Wednesday 12 March 2014

12 March............Red Tarn Cove climb

We've gone through several days of freeze and thaw cycles so a closer inspection of the climbs in Red Tarn Cove were my objective of the day.

After a clear night with temperatures well below freezing and an Alpine start (6.45am) I was confident the snow on the face would be solid enough to climb, some evidence of previous slides down the gullies had actually compacted the surface and made for an easy ascent.  Some good neve was to be found in the places that the sun doesn't get to.

As the sun warmed the surface it became soft very quickly and I was glad to summit before the full force of the suns started to make a very noticeable difference.

The large double fracture line around the summit was evidence of the previous warm days, and were the cornice has overhangs it's only a matter of time and before they go for a big slide.


 Catsty Cam.....The main gully line is full all the way,
 Red Tarn Cove........
No:1 Gully is not complete in the middle
No:2 Gully is almost most complete with just a short section of turf (frozen at 8am) in the middle
 No 1 and No 2 gullies


  No 1 and No 2 gullies


No 2 gully (left finish looking thin in places)
 No 2 gully slay in the shade for the best snow
 Looking down No 2

 Nethermost and Dollywagon
 Summit fractures
  Summit fractures Brown Cove
  Summit fractures Brown cove

 Brown Cove Crags (left and right parallel gullies looked complete)
 Crevasse near the ski tow








Sunday 2 March 2014

1st March...........St Sunday Crag and Fairfield

Great winter walking conditions to do the Deepdale round, over St Sunday, Cofa Pike, and Fairfield.