Juicy looking ice

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 henwardian 07 Feb 2021

Found this ice on the way home a couple days ago, shame I'm not into ice solo new routing (or anything trickier than about a 40 degree plod infact!) because to the untrained eye it looks like pretty surprisingly well developed conditions for Skye.

Anyone know which of these have been done and which are not yet climbed? They are on the Storr with the icicles on the NE side and the long ramp on the SE side.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/YMf9etdf8B4rjsxm9

https://photos.app.goo.gl/3zz3ucT3FuQgmwnZ6

https://photos.app.goo.gl/vL2FmozGNo816AUu5

 kwoods 07 Feb 2021
In reply to henwardian:

Your first photo contains three four star grade VI ice routes, Coire Scamadal.

The second picture doesn't have routes in my guidebook (Skye Sea cliffs and Outcrops). 

Third picture is the ramp of Storvegan, also VI or VII

 smally 07 Feb 2021
In reply to kwoods:

Beat me to it. Had a quick check of my pics and it is 10 years and a few weeks since I climbed at Scamadal. Looks fairly similar conditions, although a big part of me wishes I didn't know this right now.

Nisbet's 10 year winter rule in evidence !

OP henwardian 07 Feb 2021
In reply to kwoods:

Ah, cool, I should have looked out the guide, I was just going by what was on the UKC logbooks.

The first two pictures overlap slightly. Are the 4 star grade VIs really on that shorter right hand part of the cliff? It definitely looks harder but the much bigger and more iced-up central streak looks much better...

OP henwardian 07 Feb 2021
In reply to smally:

>  although a big part of me wishes I didn't know this right now.

To mangle a quote: How terrible is knowledge when it is of no benefit to the knowledgeable!

 smally 07 Feb 2021
In reply to henwardian:

The routes start from the big recessed corner in your second photo and continue leftwards along the back wall. I don't believe there are any routes done on the shorter front wall, to the right of the big recessed corner (your first photo).

 rogerwebb 07 Feb 2021
In reply to smally:

> Nisbet's 10 year winter rule in evidence !

Yes. Usually two in a row though so next year to look forward to. 

Post edited at 17:11
 smally 07 Feb 2021
In reply to rogerwebb:

Ha!.....Does that give us central belt climbers a route to redemption through deferred success then?

 rogerwebb 07 Feb 2021
In reply to smally:

> Ha!.....Does that give us central belt climbers a route to redemption through deferred success then?

Not just central belt. So I hope so yes. 

 The New NickB 07 Feb 2021
In reply to rogerwebb:

I thought 09/10 and 10/11 were the cold winters we had about a decade ago.

 rogerwebb 07 Feb 2021
In reply to The New NickB:

The 10 year cycle is approximate. Anyway it makes me feel better about missing some stellar conditions.

Actually I am hoping that the apparent 10yrish cycle is inaccurate and there will be several in a row. Otherwise I may be pushing it a bit when it comes round again. Hoping for a run of 70s winters. 

 DaveHK 07 Feb 2021
In reply to rogerwebb:

> The 10 year cycle is approximate. 

Sunspot activity cycles are 11 years I think.

OP henwardian 07 Feb 2021
In reply to rogerwebb:

>  Hoping for a run of 70s winters. 

I can only see 4 ways of that happening and seeing as time machines haven't been invented yet, we don't have a good way of setting off a supervolcano and there isn't enough money in the world to construct a supergiant space mirror, it's going to have to be nuclear war!

Personally I'd rather you didn't try to effectuate that

 rogerwebb 07 Feb 2021
In reply to henwardian:

> >  Hoping for a run of 70s winters. 

>  it's going to have to be nuclear war!

> Personally I'd rather you didn't try to effectuate that

I will give it a miss. Easier to do in the 70s anyway. 


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