Coire an t'Schneachda

I spent last weekend up in the Cairngorms with Martin and Bec. The forecast wasn't the best, and actually quite annoying with a few days of colder settled weather bounding a significantly worse weekend. After a drive up in good time we arrived in Aviemore and headed up to the Sugar Bowl car park on the ski road with temperatures of -6C and clear skies, a promising start, although making for a cold night in the tent.

Mess of Pottage.

Unfortunately the clear skies and gentle breeze changed guise over night to low cloud and gale force winds. We decided on a round of hot chocolates in the ski lodge to start the day as the forecast was better for the afternoon, we met some friend from Manchester University in there who'd already been in for a luck but come back out again. We decided that it was probably still worth a look so headed in to Schneachda.

Bec coming up onto the Slant.

It snowed heavily on the walk in, and by the time we got to the corrie base there was at least 6 inches of fresh powder down and the wind had picked up. This was Bec's first time climbing in winter so we decided to do something relatively easy knowing that the fresh snow would make things more difficult. We headed first up towards Jacobs ladder, discounting the Haston Line after seeing about 4 parties on it. We headed up the Slant II to the base of Hidden Chimney III which we pitched up to the final pitch. Here we hit a traffic jam of parties so I climbed a variation, out of the chimney on the right hand side with some tricky hooking and torquing before gaining a ledge overlooking at the chimney (probably around IV). Martin then led a rightwards line across the buttress towards the top of Jacob's Ladder to top out, beating all the teams queuing on the original route!

Bec at the top of her first winter route.

Bec, depsite being a little frosty and covered in snow enjoyed the route. We walked off via 1141m and then down through Coire Cas, looking at a few skills on the way down. Cafe Mambo followed naturally.

Myself leading the first pitch of Red Gully.

The next day we headed back into Coire an t'Schneachda in improved weather, the snow had also consolidated a little to improve climbing conditions. We wanted to do Finger Ridge but it was extremely busy so instead we opted for Red Gully II which I thought was actually quite sporting for the grade in though conditions. Once we topped out we descended Aladdin's Couloir I which has a nice little ice pitch in it at the moment, and must itself be going at around grade II. We then went back up Aladdin's Mirror I passing underneath a team struggling up a very thin Mirror Direct. 

Marting leading the icefall variation.

We travesed across and under Pygmy Ridge and climbed the icefalls at about III that form to the left of Central Left hand before topping out and heading down the Goat Track.

Coming down Aladdin's Mirror.

No hard climbing, but a good weekend out and a success for Bec's first winter climbing trip.

End of days at the ski car park.