Winter Skills - Nevis Range

Digging emergency shelters

Today I was working with Mike Pescod and Donlad King. We took the college students over to the nevis range for the last day of their lightening winter skills course. There is so much snow about. Three weeks ago they were wondering where we would go for the course, and if there would be a winter here, but today there was so much snow about we had to make careful decisions to keep safe. Mike Pescod runs Abacus Mountaineering Coaching and Guiding.

After a great course - back to the Gondola

Winter Skills

Students on Fiacaill Coire an t-Sneachda

Today I was working with Mike Pescod and Donald King. We took the College students on their first day over to the Northern Cairngorms. We moved over to the NE aspect of the Fiacaill Coire an t-Sneachda. During our sliding about session we encountered some easily releasing slab on a NE aspect, on the apex of a convex slope.

We made our way up onto the ridge and found an exciting route for the students - day 1 on crampons.

This is Chris

I took a look at 0.5 gully and didn't like the look of it, so I came down the goat track gully.

Goggles on. An awesome day 1

There were lots of climbers about, on a wide variety of climbs - not that I could see much, through the mist. I'm just going on the climbing calls I could hear form the climbs.

Ledge Route In The Sun

Moving well up Ledge Route

Today I was working for the WHC and Ben and I took the second year group up Ledge route to look at their decision making, judgement and leadership skills on steep ground. It was one of those days on Ben Nevis that dreams are made of - the weather was perfect and the views were sensational.

A climber in Tower Gap, crossing to the other side

I think it was Mike Pescod that we saw quickly jumping across the Tower Gap high on Tower Ridge.

The climbers has crossed Tower Gap and are moving up towards the top of Tower Ridge

A minute or so later, Mike was standing at the top with his client, about to have their lunch with a perfect view of the highlands.

The new cairn at the top of Number 4 Gully

We met the builder of the new Cairn at the top of Number 4 Gully. He told us the secrets of how he built the cairn, especially how he got that enormous rock onto the top - by himself!!!

The snowy top of the Ben today

There is a little snow on the summit of the Ben at the moment. Tower Ridge was clear of snow from what I could see. It was a brilliant day. It was the first day on the North Face of the Ben for most of the group, and the first time on the top for at least one of the group - a winning day for all of us.

Fun In The Sun

Today I was working alongside Richard Bentley, Mike Brownlow and Kenny Grant, for Highland Activities. We took some staff from R.A.F. Lossiemouth to Glen Nevis for some fun. Between us we ran bottom ropes, top ropes, abseils, scrambles, tyroleons and a little bouldering too. We even managed to sit down for a chilled picnic in the sun - midge free. How good can a day in the Glen get? A great day.

Aonach Eagach In The Mist

Andrew and Anna Martindale enjoying the ridge

Working for - Abacus Mountaineering, Coaching and Guiding

When I met Andrew and Anna this morning in the rain, in Glencoe, they told me about their last 3 days in great sunny weather climbing munros - today the weather had changed - rain, cloud, no sun! They were up for the adventure of the Aoanch Eagach ridge, taking in the munros along the way so we set off, into more rain. Eventually I had to give up and put my waterproofs on - oh well, I hadn't worn them for a while. We'd started early, so initially we had the ridge to ourselves, but half way through we saw what I took to be a coach load of people on the top of Am Bodach. Eventually, most of them turned back the way they had come. I think in the end there were about 2 teams after us. We didn't get the sun, but we did get atmosphere, by the bucket. The ridge has inspired Andrew and Anna to take on more scrambling adventures. Next year I think they'll head to Skye for the munros and the ridge.

At last a little of the ridge reveals itself

As the morning goes on the rain stops and some visibility comes and goes

After the rain the rock starts to dry a little

Andrew and Anna opt for all the little scrambling bits and pieces - Anna gets pretty slick at downclimbing

Plan A Works

So the plan was to go into the Ben for a look - and possibly do the Douglas Boulder traverse... The wind and snow is forecast to hit later in the day, so we need to be down before mid afternoon - so let's get going.... The route to the base of the West Gully was safe and so the game was on. Here's Ryan at the base of the route.

Conditions are still good, the snow is firm, all is well...

I saw Mike Pescod walking in with his 2 clients, and here they are in the photo at the top of the lower snow slope. I watched Mike for a while 'wading' though the deep snow...

Ryan's chillin...

We're near the top now - and still the weather is kind to us...

I checked over the top of the gap, and got severely slapped in the face by the 'playful wind! So I sent Ryan up to get the same treatment - awesome... He loved it. This was his first winter lead on day 4. Okay, so the decision was made to back down the same way, using lowers, abseils and down climbing... So here we go, a perfect time to teach Ryan what abseiling is...
The wind was really picking up now and it was a clear message to GET OUT..... A good time to get Ryan to do his first buried axe..

Finally after some quick moving, missing lunch, deciding that actually we really DO need our goggles on we managed to get - somewhere - who knows - we could see 10m ! The wind was building stronger and stronger. Not a time to chill for lunch yet. After the CIC - the wind decided to slap us about, and push us around - occasionally picking us up.... The wind was gusting about 80mph now. We came across the Jagged Globe Winter Mountaineering team having an awesome time, led by Sam Leary and Mark Hendry...We joined them in a game called - let the wind pick you up or pin you to the ground.. It's difficult to recognise anybody when everybody is looking through snow clouded goggles - and everybody is wrapped up in their battle gear.. Back to the car by 3 - lunch time :) - another day at the office - DONE...
Tomorrow the wind is only 110mph so off we go again !