25 March - Just back from work on the highly successful and enjoyable inaugural Mountaineering Ireland Winter Alpine Meet based in Ponte di Legno, Adamello Alps, Italy. The weather was perfect, mainly brilliant sunshine and warm weather with plenty of snow about, good cover starting at about 1200m. The main climatic challenge of the week was to avoid sunburn. As the week progressed a thaw became more pronounced and by Friday progress on sun baked snow slopes was slow deep work even waring snowshoes. The weather "broke" on the final day of the meet, just a bit of cloud and wind with a hint of dampness in the air, but it was still mellow. The weeks activities consisted of: snowshoeing, alpine mountaineering, ski mountaineering, ice climbing 0n thick blue ice, and eating and drinking of fine italian food and liquids.

01/03/10 - Sunburnt but smiling! A lot has changed in a week but we are back to the ultra sunny, bright and dry weather. Its sun cream and sun glasses all the way, and it is set to continue with this ridge of high pressure. Must mention the tons of snow that fell last Wed 24th and Thur 25th on strong E/NE winds, so much snow fell that we were snowed in. Conditions out on the hill were terrifying, with all avalanche forecasts giving a high category 4 risk for the past 6 days. This is due to the widespread windslab lying on top of a very unstable layer of surface hoar (which formed at an alarming rate during the previous spell of clear and very cold weather). A high danger still exists on many slopes and elevations, restricting climbing options. As well as that many routes on the west coast, Creag Meagaidh and in the Cairngorms are buried. But with this cold clear weather, many new options have presented themselves, with numerous valley waterfalls freezing up and thick ice is developing (night-time temps are as low as -20 C in places). There is much scope for exploration and adventure; on the other hand some classics are in form: for example The Steall Falls in Glen Nevis and a long grade 4 on Sgurr Finnsig-aig (near Nevis Range gondola) are seeing a lot of traffic. Taxus in the Bridge of Orchy is reported very good also. The snow is lying at pretty much all levels, above 100m.

21/02/10 - What a week! The weather here is fantastic, dry, calm and extremely sunny. Very cold but warm in the sun - makes for ideal climbing conditions. The whole place looks alpine, mountains all around plastered in snow, shimmering in the sun. Lots of great routes getting climbed in the past 10 days, Vanishing gully, Point Five, Minus 2, Italian Climb and the classic ridges to name but a few on the Ben. A general idea of other stuff around: Fingers ridge & the Seam reported good in the Cairngorms (though Doctor's Choice was poor and parties looked slow moving on nearby Patey's Route); Peter Pan Direct; a party making good progress on Tilt in SCNL.

We climbed the following in the past few days:

Curved ridge, Buachaile Etive Mor, Glencoe - nice, with the ice in place for the first pitch and the snow well consolidated by midway up the route.

Doctor's Choice, Coire an tSneachta, Cairngorms - crap unconsolidated steep snow for most of it and only 25m of interest, poor choice. 

Twisting Gully, Stob Coire nan Lochan, Glencoe - very enjoyable, the "crux" was handy with the two chimneys higher up giving excitement, arguably being more difficult .

Weather is set to continue very cold, though some forecasts are giving unsettled weather towards the end of the week. Make haste, forget the alps, pack your factor 45 and head for the Scottish highlands. 

Disclaimer - Elements outdoor training and adventure take no responsibility for actions taken based on these reports. It is up to the general public to check the latest weather and avalanche forecast and assess these and climbing route conditions properly on the mountains.

Thursday 4th February - Lost of snow fell on Monday evening, on W - SW winds. Redistributed on Tuesday by W (veering N) winds and Wednesday by SE winds - both days very cold. Loads more snow fell on Wednesday night. Thaw today. A return to cold conditions is forecasted for  the weekend with daytime freezing levels forecasted to be around 500m to 300m into the early part of next week. 

Friday 29th January - Conditions are reported excellent at the moment, with many routes on the ben climbed today, though some accumulations of dangerous unstable windslab reported (in number 5 gully and probably elsewhere). Bullet hard melt-freeze snow around. Cold (dry with some snow showers) conditions set to continue. A brief minor thaw forecasted for mid week with a return to cold again by the end of the week, should see immaculate conditions continue (but thats only a forecast).

Disclaimer - Elements outdoor training and adventure take no responsibility for actions taken based on these reports. It is up to the general public to check the latest weather and avalanche forecast and assess conditions properly on the mountains. 

Its been a busy 2^1/2 weeks since i've arrived here. Straight into the deep end on Monday the 11th with a climb (lead) of Dorsal arrét, something i've managed to avoid in the 5 years i've been coming here. Its inevitable that its the first of many times climbing it. Anyways it was good fun with the 40-50mph gusts, especially the fin on the last section. Then came two days of winter mountaineering instruction with GMIT, on the ice in Coire na Ciste and then on Buachaille Etive Mór.

Then 2 days of winter skills instruction with the ULOPC, followed by a week of climbing and further tuition. I climbed (alternate lead) Glover's Chimney III,4 on the North Face of the Ben and Sabre Tooth IV/5 on the lost Valley Buttress, Bidean nam Bian with Andrew. Glovers was disappointing (in easy condition) with only the top-out pitch onto tower ridge giving any excitement, with marginal axe placements in poor snow and then very strong gusts and spindrift, and a finish in darkness due to getting distracted by some steep water ice in Coire na Ciste on the way up to the start of the route. Andrew got the exciting pitch on Sabre tooth, a long steep run out with only a half in ice screw in poor snow-ice as protection for a 20m section after a section of delicate 20m (well protected) vertical rock climb in crampons. Dorsal arret was revisited as an assistant/observer, this time I soloed it. We also had a magic day out on the Ballachulish horseshoe, during a brief thaw.

The weekend of 23/24 involved working on a winter mountaineering course for a British company, which saw another fling with Dorsal Arret. Pity, cause Sunday was great for climbing, and monday another day with climbs in great condition was a reluctant but required rest day.

Now after 3 days of office work from the mobile office (aka back of the van, piggybacking on free internet hotspots), the local library and coffee shops I'm ready for some more mountain madness. Big weather and avalanche forecasted for tomorrow ..... don't stop me now.

Weather/conditions update and photos to follow.