Conditions on the crest still very good until midday today. Traverse will be A1 until heat of the day hits so alpinre starts suggested. You'll touch rock south of In Pinn increasingly but clear skies allowed crampons from under 700m today.
Neve finally very good nick for the snow fields so mid-low grade routes pretty good options on higher peaks, again early better.
Have fun, Mike
Conditions not so good today with temps having stayed up about 5deg or so. Took us quite a while over An caisteal with one notable rock step across one of the "jumps". Plenty of steps to follow tho! Going, going.....
Very glad to finally report that a rash of Winter Traverses were finally achieved this week, the first and probably last of this very strange season. I suspect that one party suceeded Monday & Tuesday, which was the best window, with a bivvy at Bealach Harta. With a weather meltdown forecast for Thursday 13th 3 teams then all, finally, got their acts together on the morning of Wednesday 12th.
Ian Stewart, Tom Western & Nathan White were first off and nailed it in a single day push- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o84CkJUggtE&feature=youtu.be
Superb footage which emphaisies the quality and huge amount of very fine effort.
Jeremy Morris & partner (Glasgow JMCS) were next off, carrying a tent et al but making it all the way to camp below Commando Crack in Coir' a' Ghrunnda and then finishing off in the damp on Thursday morning.
Francis Blunt & Jake Phillips had an enforced really late start, 9-30am, from the Sligachan but an intimate knowledge and huge great trail allowed the boys to also reach Coir' a' Ghrunnda by nightfall.- https://www.facebook.com/jacob.phillips.923519/media_set?set=a.101522457610...
and https://www.facebook.com/francis.blunt.1/media_set?set=a.10152960452095525....
Well done to all these folks and thanks for your feedback.
good to hear more people are discovering the magic of a winter cuillin traverse.
Your information was invaluable for our traverse last year and I am sure that the up to date information you have been posting all season helped the parties who completed the ridge over the past few days
Thanks for your reports, it was just the inspiration we needed to go for it, well worth the effort! Not sure if there will be another window like that again this season!
I have finally written up a wee blog to go with the film:
This Winter Conditions page gives a summary of what is being climbed at the moment, what is 'in' nick and
what the prospects are...
News New National Park for Ireland
The Irish Government today announced the creation of a new National Park, the country's eighth. Located on the Dingle Peninsula, Páírc Náisiúnta na Mara, Ciarraí includes the rugged Conor Pass, the unique island of Sceilg Mhichíl, and Mount Brandon, one of...
Press Release Alpkit and Outside Bank Holiday Hathersage Tent Show 4-5th May
