This picture is to show how much snow has fallen here over the last 2 weeks. Loads and loads. Unfortunately a thaw has set in with sleet and rain- meaning that the snow depth is less than it was 2 days ago! Despite the adverse weather Martin and I still went out in search of something smooth and icy.
What we found was looked awesome and was wet, cruddy and was falling apart as we watched it! This is Foss A near Langstein, a '2 pitch route with steep bits' As Martin had forgotten his helmet and his boots didn't fit his crampons (no toe welt) I suggested we leave leading for another day. After an abortive attempt to set up a top rope we wandered along the cliff to go and have a look at Foss B. This 500m journey took well over an hour, wading through deep wet snow and backtracking whenever we found ourselves in untenable postions on the cliff! On the way we stumbled across a 200 m section of steep slabs, corners, aretes and cracks that looked as if it had been designed with climbers in mind. This will be a great area to develope when the thousands of other, better, potential areas have been climbed out. Circa 3010. There is so much rock around here and this is not a very craggy or mountainous area!
A cracking crack for a crack crack climber - No Apologies!!!!
We eventually arrived at Foss B and found another wet and cruddy semi-frozen waterfall.
At the base of this dripping jem I found some very odd looking ice. It was entirely full of cracks, as if it had been made from safety ice- like safety glass- and had had a knock. Or as if it had been smashed into a thousand shards, then during the night Santa's elves- out of work due to the recession- had stuck it all back together. Whatever the cause of this peculiar structure was, the ice was beautiful. And very weak. I could snap arm thick icicles between my hands.
Tomorrow Martin and I plan to head for falls at a higher altitude that are further inland towards Sweden, to hopefully escape the thaw.
I am willing my gloves to dry as I write..
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