Ok ,ok,ok it’s been a long time……..
16th January 2009
Technology. Sorry for the delay in posting stuff but we have had nightmare technology problems that have only recently been resolved. Internet access at Aberarder is via satellite 24,000 miles in geostationary orbit out there in space but our problems have been in the last ten metres from the dish to the modem to the computer. Also, our camera has been ‘temporarily misplaced’ and have only now got round to sorting out another one. Is that enough excuses?
The hill. Ice development was more modest than expected during the ‘big freeze’ over Christmas and beyond the New Year but Last Post on the Post Face did ‘begin’ to come in to condition. It was thin and a wee bit challenging as ice thickness wasn’t quite the half metre thick stuff you come to expect on that route when it’s really good. Well, a couple of meltdowns have taken their toll…
Just a note on what ‘in condition’ means (to us at least). Just because you get up something doesn’t mean it’s in condition. Some of you ice tyros out there will climb up most things that have had just a moderate frost and are well above grade. To us, routes like that aren’t in condition (or, more precisely, ‘guidebook condition’). Perhaps winter guidebook grades need revising to take account of our globally warmed climate? The new reality of a yo-yoing winter climate seems to mean that routes come in to some sort of condition then quickly degrade (‘up’grade?) a lot faster than they used to.
The popular easy grade gullies still provide the most interesting sport at the moment even though you have to walk up through what seems like a steeply inclined quarry spoil tip to get to the routes.
Shocking stormy weather forecast for the week-end with heavy snow arriving quickly around dusk on Saturday accompanied by strong gales. Sunday not looking much better.
And finally…..Had conflicting weather forecast for ‘Meggie for overnight Friday and the earlier part of Saturday. One from a well-proven source gives us a lot of snow and the official one gives us very light snow showers. You’ll understand that it’s difficult to grade the avalanche hazard in these circumstances and if you look at the SAIS report you’ll see I had to be a little circumspect.
Maybe get some photos for you next time?
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