Walked in towards Murchison Falls early saturday morning. Windy, 7 celsius and
raining lightly at 7:30 am at the car. We started up the approach but it looked
like it might even rain harder eventually, so we bailed. Our main concern was
rockfall triggered by the rain after a warm night.
Moved to 2 O’Clock falls and that was a different world. Dry walk in, really
plastic ice, no hanging daggers and that day it looked about as safe as ice
climbing could be on a REALLY warm day. Think about that one:)
Climbed Guinness today. 0 celsius and clear skies at 7:30am Clouds came in
soon after and the temperatures stayed around 0c to 2c all morning. Ice was
fantastic plastic and there is not much hanging ice. However, for those first
few classic Guinness gully pitches it is pretty darn wet and relatively
snowfree in the trees and on the ice. If going back, I would be concerned about
rockfall if it kept being warm or was raining. We walked off just above the 5th
pitch. Looking up towards High Test it is a more snowy world but I couldn’t see
any new snow on the highest trees or in the distance either. Still enough snow
up there to be another good reason not to go there if it is really warm or
raining.
Guinness descent gully is kinda terrible. We did it today and certainly
wouldn’t do it tomorrow. Damn.
Larry Stanier
ACMG Mountain Guide
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