The Shroud and The Cascade. Blair Fyffe led the difficulties on the Shroud and the cascade was done solo.

Not Applicable

Beautiful day in the morning with a weak front passing over at 1pm, clearing again by 3.30pm. It snowed for a time and small loose powder avalaches came down many approach slopes. Much avalanch activity noted from thursdays thaw with small areas of unstable snow remaining. Higher in the easy gullies it was unknown (did not go there) but large cornices were evident.

The shroud is well formed and has received many acents on friday and on saterday (probably at least 8). 1st pitch of dificulties getting thinner... but the fang is very much established with good solid ice all the way.

Mega route X well formed and busy all day as were the clasic ridges. Parties on Orion direct reported good snow/ice but buried under the new powdew.

James Edwards

jaechamonix at hotmail dot com

Minus Three Gully

Not Applicable

OK, but with wind and snow around midday

Minus Three well built up, but the ice was of variable quality; icicle was quite hard for the grade. Other parties on Minus One and Two gullies & Orion, but otherwise no-one doing any of the face routes in this area. Tried Left Hand Route, but the rocks were plated in soft crusty snow - non weight bearing.

Adam

akassyk at netscapeonline dot co dot uk

The Shroud VII,6 on the Ben climbed with Kevin Neal. Up to plateau then mega-bumslide down number four gully.

Grade VII

Nice cold day. Weather threatened to get grotty in the afternoon then cheered up again. Not very windy.

The Shroud was in pretty good nick (icicle well connected), the technical crux probably getting up the cruddy and hacked-up ice on the lower wall. The slopes above the icefall were a wee bit dodgy (avalanche-wise) at times. Number four gully was full of soft snow and we used the abseil post to get past the cornice before enjoying the best bumslide ever.

Other routes- Gemini, Boomer's Requiem, Mega Route X, Orion Direct and many other classics all getting ascents and all in good condition. Too much new snow overlying ice on many of the easier routes and The Curtain reputedly quite thin.

Nick Tarmey

nicktarmey at hotmail dot com

Observatory Ridge

Not Applicable

Light winds, fair weather. Below freezing on route.

Lower buttress poor quality thinly plated iced up rock / bare rocks, upper parts deep unconsolidated powder with no belays - time consuming. Zero Gully finish on perfect neve Only other party on route appeared to retreat.

A Lynch

alynch at therha dot co dot uk