After a week of low temperature and a dump of snow the conditions were looking good, so to the hills we headed. James and I blagged a lift with Henning up to Glen Clova. Henning unfortunately on arriving at the car park realized his boots were in Dundee. He decided to do some winter walking in his approach shoes, or so we thought...
We decided on Diagonal Gully, a route described in the guide book as "The best climb in the corrie".
The route follows a line of ice up to a large snow basin. From the snow basin there is another small section of ice followed by a long pitch of snow and turf to finish.
The ice was a little lean but still irresistible.
James flaking out the rope at the foot of the climb.
The second pitch involved a short ice section followed by easy snow slopes heading towards the basin.
James enjoying a luxury belay in the basin after leading the third pitch.
It was at this point that a green and black blur shot past.
Henning had decided to climb some grade II gullys in approach shoes!
He passed us on the way up his second route of the day having already bagged a Munro.
The fourth pitch started in the basin then took a short ice section.
The last pitch was pretty run out with (what was for me) a scary cornice to deal with.
James topping out.
The descent was almost as exciting as the climb as we bum glissaded down flume like gully's at high speeds.
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