This winter has been pretty good so far, with quite a few climbs (Central Buttress on Lochnagar, a variation on Clark Gable on Gable Crag, Central Gully on Gable Crag, plus a couple of icefalls in the Dolomites) and some great ski touring in Scotland and the Dolomites.
Nevertheless, I wanted more climbing, so with good weather forecast for the SE Highlands, I persuaded Maria that another trip to Lochnagar was a good idea... After not finishing work early enough on Friday to travel up in the evening, we left York at 01:30 on Saturday, arriving at Spittal of Glenmuick at 07:00. We had a bite to eat, put our boots on, and set off in great weather towards Lochnagar.
The recent thaw had stripped a lot of the snow off the buttresses, but the NE coire still held quite a bit of snow, and we expected good conditions in the gullies as it had apparently all re-frozen over the past couple of days.
Selecting Parallel Gully A, a classic 270m grade III route with an optional 60m grade IV direct finish, we headed up to the start of the route to find another pair climbing the first pitch. It was in OK condition, but at one point the ice had collapsed leaving a small gap which was a little awkward.
The next pitch presented a range of route choices. The guys in front of us went up and left, before traversing back into the gully above (and spending quite a while searching for a belay, while we froze down below...). I moved up and left initially, but then found some wonderful steep snow-ice on a more central line, with first time placements making for very satisfying climbing.
The next 80m or so were pretty easy, heading up towards a steep wall that didn't appear to present any obvious opportunities for exiting the gully...
The guys in front of us sensibly chose the normal, grade III, left-hand finish.
I suggested we should have a crack at the steep & icy direct finish, which in the conditions we found proved to be pretty challenging, much harder than any other grade IV either of us have ever climbed. The climbing was pretty engrossing, so unfortunately the only picture we have is this one, taken from the next belay (thankfully on a shallower-angled slope), looking back down over the edge to the steepest part.
Above this, there was just one more pitch to go, but it did involve an intimidating-looking cornice. While it was pretty sugary in places, it did have a snow/ice bridge that went up and right from under the overhang, enabling a crafty traverse before a mantelshelf onto the plateau.
All in all, a pretty full-on day of Scottish winter climbing!
