Monday 20 February 2012

RETURN OF THE MONSOONS

Ciste Corrie &No.5 Gully
We found ice!
Avalanche debris from No.5 Gully
Ice still hanging on, just!
A big contrast today  in conditions and weather from the weekend with high temperatures, constant rain and high winds. Bob  was out with me today for the start of 4 days of winter skills. With a dismal forecast we set off to the north side of Ben Nevis in search of ice before it all disappeared. The car parks were almost empty this morning and a very quiet Ciste Corrie. No.5 Gully had avalanched recently, no surprise there with the HIGH avalanche forecast. The end of the debris was much lower than normal. At least in the Ciste we got some shelter from the SW's and it wasn't all that bad. Still some big areas of ice and hard snow at lower levels to go through the basics of axe and crampon technique. We also covered axe arresting toward the end of the day. If we weren't already damp then the crossing of the Allt a' Mhuillin on the walk out saw to that, it had risen quickly since the morning. A good day to test out the gear as they say, most of the day I was wearing a pair of £2.99 gloves, perfect! There have been worse days this winter-cast your mind back to Christmas!

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