UKH

Good afternoon!
Apologies if this is a duplicate thread but i am really struggling to find a good conditions report for the lakes...
Ill be heading up there on Saturday, is it time to be taking tools if i want to get any climbing done?
Cheers
James

In reply to Hadfield6:

on BBC weathe rlast night they showed the backdrop to keswick and there was white stuff on the slopes upwards

not sure how deep or if any is neved up yet

but it looked cold and wintery

In reply to Hadfield6:
A couple of us did Sharp Edge on Saturday. There was about 6 to 8 inches of snow up there. There was a thin veneer of ice on the slabs, underneath the snow, but little evidence elsewhere. If i was going back this weekend, i'd just take a walking axe.

In reply to Mostro:
I'd be a bit more conservative and carry my crampons in case. I was up there in frosted rock conditions(like dry verglas) a week or so ago and put my crampons off halfway over because it really didn't feel safe. The party who'd left crampons in the car were part way along the edge when I was at Scales Tarn. By the time I'd reached the top of the slabs after Sharp Edge they were still negotiating the bad step with the aid of a rope. Someone fell a day or two afterwards and was severely injured. Too many accidents to chance it and crampons in the car are no help if you are halfway across and feel it's too dangerous without. Chances are it will be OK when snow is deep enough but other people's steps the day before will be ice the next day. I was along it on Monday in quite a wind and put on crampons to climb over the bad step by the left side traverse. Whiteout on top


btw Brown Cove messy and unconsolidated today - gullies not formed and ice shitty

In reply to Hadfield6:

Join the UK mountain conditions facebook group (or some name like that). Lots of pics from people out today and yesterday. Looks lovely, although turf under snow not frozen seems to be the consensus. There has been an avalanche on Skidaw that you can see in photos taken from Great End! It has gone into one of the steep becks and come down that below the actual snowline. Quite remarkable.

I have a day off tomorrow and was going to go. But have been in bed sick now for two days and doubt I'll feel much better come 4 am tomorrow which is my normal day trip leaving time. Miserable now as well as sick.

In reply to wercat:
I wandered up Hallsfell Ridge this morning Crampons definitely useful on the ridge but not really needed on top and descent . Minus 2 in car park at 8am and a good frost Not a cloud all day and looking similar for Friday , Just be aware as there are signs of a slab avalanche above Threkeld (looked to be about 100 ' sheared away ) not near the path but just a reminder that it hasn't stabilised everywhere Might be the same one Toby mentioned

In reply to TobyA:

Relax Toby. I just can't see anything being in yet in the Lakes. I've been in the Cairngorms and NW Scotland this week The winter walking is lovely but the snow is unconsilidated and ice formation doesn't amount to much more than a few smears despite a week below zero. Views are stunning though!!

In reply to BnB:

People were skiing on Helvellyn last weekend https://www.instagram.com/p/BNKp5YCAv1N/ looks fantastic! My only winter day last winter was skiing up Helvellyn which was wonderful - so I'd be as happy on ski as on foot, but a number of teams have done Pinnacle Ridge in very wintery conditions (if the turf isn't frozen you just hook most of it from what I remember it). So that or Striding Edge or similar looks great. I was even going to chuck in my mountaineering snowshoes as people are reporting tricky walking in deep but soft snow, to get me up to the scrambly ridges.

Instead I suspect I'll either still be feeling sick in bed or marking Y8 assessments all day. I can't go either day this weekend and you can bet it will have all melted by next weekend.

In reply to TobyA:

I went up to Pillar Rock today. Fantastic day, but awful climbing conditions - breakable crust, totally unconsolidated graupel and turf not frozen. very nice for walking if on a trail, but not climbing as things stand.

In reply to Hadfield6:

I was walking in the Kentmere Fells yesterday with a mate. Plenty of snow above about 500m but like others say not consolidated. More so on the section from Thornthwaite Crag to Mardale Ill Bell but would break through just when you thought you had found a good long frozen section. Did actually see the evidence of three avalanches on sunny aspects close to Mardale Ill Bell and on Kentmere Pike. Didn't expect to see those to be honest.

So my guess would be not much in shape yet for climbing unless it's north facing maybe.

In reply to Hadfield6:
A few pics from various Lakes skiing and wandering trips from today and recent days here http://www.facebook.com/LakelandAscents

In reply to Si Withington:

Seems like there is quite a lot of avalanche activity in the Lakes at the moment.

In reply to bonebag:

Yeah I guess (for the Lakes). Easily avoidable though with a bit of knowledge and common sense. Most of it a few days old from the recentish heavy snowfall and strong winds.

In reply to Hadfield6:

Anyone know of the snow height in langdale? I was rather hoping for a day doing easy rock routes on gimmer and was thinking the snow would be above it by now.
Cheers

In reply to Matt Amos:

On Wednesday it was about 500m around Kentmere. Presumably it was similar in Langdale and has probably risen since then. Good luck with the climbing.

