Coire an t-Sneachda In The Wind

Matt walking into Coire an t-Sneachda, with lots of people passing us the other way, on their way out.

Matt in Coire an t-Sneachda today (New Year's Eve) from Max Hunter on Vimeo.

Matt drove up from Oxford yesterday for 2 days of climbing, so the pressure was on to get out and get it! The forecast looked like a better day was to be had over east, although it would be windy, wet and wild everywhere. We took a gamble and headed east, driving past a very hidden and wet Ben Nevis. The windscreen wipers were on fast by 7am, and were were driving through flooded roads where other cars were turning back. The further east we got the less it rained. When we got into the coire, the rock was running with water, so we opted for The Haston Line (IV,4) which had good neve and good ice. Even the crux had good ice. As I started on pitch 2, there was a shift in the wind direction, and suddenly the wet ropes and gear froze solid. The turf on pitch 2 was frozen solid, and the neve the best I've seen it this winter. We got to where the route crosses Yukon Jack (IV,5) and finished up that. Matt led it well, and managed to find a good sheltered belay at the top. A great day, and only a little suffering - ace.

We saw 2 other teams on the Mess of Pottage, and I think they climbed Jacob's Edge.

Matt starts up Haston Line (IV,4)

Matt waving a wet, cold hand

Matt running up pitch 2

Matt enjoying the new DMM Apex axes

Matt disappearing up the top section of Yukon Jack

Ben with snow

Ben this morning

All systems go for the winter 2011/2012 season...

Nav Assessment As The Snow Falls

Buachaille Etive Mor - what a difference a day makes - see the first photo from yesterdays blog, then there was no snow on the mountain.

The snow level is down to about 700m, so we decided to go to some lower hills with the Uni First Years for their navigation assessment today. We drove past Buachaille Etive Mor, and I couldn't resist taking the photo above to compare to yesterdays shot, when there was no snow. Today the winds didn't turn out to be as strong as the forecast suggested, but there were plenty of wintry showers - hail, snow and plenty of rain. A good day to test your waterproofs.

The Buachaille from the King's House

Glencoe Mountain Resort on the Left Hand Side, Sron na Creise on the RHS

I was with Andrew, Andy, Sean, Lynsey and Micheal today. Sean has mostly recovered from his torn ACL in his knee (previously he climbed Stob Coire Nan Lochan, before he had it diagnosed as being torn!), and Lynsey has partly recovered from her cracked ribs. After a few easier legs, we got off the paths and headed for the hills and started to test their nav a little more.

Navigation in a little winter weather

Lynsey, Sean and Micheal. Snow at 650m on Meall Bhalach, with Blackwater Reservoir behind.

Sean

Sean still on his nav leg. The Buachaille in the background on the left

Lynsey. The Buachaille on the RHS

Unfortunately the visibility remained good for the entire assesssment, but the team has shown good navigation today and on previous days of the module - it was an easy pass for the whole team.

The ground is saturated, soft and never close to being frozen (we only got to 700m today). There was evidence on the hills of how bad the ground had flooded recently, but the water levels had returned to normal now. The snow line will move up tomorrow towards 900m with a higher freezing level, but then at the end of the weekend onto the new week, the freezing level drops again, helping to freeze the turf on the higher hills.

Mountain Bike Expedition - Great Glen Way

Doug Little and the HOL Great Glen Mountain Bike Exped Team

Over the weekend the Higher Outdoor Leadership team from the WHC in Fort William set off on their Mountain Bike expedition, to finish their mountain bike module. I was with the team setting off on the Great Glen Way, working alongside Doug. We were lucky with the weather on Sunday - we didn't have a single drop of rain all day, even though we heard there were showers in the mountains. As we started down the Glen we could see Ben Nevis, and at that time the snow line was at about 750-800m.

On the bank of Loch Lochy

As we moved down Loch Lochy, we got to the Fairy Glen, and so we took some time out to explore. I walked through 3 times and each time found something new. The group loved it and it was difficult to get them to leave and carry on theirt exped.. but on we must..

