Coire Farchal Revisited

Mac and I went back to Coire Farchal in Glen Clova today. We’d been there before Christmas and had to finish the line of Silver Threads Among the Gold via the top pitch of Pearls Before Swine.

Mac contemplating one of the steep walls on Pearl Before Swine
Mac contemplating one of the steep walls on Pearl Before Swine

The plan for today was, therefore, to try a harder direct start to Silver Threads Among the Gold, then climb most of Pearls before Swine before switching back left to climb the headwall we’d had to miss out before.

Mac happy to be topping out
Mac happy to be topping out

This worked out very well. The new direct start, gaining an open v-groove and then corner and cleft via an overhanging start, went at about IV,6. The lower section of Pearls Before Swine provided a lot of climbing for the grade on the day and the final headwall gave some excellent awkward moves using cracks, turf and ice. The exit slopes were forming wind slab on top of old neve, so care and a sensible choice of line was required.

Looking East across Glen Clova from the mouth of Coire Farchal
Looking East across Glen Clova from the mouth of Coire Farchal

The road down Glen Clova had a fair amount of ice and some thin snow cover in places. Exposed turf was well frozen at crag height, but the turf was still soft in some of the drainage lines where water was still percolating under the snow after the recent thaw. A fair bit of icing around on the crag, useful for climbing, but not thick enough for gear. Some patches of neve around, particularly higher up the crag. Soft fresh snow on ledges and some wind slab around, so gully lines would not have been a good choice.

No fresh snow during the day, but wind movement of recent snow on a fresh West wind.

 

Share on facebook
Share on twitter

Want to find out more? Get in touch

FREE PAIR OF SOCKS

We’re offering a free pair of socks with your first order.