For soft snow to turn into solid snow-ice it needs to get really wet first, then freeze straight afterwards. Today, all the snow at all levels got a really good soaking and tomorrow it will start to re-freeze. In fact it looks like it will just get colder for the rest of this week and, chances are, for the rest of this month as well. So, be very happy that we endured a soggy wet day today with water running down the rocks, dripping into sleeves and hoods. Embrace the fact that your boots are soaked through and you got through several pairs of gloves. It was the first stage in a process that will give us amazing climbing and walking conditions very soon. John and I went to Coire an t'Sneachda to escape the worst of the rain and stay very well clear of the cornices that would be dropping of various crags back home. The rocks were pretty black but there was enough snow and mushy ice on The Haston Line with a finish up Yukon Jack to give us some climbing. There was a suprising number of people in the coire and on the crag climbing various routes. It's a strangely British thing that we go climbing in the rain in winter. It was kind of fun too!
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AuthorMike Pescod Self reliance is a fundamental principle of mountaineering. By participating we accept this and take responsibility for the decisions we make. These blog posts and conditions reports are intended to help you make good decisions. They do not remove the need for you to make your own judgements when out in the hills.
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