Date: 11th / 12 / 2011 My Website: http://www.elements.gb.net
Early morning light, walking into Shelter Stone
Again well worth the walk over the back to Loch Avon, passing and avoiding the crowds of the Northern Corries. We only met a couple of other teams in an otherwise beautiful, untouched, quiet, awesome Winter climbing venue.
Jon Jones on one of the crux pitches, excellent mixed climbing
The route was Clach Dhian Chimney (V,5)*, an obvious line through the right hand side of Shelter Stone. The climbing in the first two pitches felt at the top end of the grade, probably due to a lack of good ice on the steep stuff. The route in this condition still made for a superb day out.
There were lots of routes getting done in Lochan and Sneachda today, with most aspects of crags looking very white and wintery. This was the best condition I have seen the Loch Avon crags in since the start of the Winter. Hells Lum is still well buried under a blanket of snow turning to ice but every other crag looked nice and wintery.
Jon J mixing it up through some steep ground
I won’t be climbing until the end of this week, so fingers crossed the good conditions carry on.
Giles Trussell enjoying some steep climbing
Giles enjoying almost Alpine conditions, high on the route
Chadder's Adventures 