I was out on Monday with Pamela in the north-east coire of Beinn an Dothaidh. We climbed Stairway to Heaven on a mixture of crusty and firm old snow and well frozen turf. The route gave some interesting moves through steepish ground and one peach of a belay, but Pamela seemed less than inspired after her recent trip to Cogne.
There was some impressive avalanche debris out of the bottom of West Gully, which looked like it had come from a cornice collapse at the end of last week. West Gully contained very solid neve, but still had a sizeable remaining cornice at the top, which could be bypassed on the right.
The steeper routes weren’t very white. Taxus was complete, but would have been gathering some fresh snow at the top and the icefall finish hadÃÂ noÃÂ ice to speak of. Cirrus was incomplete and Haar looked thin at the crux.
Well below freezing all day with light snow showers on a strong easterly wind.
