We didn't have that amazing glow this evening but the sunset was worth getting cold for. I tied a light fleece round my middle as I left the house but was glad of it on the top and on the descent. Skiing Simon's Seat would be greatOriginally Posted by Guick Dotto
Thanks for calling it ski-ing Derby
I've been pottering about at lower altitudes. Flippin' cold wasn't it?
That sunset was quite something.
Hoping to get out tomorrow - XC skis are OK but boots are about 25 years old and they were only cheap ones then!
Skiing in Brough Park in Leek and Axe Edge when the road is open.
Cheers
Baaarby
Had a short ski out today in between digging out 4x4s who got stuck on our lane. David also had a go but kept falling over.
I've used mine more this year than I have in years - mostly on the roads around home and on Greystoke Moor/Forest which was spot on. A bit optimistic but does anyone know of any 25 year old Look nordic boots going spare? - size 8/9 (or a 5/6 then my good lady could use them) Mine have finally given up the ghost. I have another pair of nordic skis with different boots and bindings but they are equally old and probably wont last much longer either - in fact I'd probably be thrown out of any self respecting ski club, kit held together with gaffa tape and pole baskets made out of PVC drainpipe and cable ties, not to mention skiing in battered winter running kit - so much for apres ski posing.
Got mine (Crispi special telemarks) off e bay last year just as the last bit of snow melted. But boy I've had my money's worth this year. Saw some ski tracks coming off Pen y Ghent today adjacent to the race route after you turn right to go up. It was perfect for nordic/x-c skis with lovely run outs on any significant slopes. Get up there if you can while stocks last.
Me and my mate were cramponing up the gully next to Red Pencil, not perfect neve but wild and beautiful. For once I was not disappointed to be not skiing.
Last edited by Guick Dotto; 11-01-2010 at 08:42 PM.
Oh no! Just when we were all starting to improve the thaw set in !!
My son wasn't impressed by my 25 year old boots! However he thought the equally aged skis looked OK.
My Cross country skis are proper old school
Now for the Epic!!
This probably deserves it's own thread.....
Had four hours out today set off to climb Margary hill up cut gate. tried this on foot on Saturday, and had to turn back due to deep snow. once above the tree line it was apparent that there was at least another foot with deeper drifts. Progress was good on consolidated snow but hopeless in the deep fresh stuff
Once on Cut gate its self the density of snow increase with thick windpack/wind slab on the lee side. Made good progress but visibilty drastically reduced to zero due to cloud and wind blown snow. Moved up on to the top but ended up wallowing in 2-3 foot snow over deep heather constantly breaking through I dropped back to the lee side where a brief gap showed that the wind had created a surprisingly big cornice!!!! just 3-4 metres to my right.
I continues on giving the edge a healthy gap. There was no one around and I suspect there hadn't been any one up here for at least a week.
Another 200 m along the edge and the conditions were terrible. so I stopped took off my skis had a drink and decided to head back. Just then the wind stopped and the vis picked up and I notice I was only 2 m from the edge.
The next moment I was falling!!! then face down in the snow and then rolling. Yep the cornice had broken taking me with itI'd only dropped 15 ft and then rolled 25ft but to say I was a bit shook up. No injuries at all but I was a bit worried about the chance of more collapse. I made my way back up to the fracture line apprx 3-4 ft thick. beneath this there was at least 6-10 foot of vertical snow.
I guess not many can say they've fallen through a cornice in the peak!!!
Any way I managed to tunnel, plough, climb my way back up but it took best part on an hour up in white out conditions, Took some pics and a movie shot as I had my camera around my neck at the time. The bits you can see(as snow went every where) are pretty dramatic. I'll try and post some soon
Decided to head back direct and had to fight through deep drifts over deep heather. In 2-3 days times after a slight thaw and a good freeze the skiing will be amazing. This snow will not dissapear overnight, there just so much of it. One drift was at least 13-15ft deep and had produced a double cornice.
Awesome stuff but glad to be back at the car having seen no one all day. quite an humbling experience I can tell you.
Last edited by IanDarkpeak; 12-01-2010 at 05:16 PM.
A stream crossing on the way up, usually you drop down in to this but I was able to ski straight over it.
Attachment 2795
wall line before on way to Cut Gate
Attachment 2797
It all gets a bit blurry now due to the spindrift etc
This shot is after the event looking up Black object TR is my ski, the snow face is the fracture line! approx 3-4 foot thick!
Attachment 2796
Is it possible to put movie stuff direct on here? Brett?
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