Today we headed to Great End, planning on climbing the classic Cold Climbs grade IV Left Hand Groove. Unfortunately this, and most of the rest of the crag had suffered a fair at the hands of the thaw, so we climbed Window Gully at III with the steep right hand icefall finish. Central Gully is fairly bare and full of sugary snow, but Left Branch is still in good condition.
Lower down on Window Gully ice is not well bonded to the rock, but higher up it’s solid and giving good climbing. We descended Custs Gully, which was fine higher up but made up of soft, deep, unhelpful slush lower down. A great day on the fells.
Topping out on Window Gully (III)
Great End
The Custs Gully (I) descent
Belay rigging