3 Day Winter Skills Course in Glencoe
We’ve just finished our latest 3 day Winter Skills Course up in Scotland. Return client Mo brought Reg along with him to learn all about Scottish Winter Mountaineering in Glencoe. Being good navigators already from their day jobs with the MOD, we put the focus on learning about snow, avalanche conditions and route choice, along with using crampons and ice axe. The guys hope to go on to bigger Mountaineering objectives, so it was all about giving them the skills to be confidant to head out into the Mountains independently.
Day 1 saw us heading up Meall a Bhuiridh in soggy but wintry conditions. With a change in the snowpack from recent days it was great to be able to start seeing stuff happening that the guys could learn from. We finished the day wet through but had a great start to the few days..
A snowy Meal a Bhuiridh on our Winter Skills Course
The weather turned sublime the next day, but with some fresh snow and wind transportation happening, the avalanche hazard had increased. The Buchaille was our chosen Hill for the day, knowing it would give us some new stuff to look at in the snowpack, but also give us a real opportunity to look at route choice and decision making in avalanche terrain. Topping out of the Coire to be greeted with views across all of Scotland put the icing on the cake! A grand day and lots learnt.
What a day on The Buchaille on day 2 of our Winter Skills Course!
My final day with Reg and Mo was to be up Stob Coire Nan Lochan. It was one of those one in a hundred days, weather perfection… Light winds and warm in the sun, meant long pauses to take in the views! We could see from Skye to Schiehallion! Getting onto some steeper terrain with more exposure pushed the guys just enough to give some spice to the day. They led the way in decision making and route choice, putting into practice all they had picked up over the previous days. A fantastic day in the hills and a great end to the 3 day Winter Skills Course.
Towards the summit of The Lochan, on the last day of our Scottish Winter Skills Course…