With the overnight frosts and clear blue skies conditions have been truly alpine. Many buttresses are bone dry for rock climbing and at the same time a number of the grade 1 and 2 gullies are still complete and have been in perfect winter climbing condition until late afternoon!
Today Fi took Gareth up Pygmy Ridge while I filmed. Despite the dazzling sun and warm afternoon temperatures the clear skies and overnight frost provide ideal neve for crampons on the approach up Central Gully. At the base of Pygmy Ridge we got out the rope and packed away the crampons and axes for an enjoyable climb up the lovely dry rocky ridge onto the plateau. After lunch Fi and I put the crampons back on and descended a banked and still frozen Jacob's Ladder to the foot of a sunny Mess of Pottage. With our axes and crampons stashed in our rucksacks and our big boots still on we headed up the line of Pot of Gold. This provided great fun and ideal alpine training on the now warm rock. Videos later...
Today Fi took Gareth up Pygmy Ridge while I filmed. Despite the dazzling sun and warm afternoon temperatures the clear skies and overnight frost provide ideal neve for crampons on the approach up Central Gully. At the base of Pygmy Ridge we got out the rope and packed away the crampons and axes for an enjoyable climb up the lovely dry rocky ridge onto the plateau. After lunch Fi and I put the crampons back on and descended a banked and still frozen Jacob's Ladder to the foot of a sunny Mess of Pottage. With our axes and crampons stashed in our rucksacks and our big boots still on we headed up the line of Pot of Gold. This provided great fun and ideal alpine training on the now warm rock. Videos later...
More details on Fi's blog at http://www.marmotte.co.uk/blog/2009/04/pygmy-ridge-and-pot-of-gold.html
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