Cheers Karl, the 27th might be a goer depending upon client confirmation, will let you know, lets keep talking. I'll be in Keswick briefly tomorrow & planned to nip up Skiddaw (so to speak). Will let you know latest in terms of conditions.
Cheers Karl, the 27th might be a goer depending upon client confirmation, will let you know, lets keep talking. I'll be in Keswick briefly tomorrow & planned to nip up Skiddaw (so to speak). Will let you know latest in terms of conditions.
Donlarko
I recced 1 / 2 last Saturday.
There was plenty of snow about but not deep, there were many patches of neve, but in general I think you could avoid them.
To give you an idea.
I was carrying a pack with a full set of winter clothing, food, water, light weight axe and crampons - maybe 15lbs.
leg one took me 3:30 - "running time" (several clothing changes and getting out of axe not included).
found:
- some horrible chopped up, iced up snow on ridge paths on Skiddaw (boot holes in snow, iced into "pot holes").
- some hard packed glass ice on paths, sometimes under fresh snow - dangerous
- some sketchy neve coming off Skiddaw - avoidable.
- I came off Blencathra via Doddick which was also horrible chopped up, pot holed ice and steep hard neve - definitely the worst bit. not much ice below the right turn at the end of the high ridge (but what there was was solid and dangerous.
- On leg 2, some un-avoidable patches of neve getting up to Clough Head. Ice axe needed, not just for balance but for proper safety (arrest would be needed if you slipped) . Once on the ridge things were fine, snow / neve, just bleedin' cold (my water froze).
to this point was wearing think lycra tights, helly long sleeved, thermal tee, lined windstopper jacket - with hood, gloves, hat. to this I now added, heavy goretex jacket and windstopper trousers, ski gloves. (down jacket, powerfleece top and trousers and thermal Tee in reserve).
I got to Stybarrow in 5:30 (running time). add to that maybe 30 minutes of stops to faff with clothing, equipment and photos.
Then dropped off to Glenridding.
I think I was moving about 15% slower than a recce over leg 1 back in May, then there is the faff factor of getting kit out, etc. which also slows you down. My whole route took a total of about 7 hours.
Last edited by andy k; 12-02-2009 at 05:29 PM.
Cheers Andy,
Appreciate the report, I think I am going to head up with boots and winter gear (I only have step in crampons) and just have a steady walk from Threlkeld to Helvellyn then head back to Threlkeld following leg 2. Should keep me out of trouble.
Thanks
I think thats a good call Karl. I was up Skiddaw today & conditions much as Andy described. Was well clagged, pretty much white out, so may be good test for your nav skills. Have a good day, it'll be fine sport!
Originally Posted by duncs
We're heading to Langdale on saturday with a view to Recceing the middle sections, weather looking a bit wet at the moment though.
Looks like temp is rising a little and according to this;
http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/HOBBI...ocationID=1144
you may have a decent day.
R.A.M,
I think we saw the support crew in Wasdale waiting forlornly for you to arrive!!
I was planning on recceing Leg1 on Saturday but I nipped up Kirkfell on Friday afternoon and that told me enough about the conditions to know I wasn't going up without spikes and axe! I don't have any of these Kahtoolas - sods law says I buy some and that's the last snow we see for years.
Made up for the lack of recceing by heading up and doing a couple of gullies on the Scafells :-) Fantastic conditions for that!
Kat
I went with all my kit but I think I would have been okay with just my fell shoes really, few areas of ice on the ascent to stybarrow and great dodd but apart from that it was okay, saw two othr guys and they seemed to be doing fine with fell shoes
Hope you feel you still had a valuable day Karl. I wouldn't have liked to have been on Hallsfell yesterday as there was a lot of ice about but it feels warmer today. Fair drive up for you & I hope you dont feel you got duff/too pessimistic info...Mind you, sounds like you got a good day in the bag.
Oh definitely, 16 miles and 4,500 ft of ascent, I can still move fairly quick in them big boots ! if it had stayed how it was early on I think I would have needed them. It was only that it stayed mild, no wind or anything. Looking at Halls Fell I think you'd be right about that ice it looked pretty icy from a distance at the top.
When I turned back at Raise there was considerably more snow cover on Helvellyn and Whiteside I wouldn't have liked to have been up there without an axe, so I think I made the right decision and still had a good day, should be some photos on my blog over the weekend. It was a good day.
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