Abacus Mountaineering provides skills training and mountain guiding in Scotland and the Alps. Our select group of instructors will guide you through new skills on real, adventurous and challenging routes. Mountaineering, Rock Climbing and Scottish Winter Climbing, Alpinism and Ski Touring. http://www.abacusmountaineering.com Crowberry Gully is always an adventure and it didn't let me down today... http://www.abacusmountaineering.com/currentconditions.html Another calm day on Ben Nevis with hazy sunshine all day. Simon, Alistair, Bob and I found the steepest and fattest ice on Ben Nevis to climb... http://www.abacusmountaineering.com/currentconditions.html Lots of snow was being deposited in poorly bonded windslab today. The Carn Dearg Cascades were a good choice to stay out of trouble... http://www.abacusmountaineering.com/currentconditions.html Donald and Andy went to Stob Coire nan Lochan and climbed Spectre today. It wasn't the climb they were after but it was a good use of a soggy day... http://www.abacusmountaineering.com/currentconditions.html Good conditions and calm weather at the weekend meant lots of climbing was done on Creag Meagaidh, Ben Nevis and in Glen Coe... http://www.abacusmountaineering.com/currentconditions.html Since the breakdown of the high pressure system and the big freeze we've seen more normal Scottish weather. The temperature has been going up and down with strong winds and regular snowfall... http://www.abacusmountaineering.com/currentconditions.html The NE wind picked up a bit today and I was concerned we were in for a battle as we walked up Am Bodach. However, the Aonach Eagach was a fine choice ... http://www.abacusmountaineering.com/currentconditions.html The cloud pushed a bit further south than expected so it was a grey start to the day. The mist did clear early on though and Colin, Andrew and I enjoyed the views from Ledge Route... http://www.abacusmountaineering.com/currentconditions.html Number 6 Gully on Aonach Dubh West Face was fantastic today. Abib and I climbed right from the bottom of the gully... http://www.abacusmountaineering.com/currentconditions.html It was significantly colder today than of late and there was much less water running behind the cascades under Carn Dearg Buttress. We climbed the line first right of the very steep cascade in one 60m pitch to good block belay anchors at the top. We then went round to Compression Cracks... http://www.abacusmountaineering.com/currentconditions.html If you are into geology, the Chasm of An t'Sron is very interesting. It forms the boundary of the couldron that subsided 410 million years ago over the area we now know as Glen Coe. As a result the right wall is granite and the left wall is andesite and rhyolite. The ice climbing is very interesting too!... http://www.abacusmountaineering.com/currentconditions.html The NE breeze over the last few days has been hard at work on Ben Nevis stripping it of most of the soft snow. Down at the CIC Hut the grass is showing through where there was 30cm of soft snow when I was up on 29th December. Vic and I climbed Tower Ridge... http://www.abacusmountaineering.com/currentconditions.html The alpine style weather is continuing with cold temperatures and blue skies. Doug and I climbed Blue Ribband which was so good two days ago that I was very happy to go back... http://www.abacusmountaineering.com/currentconditions.html Happy New Year! It's off to a great start. Colder again last night as the NE breeze calmed down allowing cold air to sink into the glens. Doug and I went round to Finnisg-aig Falls... http://www.abacusmountaineering.com/currentconditions.html