off balance step out left on to what now seemed like a reassuringly icy slab (up to 1/2 a centimetre of ice in some thin ribbons), it seemed like a good time to sling a spike.  Bugger one sling was trapped round my back, entangled in my rucksack - right leg, smeared on thin ice, starting to shake, suddenly not entirely happy - eventually a runner was on the spike and I could stop shaking and move on.  Leaving one axe in place and finding a decent hand hold it was possible to work my left foot up on to the slab and rock over to reach to the reassuring thud of an axe finding frozen turf.  Feet working their way across the thinly iced slab and axes eventually finding greater and greater quantities of turf, ice and snow I soon made it up to the belay and brought Arjan up.

Arjan, again seemed to enjoy the challenge and was soon continuing upwards to investigate the possibilities above.  First going right and looking in to Hidden Chimney where he found a gaggle of climbers, hidden, clinging to what looked like not much in the way of snow or ice.  So a traverse left and up The Slant was in order which took us to the lip of the coire and out on to the plateau.  Blown back down the hill and making it back to the van by 1:30 we knew that we had made the best of the conditions and Arjan had had 'an' introduction to Scottish winter climbing if not the best introduction.  A relaxed drive south saw us in the flat lands before midnight and already chatting about the next trip.  A return of winter will certainly be required before then though.