Duncan running up the first pitch

Staring the main corner

Duncan following the main corner

Duncan eyeing up the final chimney

Duncan and I are up in the Cairngorms for the next few days, to start the season on the right foot we made a swift ascent of Damnation (VI,6) in Coire an t-sneachda. I’ve climbed the route in summer with Davie at HVS, in winter it was pretty challenging with sections being buried under thick cruddy snow providing little, or in some cases, absolutely no solid placements. The gear was hard won too but well worth the effort for a cracking day out, never too hard or scary today which fit the bill perfectly.

Pretty quiet for the Northern Corries, from Aladdin’s we could see teams on The Seam, Invernookie and Spiral Gully there were also teams next to us on Pateys Route and The Genie. I have no idea of conditions in the Gully’s however Jacobs had a ski descent today, most buttresses where in fair condition if not a little verglassed from the recent overnight freeze/thaw. As wild weather approaches we will have to pick our location carefully tomorrow, Saturday looks more promising though…..feeling psyched for a good season!!