Craig and Mark had another super alpine start and got walking into Stob Corrie nan Lochan at 0630hrs. We started light, bags and clothes, in the rain but by the entrance to the corrie proper, we were down to base layer and waterproofs off completely - it was a warm day and the prospects didn't look great.
We got to the corrie in 1hr 25m and, not surprisingly, it was empty. The buttresses are black but the gully lines looked ok. We jumped on to Twisting with intent to do the RH variation but it was somewhat watery underneath and the top of the pitch looked thin and fragile.
We got up Twisting with gusto and, with plenty time on our hands, down climbed NC gully and jumped back on Raeburn's Route on summit buttress for two pitches. This was very thin and felt like summer climbing. Suspect SC gully is in but the ice pitch might be running out fast, tho it can be avoided with harder mixed climbing to the LHS - otherwise there is plenty of snow in the easier sections tho I'd be careful of collapsing cornices, which are beginning to sag all over the top.
All in, a great day but we felt slightly cheated out of some harder climbing. The snow is very sugary in places but hanging in there in the shade. If the warm spell continues, SCNL might be running out fast...bring on a freeze, please!
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