On Saturday we climbed Observatory Ridge as a summer route on dry rock with the odd snow patch until the last 70m where we moved in to Zero Gully. The top section of Zero had a couple of icey steps the highest one being quite thin. John, Simon and Linda descended Number 4 Gully and myself, Gayle and Archie descended snow in to the head of Coire Leis. Tower Gully, NE Buttress, Tower Ridge, Ledge Route and Castle Ridge were all climbed on Saturday with axe/crampons needed for approach or higher up. Number 3 Gully was descended on skis on Saturday.
On Sunday we climbed Gardyloo Gully, which currently has a great exit through a tunnel under and behind the chockstone. However, care and good route choice is required to access the route as the warm conditions are impacting any remaining ice routes badly and large lumps of ice were falling from Smith’s and the right hand end of Indicator Wall as early as 7:30 in the morning.
The major easy gully lines are all still complete, but remaining ice routes have been effected badly by the last couple of warm days and falling ice will be a consideration for a while if temperatures don’t turn cold again. The rock is dry in large areas and rock routes were being climbed on both Saturday and Sunday.
