Scottish Winter Skills 2018
What a winter it’s been for the people on our Scottish Winter Skills Courses! I’ve tried to not work too much, instead focusing on personal climbing and other bits as I work towards my MIC award, but we’ve still had plenty going on! And wow has Scotland provided us with an amazing winter wonderland….
We started off with Luke and Max for a week, both of whom had done their SPA courses with us, so it was great to get out with familiar faces! Day 1 saw us head up the Buchaille, with plenty of snow about but a favourable avalanche forecast. A blustery day on the hill but always a great summit! A fantastic first winter peak for the guys as we focussed on safe movement and using the axe as a tool to stop any slips becoming falls…
Scottish Winter Skills on the Buchaille
Next up was the classic round of Stob Coire Nan Lochan. I love the east ridge as an ascent for confidant walkers, as it provides some exciting exposure in a controllable setting. We chose the route to avoid some more suspect slopes, with a considerable avalanche risk. On the way down we had a little look at emergency shelters, a vital survival tool as proved this winter by the skiers in the Cairngorms who survived the night in one…
Scottish Winter Skills in Glencoe
With some wild weather and considerable avalanche danger, we chose to spend out last day on Meall a Bhuiridh, using the Glencoe ski centre access chair to get us up, but not expecting it to run till the end of play! Making the most of the whiteout to look at some winter navigation, the guys got us to a point on the hill where we used the terrain to put into context real decisions of safe travel in avalanche terrain and what to do if it went wrong. Snow was pouring in all day, which meant we didn’t go to the summit – but we did make the access chair down! Max and Luke spent the next couple of days acting as mock clients for me, and important task whilst working towards my MIC….
Scotland Winter Skills and Avalanche Awareness
Julian and his daughter Abs, who I’ve taken out loads in the summer and who also did his SPA with me, came up for the weekend to experience some Scottish Winter. The weather was pretty wild for them with strong winds and heavy snow! We spent day 1 making slow progress up the side of Mess of Pottage in the gale, and down over 1141, young Abs doing amazing in the hurricane! With a shorter day 2 we spent the morning above the Ciste looking at ice axe arrest…
Don’t let the sun fool you – the weather was terrible! Julian in Coire an t Scneachda…
Stuart and Peter were back for their third year in a row for some more Scottish Winter Mountains, and the conditions were the best yet! On Saturday we headed up the Pap of Glencoe, as it was in full winter plumage and would be slightly out the worse weather we couldn’t not take the opportunity! We found some nice steep scrambling up to the summit to test their confidance on steeper ground in anticipation of the next day. The chaps did amazing, we had the summit to ourselves, the clouds broke to give us amazing glimpses down the valley, there were Broken Spectres and Golden Eagles – top day!
Descending the Pap, a great Scottish Winter Mountain day despite its modest height!
I was keen to get the guys on a really decent mountain day with a bit of excitement, and the round of Stob Coire Nan Lochan more than fit the bill… Joey came with us today as she was after some shadowing experience as she works towards her Mountain Leader award. Stuart and Peter aren’t climbers, so this route really pushed some buttons, and by the time we got back to a pint in the Clachaig Inn, they were buzzing! As always, a fantastic weekend thanks guys!
On the east ridge of Stob Coire Nan Lochan, a great Scottish Winter day!
That’s it for Winter work of 2018, now for more climbing and skiing!