Winter On The Cuillin Ridge (AMI Workshop)

The Cuillin Ridge in winter conditions

Association of Mountaineering Instructors - AMI

This weekend was a chance to take part in the AMI Cuillin Workshops on Skye. The workshop I attended run by Derek Bain, was to discuss working on the Cuillin Ridge Traverse in summer conditions. On Derek's workshop, besides myself were Monty, Iain and Karl. We knew there was still snow on the ridge, so we took our winter kit, but didn't quite know how much to expect. Saturday started with poor vis, but as soon as we hit the ridge, the mists cleared and we had a few hours of great weather and reasonable snow conditions. The weather turned at the end of the day, as the clouds descended again, and the rain started. The winds picked up through the night and Sunday turned out to be a very different weather beast - more snow and rain on reasonably strong winds.

One of my top dozen winter days this 12-13 winter season (in late April!). Excellent.

Loch Coir a' Ghrunnda

Approaching the Castle from Sgurr nan Eag

The Castle

Starting the traverse to Sgurr Dubh Mor

The scrambling is normally easy in summer, but under the snow and ice a great deal of care was needed

Some steep wintery scrambling

Sgurr nan Eag was really popular on Saturday with 10-15 people on the tops

See our footprints on the left of shot. The snow made a little of the going easier, freezing the loose boulders/scree together

Gars-bheinn to Sgurr nan Eag

Sgurr Alasdair to the middle of the ridge

The end of the ridge to Sgurr nan Gillean

Firm snow up to Sgurr Dubh an Da Bheinn

Up to Sgurr Dubh an Da Bheinn, from Sgurr Dugh Mor from Max Hunter on Vimeo.

A look around at the Cuillin Ridge from the top of Sgurr Dubh as Da Bheinn from Max Hunter on Vimeo.

One of the ridges bivvy spots - some snow clearing needed!

Thank you Derek B., Sandy P., and AMI.

6th June, In Pinn

Lena starting up the first pitch of the Inaccessible Pinnacle

Second pitch

Belaying, waving? Both at once :)

Abseil off the chain anchor

Today we made our way to the In Pinn on the Cuillin ridge. We had amazing weather again. We managed to find a short break from the midges on the ridge. By now my whole body is covered in midge bites. I thought I'd be hard and not really cover up, but after realising that I was entirley covered in bites - the head net went on, light gloves, etc etc, but it was too late - I was spotty spotty with bites lol. Dawn and dusk just meant running from midges...