Mike and I experienced three seasons in one climb today. The climb was Crowberry Gully on Buachaille Etive Mor and we had warm Summer sunshine on the walk in, soft Spring snow at the bottom of the gully and good Winter ice climbing on the steep pitches.
The gully is very filled in with snow. The first chockstone is buried and easily walked over. In fact we walked all the way up to where the gully turns left slightly. The pitch here (Thin Crack Chimney?) is also very well filled so the climbing starts just below The Junction. The cave is spacious and deep, and the cave pitch steady away.
Back in the sunshine on the summit the raven that appears every time people are there came to say hello. It was back to Spring conditions on top with a very light wind and warm sunshine. The descent down Coire na Tullach is straightforward but quite firm. The snow cover extends all the way down into the gorge so it is a quick descent to the road.
All the mid-grade gullies high up in Glen Coe are in great conditions and well filled in. SC Gully and Twisting Gully are as good as I've ever seen them. The current calm spell of weather will carry on through the weekend but with a little cloud and a slight breeze over the next couple of days.
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