Monthly Archives: December 2011

Lake District Winter Climbing Conditions 19/12/11

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I went back up to Brown Cove Crags on Helvellyn yesterday with friends Roy and Martin. The weather forecast was good and plenty of other people were out walking, climbing and skiing. We climbed a variation to Stepped Ridge taking in some steeper sections of ground to make it more interesting. The heavy snow cover is still insulating the ground meaning that some turf is not fully frozen making careful placements with axes and crampons essential.

The weather is looking warm and wet for the next couple of days but fingers crossed but a return to colder temperatures should see conditions come good again.

More than mountains are off down south for their annual Christmas break. We hope you all enjoy the holiday season and we look forward to seeing you out in the hills in the new year.

Lake District Winter Climbing Conditions 15/12/11

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Well the forecast looked as good as it was going to get for a while so I took a walk up to Brown Cove Crags on Helvellyn this morning from Thirlmere to see how winter was progressing. It was raining as I left the car and low cloud made it difficult to see what conditions were like in the cove but I thought at least the walk would do me good.

There were a few deeper drifts around but also some more promising patches of older snow. On some slopes there are wind blown deposits sitting on the old layer which are best avoided due to the avalanche risk.

I decided to make my way up Stepped Ridge, a nice grade II scramble. It felt very wintry with ice starting to form over some of the rock in places. The turf still isn’t very well frozen as it has been insulated by all the snow. Although I couldn’t see much I could hear the voices of other climbers nearby.

Topping out onto the plateau it was quite icy and had been scoured by the wind. Crampons made for much easier travel over this. Some of the wind blown snow formations I saw at the top of the ridge were an indication of how cornices might be forming over east facing slopes.

Although today was not the most photogenic I did manage to shoot a little video at the top which you can view here.

Lake District Winter Climbing Conditions 14/12/11

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Over the last week or so snow has fallen on the Lake Distict hills. We have also experienced rain, hail and strong winds at all levels. Temperatures have been fluctuating with the freezing level (height above sea level where temperature is 0 degrees centigrade) not remaining very stable.

This has led to a lot of snow being blown around the mountains and deposited on lee slopes. A build up of different layers of snow, hail and wind blown deposits often sitting on wet grass has already caused avalanches on Blencathra and Helvellyn.

The BBC reported on winter conditions in the Lake District this morning and the need to take this into account when planning your day out.

Backcountry Access have published some very useful and up to date information and resources for avalanche safety on their website which is well worth taking the time to look at.

When planning your day out look carefully at the weather forecast and think particularly about wind speed and direction and whether your intended route may cross avalanche terrain.

Choosing the right boots and crampons for winter mountaineering

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More than mountains are busy planning winter courses for 2012. Look out for courses in winter skills, winter mountaineering and winter snow and ice climbing in Scotland and the Lake District coming soon. To help you get the most out of your winter mountaineering the following advice should help you look after your feet in the snow.

Choosing the right boots and crampons for winter mountaineering.

It is all too easy to be tempted into buying the latest shiny climbing gear on a rainy day but it is important to make sure you are getting the right tools for the job. To help winter mountaineers make the correct choice about their boot and crampon combinations mountain guide Brian Hall designed a system of different categories that makes it clear to see which boots will work with which crampons.

B1-boot-with-C1-crampon

A B1 boot is a four season walking boot that is very durable and has a semi-stiffened sole to cope with walking over rough ground. It is suitable for year round use in the mountains. Attached to the boot in the photo is a ten-point C1 crampon. It is a flexible crampon that can be fitted to most boots.

B2-boot-with-C2-crampon

A B2 boot is almost fully stiffened and has been designed to easily cope with walking, scrambling and climbing. They can be used year round but may feel a little warm in summer. A twelve point C2 crampon offers more security on steeper snow and ice slopes and often comes with a heel clip to make fitting them to the boot a little quicker.

B3-boot-with-C3-crampon

A B3 boot has a fully stiffened sole and has been designed for steep, technical climbing. They used to exclusively be double boots with a plastic outer but modern technology has allowed lighter models using different materials to come onto the market. A fourteen point C3 crampon with vertical front points is designed for climbing vertical or even overhanging ice!

It is possible to go for a walk in a B3/C3 combination but you may find it uncomfortable. In the same way, starting up a grade V ice fall in bendy B1 boots may feel slightly unnerving.

Make sure your crampons are fitted with anti-balling plates to prevent a build up of snow underneath your boots. A quick tap with your ice axe will knock off any snow that does start to stick.

It is worth carrying a small repair kit with your crampons on the hill. This may consist of a small multi tool with pliers and a screwdriver and a spare strap and nuts and bolts. I find a few cable ties can be incredibly useful for holding everything in place in an emergency.

Have your crampons ready to put on before you need them. It is much easy to fit them somewhere relatively flat rather than trying to balance on one leg in the middle of a steep slope. Adopt the ‘John Wayne’ position when walking with crampons on, remember you have just strapped 24 more ways to hurt yourself to the bottom of your feet!

Lake District Winter Climbing Conditions

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The first snow has fallen on the Lake District hills over the last few days. Up in the Cairngorms some of the mixed routes such as Stirling Bomber and Hoarmaster have been climbed already.

Last week at the BMC Lake District area meeting a debate was held on winter ethics in the Lake District. It was well attended and encouraged some lively discussion. This event was filmed and I will post a link to this once it becomes available.

The current Lake District Winter Climbs guidebook published jointly by the Fell & Rock Climbing Club (FRCC) and Cicerone has a very good section in the front on conditions which is well worth a read before planning your day out in the hills.

Everyone at the meeting was in agreement with the statement in the guidebook that “climbing (should only take place) when routes are fully frozen and in true winter condition” i.e. easier to climb using ice axes and crampons than without. It was suggested that even after walking all the way in, if you find your chosen climb not in suitable condition then you should walk away and leave it for another day to prevent damage to rare plants that may lie underneath the snow.

It is very easy now to find out what has been happening on the hill before you head out. The Mountain Weather Information Service (MWIS) produces a very comprehensive forecast every day and throughout winter the Lake District National Park Fell Top Assessors make their way to the top of Helvellyn to record the weather conditions at the summit which are then published on the weatherline website.

I will post up to date reports of what I find as I’m out and about in the fells over the coming months. In the mean time here are a few pictures from last season to inspire you!