It was the Best of Times...It was the worst of Times!

What the Dickens is happening to our winter?  Turbo thaw then torrential torrents.

Craig And Mark were looking for something, anything, to do but the weather gods were not happy and ensured the wild winter weather was...well, a washout!  Sadly, after some promise last weekend things might be getting wintery, the hope faded fast and virtually all useful snow disappeared.

With options on Saturday being biking in the rain, walking in the rain or 'climbing' in the rain, they chose to have a look at the North Buttress of the Buachaill.

Early signs were bad...there isn't usually a causeway at the white bridge after Bridge of Orchy by the NE end of Loch Tulla...

The drive past the Buachaill showed a river flushing down Great Gully and the River Coe a good three feet higher, so access to the North Buttress was going to be a little problematic.   However, they got the the central Coe carparks and considered options of; get out regardless; coffee shop; gear shops; or, home.

As the picture shows, the weather was truly mince but a day out is a day out and they went for a double hardshell strategy and headed for the Zig Zags to burn some calories....hats off to the Jottnar Bergelmir jacket and Vanir salopettes; worked a treat and kept the boys dry in the worst the weather can give!

The rain was relentless and the flow of water around them was limitless; the route had a steady stream running continuously.  Notwithstanding, a grand day out was had but the rain has stripped a great deal of snow away; a real dump of snow with some cold fronts and freeze thaw cycles are needed to give any climbing this year, unfortunately.

The team sought direct descent off the top of Gear Aonach and got a real feel for the amount of water flowing down the Corrie; a slip into the normally tame burn would be fatal!

There have also been some significant land slips in the corrie, one giving about 3-4 feet of debris over the path.  However, we can only hope for a turn in the weather and be thankful we are not suffering the floods the Lakes seems to be getting.   

Naesayers of climate change?  Eejits!