Today I started a 5 day winter mountaineering course with Chris, Steve and Colin. With a high risk avalanche forecast, poor vis, moderate winds and more snow than you can shake a stick at we headed for Aonach Mor and Aonach an Nid...
Straight out of the Gondola, I set them the task of breaking a trail each and immediately they were swimming up to their chest in soft snow!! We got our way up the Nid and made our way to the top of the ski resort. I had a quick look down on Left Twin - the climbing teams that went up for a look made a wise retreat... Definitely the wrong day for the East Face!
Today was the first day for axe and crampons for the team and they did well in the deep snow and difficult conditions. We did get some clear vis for a few seconds on the way down..
The ski resort was busy with all the powder ... It looked like great conditions, on and off piste..
A brilliant first day of our course... Best wishes to those on MIC assessment this week..
This week I'm working for Jagged Globe on a Winter Mountaineering week. We went to Nevis Range and the Aonach an Nid ridge - as did several others mountaineering teams and a team of Ski Mountaineers. We soon got onto some ground a little steeper, but always in the mist. At the top we got the ropes out and started looking at anchors and use of the rope.
The snow at the edge of the Aonach an Nid ridge
There was a little rain and then drizzle today, but not much to mention. The mist was persistant but added to the atmosphere today. It was good to have a day of very little wind or rain for a change (but unfortunately high temperatures!).
Best wishes to everybody on assessment this week...
On Monday I met Barry, John, Ruth, Dan, Dan and Peter for the start of their Winter Mountaineering week. We made our way up the Gondola and over to the Aonach an Nid. We found that the snow had frozen hard again over night, and was way too hard for any ice axe arrest practice, or even self belaying, so the crampons went on early and we started to work on movement. We looked at rock, ice and neve steep ground, eventually topping out on the ridge. We tied into some ropes and belayed each other over the steep edges for a bit of practice. This was a good start to the week, and we hope to soon get the team on some graded ground. The snow stayed hard all day above the Gondola station (650m).
Today we took the Intro to Winter Mountaineering course to Aonach Mor. The Gondola wasn't running - not a surprise really, it was predicted to be a windy day - so we started our day with a walk. There were also some climbers heading up to the East Face for a climb too. At the end of the day, the climbers said they got down Easy Gully, but didn't climb anything due to poor snow quality. We headed up to Aonach an Nid and found lots of snow. It was snowing with a strong westerly wind, so there was a great deal of snow being transported about. There were patches of slab building, but initially these were easy to spot and avoid. We started the day with building a couple of emergency snow shelters, including a shovel up.
Moving on steeper ground
Mark on steep ground
Sue about to get over the edge
We got onto a little steeper ground, still avoiding the slab patches. When we topped out onto the ridge, we were still able to avoid the scarp slope slab, and new slab on most of the lip.
The wind picked up and made life exciting for the team - most people reached for their goggles. At the end of a great week, I think people have found new hobbies in indoor climbing, outdoor winter climbing and winter mountaineering.
Other teams were climbing on the Ben, Ed Chard climbed North Gully and Andy Owen climbed Green Gully. There's still a great deal of winter up there to go at.
Today I was again out with David Barber on day 2 of his 4 day course. We headed for the Gondola, Aonach an Nid and Aonach Mor to take a look at refreshing his winter skills. There were a few groups out here on the hill today - so not quite all on our own. We met Scott, Ken and a team who had climbed up the West Face.
David battling with a cornice
We did a little ropework and had fun with some tricky cornices - Dave was keen to get involved and get some cornice action. This was part way up the ridge at around 1050m. We were later navigating around the plateau, and Easy Gully had a great deal of fresh unstable cornice build up.
Nearly over
The temp did rise quickly in the morning as predicted, followed by rain, and by the end on the day the snow was soft and there was melting evident everywhere, even at the summit.
Today was day 2 of Nick and Robert's Winter Mountaineering Course with Jagged Globe. We decided to build upon our skills from yesterday, and visit the quick access steep ground of Aonach an Nid from the Nevis Range Gondola. The ground was perfect for us, lots of steep ground to develop footwork, axe and crampon skills with confidence. We eventually got the rope out to do battle with the soft and fluffy slightly corniced edges. This proved to be slightly difficult, but fun. The scenery was stunning all day, but the only downside of this venue is that we were out of the sun for half of the day - the sunglasses slayed in the bag - but it was perhaps the best scenery I've had all season. Let's hope we all need our sunglasses tomorrow - mine are already packed.
Dani and Paul wanted to learn ice axe arresting, fine navigation and avalanche awarenesss, so we headed to Aonach Mor. We got out of the westerly wind for our arresting, then headed for the strong westerly wind and near white out to practice navigation in slightly testing conditions. We also found all sorts of interesting snow types, including the new soft slab developing on the lee slopes.
Ian waist belaying in a bucket seat - who knows what'll happen next...
Watch out Ian, he's fallen
Picking up Speed
A happy ending. Ian stopped him.
Everybody is proud of their Igloo - good effort
Working with Zac and Chris on day 3 of the mountaineering course. We woke up to thick and heavy snow on a light wind in Fort William. There was about 10cm of fresh snow on the car in the morning, all the roads were white and the snow flakes were as big as tea bags (round tetley ones !). Unbelievable - although maybe it is given the winter we've had so far. We had to think of somewhere to go, that would be possible to drive to, safe - considering the high avalanche hazard, and a venue where we can cover the new mountaineering hard skills. We made our way to Aonach Mor.
We found at least 1ft of fresh snow at 650m.
We covered bucket seats, waist belaying, buried axes, snow bollards, abseiling, snow holes, shovel ups and igloo construction. We made the best igloo I've seen all season.
Tomorrow we'll find a safe venue for a simple climb..
My camera broke yeaterday, so yesterday's and today's photos have been on my emergency camera - my phone.. Got to get camera fixed. Got to use my new shovel today. My last one is stuck as a belay at the top of White Shark - Will I ever get it back? lol
Day 1 of the Winter Mountaineering week, working with Zac and Chris. We used the Aonach an Nid area, to learn all the basic tools for safe movement on winter ground. This included ice axes, sliding, arresting, crampons, sliding, avalanche hazard avoidance, sliding, emergency shelters, self belays and sliding - and glissading ! Great fun in the soft fresh snow. Tomorrow we'll put it into practice on a long journey..
Today I started a 5 day winter mountaineering course with Chris, Steve and Colin. With a high risk avalanche forecast, poor vis, moderate winds and more snow than you can shake a stick at we headed for Aonach Mor and Aonach an Nid...
Straight out of the Gondola, I set them the task of breaking a trail each and immediately they were swimming up to their chest in soft snow!! We got our way up the Nid and made our way to the top of the ski resort. I had a quick look down on Left Twin - the climbing teams that went up for a look made a wise retreat... Definitely the wrong day for the East Face!
Today was the first day for axe and crampons for the team and they did well in the deep snow and difficult conditions. We did get some clear vis for a few seconds on the way down..
The ski resort was busy with all the powder ... It looked like great conditions, on and off piste..
A brilliant first day of our course... Best wishes to those on MIC assessment this week..
