Winter Walking/Mountaineering On SCNL

Stob Coire nan Lochan

UHI, WHC - Winter Walking and navigation

Today Andy Spink and I took the winter walking team to Glencoe and Stob Coire nan Lochan. We headed up the ridge and came down Broad Gully. We did a little nav on the way in, but focused today on movement skills, coaching and group management. We looked at steep ascent and descent and how to manage security for self and the group. Yet another stunning day. It was beyond a softshell day today - more like a baselayer day!

Alan and Ed

Part of the Aonach Eagach ridge with Ben Nevis behind

Buachaille Etive Mor in the distance

Dan and Emil

Ballachulish Bridge and a bare looking Ballachulish horseshoe ridge (School House Ridge)

Bidean nam Bian, Churchdoor Buttress and Stob Coire nam Beith

Curved Ridge, Buachaille Etive Mor

This photo is out of order! But hey, this is us (myself and Andy and Steve) just short of the summit - thanks to Gaz for the photo

Amazing surface hoar crystals at the moment, due to sustained cold temperatures over the last 7 days or so.

On the ridge, Gaz and his team - stunning view behind him

Gazs' team on the normal left line. I took the alternate line to the right with my team - steep and exciting.

Can you see Ballachulish Bridge in the distance - Glencoe in front of the bridge.

Leaving the summit of Stob Dearg, 1022m (Buachaille Etive Mor), in glorious sunshine

I started a 5 day climbing course today with Andy and Steve. They are fit and the conditons are good at the moment so we should have a good week of climbing. I decided to start on something reasonable, so we headed for Curved Ridge. At the first pitch I found I was the 4th instructional team on the route, but luckily I knew Sam and Gaz and everybody was happy to work around each other.

Andy and Steve were enjoying the difficulties, so we took some great variations, as we headed to the bottleneck normal crux.

We summited, took our photos and got back to the car after a fun glissade on hard neve.