In reply to Matt Amos:

don't know about Langdale but I was able to descend in crampons to the wall just at the top of the lower zig-zag path above Swirls car park Thirlmere yesterday afternoon. There was still ice on the lower path

In reply to Matt Amos:

I think you will still encounter snow on the descents

integral might be fun, raven crag then up to gimmer, the chimney should be possible, it's red hot when Sun does reach rock, descending steep snowy ground on rock boots might not be much fun but up and over the top might be ok, light axe tucked in sack for grass at top would be my choice, fell running shoes can help

Of course could be death on a stick

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/la22?day=1

In reply to Hadfield6:

Hi James

Was up Scafell Pike from borrowdale on Thurs. Ground frozen from the car making the paths hard going. Crampons and axe aided descent massively. Snow depth varies a lot, some with a crust on allowing you to walk on top, other still soft making you sink up to your knees

HTH Davey.

In reply to Matt Amos:

I was at Blea Tarn yesterday looking across at the Pikes. Snow level was down to about the base of Gimmer but the crag itself looked largely clear of it and the nearby cover thin. If there's no wind then it may be OK if a bit chilly. I've posted a pic on here which may be moderated soon.

In reply to Hadfield6:
In Keswick, last 3 days have been blue sky cold weather days with hard frosts not lifting in shady spots. However, this afternoon the cloud has rolled in and temperatures have risen significantly, rapidly thawing the frosts at valley level. Forecast is milder overnight/tomorrow than it has been, but may allow some consolidation of conditions on the high falls to allow some climbable conditions.

In reply to Hadfield6:

btw it was still -5.5 when I drove through St John's in the Vale at 0920 yesterday, -3.5 driving in to Penrith this morning around 10

In reply to Matt Amos:

out of the sun in Langdale (at 100m)

https://www.facebook.com/NTLakescampsites/photos/a.211203592234751.54016.21...

its a game of 2 halves - red hot in sun, baltic in shade

In reply to Hadfield6:

Anyone been up any of the helvellyn gulleys? Fancying a wander that way tomorrow and not sure what kit to throw in!

In reply to Hadfield6:

Was wandering about southwest of Thirlmere today with a pal - went over Steel Fell and Calf Crag to High Raise, out to Sergeant Man and back down a rake to the Calf Crag col, then out via Wythburn in the near-dark (after beautiful pink sunset light across on the flanks of Helvellyn). Fair bit of snow but poor stuff, quite hard work underfoot, cover variable by aspect. Some ice lower down but just patchy stuff and, as Ttt said upthread, the temperature rose quite a bit through the day. Main feature was the fantastic light, both locally - all the big fells looking very fine with streaky snow - and afar, as North Wales could easily be seen from High Raise, through the gap between the Conistons and the Crinkles. My pal had binocs and through those we could see snow on the Carneddau and Snowdon, 100 miles away.

In reply to Birks:
Helvellyn gullies aren't in

In reply to Mike Hewitt:

I saw an ascent yesterday - must have been more trouble than it was worth and I'm not sure I'd not have wanted to be invisible topping out after such a mess. Much more fun just doing the circuit of the edges in glorious sunshine.

In reply to Hadfield6:

In case you haven't already seen this then this site can be a useful resource https://www.windfinder.com/report/great_dun_fel
As you can see it was + 8 on the top of the pennines yesterday lunch time. OK its not the Lakes but its close enough! Click on "Maps" to pan to other stations/areas

In reply to pass and peak:

Walked over Sharp Edge today. Not in winter condition. Lakes is done for now at least.

In reply to Hadfield6:

Anyone been out in the last couple of days? I was thinking of heading up Scafell from Seathwaite on Saturday and it would be handy to know if the snow's still about?

In reply to Babika:

Snow has retreated, just old drifts left, maybe some in gullies but unlikely to be useful

In reply to Hadfield6:

Hi all

Thanks very much for this info, very useful and much appreciated.

Ended up over at Coniston, there looked to be a lot of white on the hills from Walna Scar Road so put tools and crampons in the bag and headed over to Dow. On arrival there was a thin covering in the gullies but nothing more. It was actually rather warm and we ended up climbing in boots and bare hands.

I will be back again on Saturday and will probably head further away from the coast to try and find more wintery conditions. Although it sounds like anything that was there has now melted....

Lets hope for better conditions over the next few months.

In reply to Hadfield6:

Last Friday was a cracking day on Scafell Pike. Mainly reasonable snow, good neve in parts from well below Hollowstones. OK, nothing major was in nick (you wouldn't have expected it to be), but we had a lovely wander up Long Gully (left side of Pikes Crag) and over the top, down via Mickledore. No wind, Alpine blue skies and not too many folk around. What more could you hope for in November these days? Going very rapidly now though. John.

In reply to Hadfield6:

What did you climb on Dow Crag, dry rock?

In reply to static266:

Just the giants crawl, did not fancy anything difficult in big boots. The rock was very dry, much better than some occasions when I have been there in summer. Having said that, the sun was out and there was not a cloud in the sky, I doubt it is the same now.

I'm heading back out on Saturday but cant decide where to go, we are in an in-between seasons time at the moment, making it difficult.