There's not been many winters around here when I've not made an ascent or two of Broad Gully in Cwm Lloer. The winter conditions were beginning to thaw as we headed up with some keen students, but with several plans in mind, it looked like we might just be in luck.
Higher up in the cwm, before the climbing starts, the snowpack had and amazing topping of graupel and hail.
Which gave a certain amount of wading about in to get to the base of our climb.
Once in the gully, the snow was much firmer and gave quite good conditions and the sides were covered in ice, giving great winter ambience.
I had three students and an assistant with me, which made for a big team social ascent and a fair amount of rope management on my part!
We made steady progress, pitching our way between the best of the rock anchors. Unsually, due to the incoming thaw, the higher we climbed, the warmer it got! There was just enough snow covering in the top section before we broke out onto the flatter ridge of Pen yr Ole Wen.
Once in the gully, the snow was much firmer and gave quite good conditions and the sides were covered in ice, giving great winter ambience.
I had three students and an assistant with me, which made for a big team social ascent and a fair amount of rope management on my part!
We made steady progress, pitching our way between the best of the rock anchors. Unsually, due to the incoming thaw, the higher we climbed, the warmer it got! There was just enough snow covering in the top section before we broke out onto the flatter ridge of Pen yr Ole Wen.
Both daylight and visibility were looking to be in short supply, so after gathering up the ropes and getting a few team shots, we set off down to the bus.
There had barely been a breath of wind all day and the lake was a mirror calm reflection.
We were late getting back, but all agreed that it had been worth it! I got home just before 7, and in a five minute turn around was showered, changed and back off out to dinner with Jane, Rene, Matt and Em!...
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