Weather / winter outlook

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 duchessofmalfi 12 Jan 2020

Any mildly informed opinion about the prospects for Scottish winter climbing mid Feb?

From here (down south) the hills look black and the weather looks a bit miserable, hovering around 2-7C with various forms of damp, making the mid Feb prospects look poor unless there is an unexpected turn to winter cold.

 mrphilipoldham 12 Jan 2020
In reply to duchessofmalfi:

There are signs of a colder second half of January according to various twitter weather folk. Only signs, but they're cautiously optimistic.

 gravy 12 Jan 2020
In reply to mrphilipoldham:

Are you sure it's not toying with me?

In reply to gravy:

By the end of this week there will be a substantial build up of snow on the tops. Started today. Key will be what happens to weather thereafter. Very stormy this week.

In reply to The Watch of Barrisdale:

Ohh - that's the second report I've had that it might be white...

Surely it's toying with me now?

 OwenM 16 Jan 2020
In reply to duchessofmalfi:

I went up to Spayside on Tuesday, it was quite white over the Cairngorms. But it's now peeing down, start building your arch type rain. Freezing levels above the summits.

 gravy 16 Jan 2020
In reply to OwenM:

Bugger, it is toying with me...

I'm not going you hear? I'm not going so it is ok to snow now. Arse!

 Pefa 19 Jan 2020
In reply to duchessofmalfi:

Snowing in the Cairngorms on Friday night and freezing up then and last night with ice on the A9 up to Aviemore a few hours ago. 

 Michael Gordon 19 Jan 2020
In reply to Pefa:

And due to be very warm next week. Neither of which has a huge amount of bearing on what conditions will be like mid-Feb.

 Pefa 19 Jan 2020
In reply to Michael Gordon:

> And due to be very warm next week. Neither of which has a huge amount of bearing on what conditions will be like mid-Feb.

It is the building blocks for future good conditions on North faces though, although I didn't know there was to be warmer weather next week. 

 gravy 06 Feb 2020
In reply to Pefa:

Is it still toying with me?

I see a big dump of snow coming followed by warm weather and rain with potential for an unstable snowpack coming in the next week...

 J Whittaker 06 Feb 2020
In reply to gravy:

Im honestly considering just not bothering with Scottish winter climbing any more. Its the discipline i put the most effort in to for training and it seems to be rather pointless. In 4 seasons of winter climbing ive had 1 decent season (the one when the beast from the east hit) the other 3 have been sh*t.

Im losing my motivation to even bother training for winter at the moment.

Looking at sport climbing in spain and just becoming a year round rock climber.

Post edited at 23:09
1
 Pina 06 Feb 2020
In reply to J Whittaker:

In all honesty I personally wouldn't bother if I lived south of the border, I feel like most of the days I've gotten out the last few years have only been down to chancing it for day and midweek by being a short drive to the hills...

 climber34neil 06 Feb 2020
In reply to J Whittaker:

Why not take a trip to Norway, cogne, etc instead, just come back from cogne and while temps where quite high we still climbed every day for a week, also it's as quick to get to as driving to Scotland (and cheaper to)

2
 J Whittaker 07 Feb 2020
In reply to climber34neil:

I had 8 days in Cogne last Feb/March. Saved my winter season.

 DaveHK 07 Feb 2020
In reply to Pina:

> In all honesty I personally wouldn't bother if I lived south of the border,

I'm starting to feel that way and I live in Inverness.

To the op there will probably be stuff to be done, whether it's the stuff you want to do is a whole other matter.

 DaveHK 07 Feb 2020
In reply to climber34neil:

> Why not take a trip to Norway, cogne, etc instead, 

Because flying contributes to climate change and it's well past time we stopped jetting all over the place for frivolous sporting activities at the expense of the planet?

Just a thought.

Post edited at 06:59
5
 Michael Gordon 07 Feb 2020
In reply to gravy:

Yes, more of the same. Pretty crap

 climber34neil 07 Feb 2020
In reply to DaveHK:

Drive in an electric car and take 3 days to get there while it charges up!

4
 veteye 07 Feb 2020
In reply to climber34neil:

Is the train a viable option? I'm asking out of my own interest, as I may be able to find some time for a winter event a little later into March, and skiing can be by train, but may go for winter climbing instead.

I have the option to go and stay near Glen Coe next week, but I think that that would be winter walking, which is not that bad an option. I'm probably not able to go next week anyway due to uncertainty about a date for an MRI scan. (To see if I have a brain. Does anyone heading to Scotland with ice-axes next week?)

RobP

PS I'll be a little jealous if my friends go and do things like Green Gully, or even just Tower Ridge.

 climber34neil 07 Feb 2020
In reply to veteye:

Don't know about train, I think it's possible to get a bus from aosta to cogne so it could be assuming you can get to Turin by train?

 HardenClimber 09 Feb 2020
In reply to climber34neil:

Yes, there are buses from Aosta to Cogne.

 HardenClimber 09 Feb 2020
In reply to veteye:

You can get to An Eta with 3 changes from London. See Rail Europe or Trainline.

Seat61.com is also worth a look.


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