Inside the Fairy Glen

Smurf Tree in Fairy Glen

Stuffed toy circle

The group did all the navigation, leadership, and kept the pace up. We were lucky during the day to have no mechanical failures, or punctures, but there were a couple of small falls, but everybody did pretty well considering the descents and climbs we had to do. After a smooth 55km we arrived in Fort Augustus, and the team had to make a 3 course meal for all 14 of us. Here they excelled, providing 2 choices for everybody for all 3 courses. Everybody finished the day happily tired and went to bed knowing that Monday and Tuesday would be wet!

I couldn't be with them on the last 2 days of the exped, but I met some of them today and they were happily proud of all completing their exped of over 110km through the Great Glen up to Inverness - through 2 days of wet weather and up some punishing climbs - congratulations to everybody involved.

Next you have your mountain module ...

Crag Problems

The group kitting up in the quarry

Today it was time to check out the Ballachulish Quarry as a venue for teaching 'Crag Problems' to the Year 3 Degree Students at the UHI, West Highlands College. I was with Shane and Stewart and we started off with a few more simple tasks before moving onto their Y hang rescues.

Gillian Culshaw checking out which crag to use

Later with a change of venue we went through a few hoists, and they both did really well rescuing each other. There were then some more straight forward problems like getting your boot stuck on an abseil. Mostly it was a day hanging about on a rope. Tomorrow is their assessment for this module - who knows what problems they'll have to handle, let your imagination run wild. . .

Stewart and Shane on a Y hang rescue

Sron na Lairig

Sron na Lairig

In winter Sron na Lairig is a great 300m II***. In summer it is still a fun grade II/III scramble (on good rock, but with lots of grassy interludes), in awesome scenic surroundings. Today we had really good dry conditions with only a little wind and lots of atmospheric swirling cloud.

Finding a way up the slab on the RHS to pass a steep band to access the broad platform.

There are initially lots of variations to be had on the route, but often the many crampon marks showed the most exciting line.

No sport climbing bolts to clip on this route - so here's the set of nuts on wire again..

Lots of good quality clean and dry rock today.

We were the only people on the route today, but not the only in the valley - even on a quiet Tuesday there were others about.

The 'Bad Step', which needs negotiation on the NE ridge from Stob Coire Sgreamhach (the high point above) to Beinn Fhada (starting on the RHS above, and below).

Beinn Fhada above with the wind sweeping it's way past.

A mini rocky point which pulls down to a narrow neck - easy with the lack of wind today.

Towards the end of all the fun, with Lairig Eilde behind, and the Allt Lairig Eilde at it's base.

All to soon it's all over, and the day turns into a hill walk back to the road.

Outdoor Climbing Indoors

Fiona belaying Abigail up the very difficult floor! I think a snowball has found a home on the top of Fiona's hat!

Again it was a windy wet day in Fort William - but we're not complaining, we've had a really good dry summer and an early start to the winter season, so we're due a few wet days! Today with students from the UHI who wanted to learn to lead, Ben, Sandy Al, and I went indoors to the Ice Factor. We covered leading indoors as well as gear placements, building belays, abseiling, and a couple of people were belayed as they did the traverse (F5a?) of the tiled floor!

Inglis Clark Ridge

Inglis Clark Ridge on Sron Na Creise was first climbed in summer (Diff) by Dr and Mrs Inglis Clark in 1903. Still with a lack of snow we're climbing winter routes in summer conditions! This climb is a diff in it's own right, but even today with no rain it was still very wet, boggy, soggy, and slippery!

Lena topping out at the end of what would be a great mixed pitch (next month?).

Buachaille Etive Mor opposite Sron Na Creise at the head of Glen Etive.

Looking into Glen Etive.

Trying out my panorama function (not quite perfected it yet).. Each photo takes a 180 degree sweep..

Into the cloud.

Rannoch Moor below the cloud.

The sun setting on a great day.

Roll on the winter freeze so this route will turn into a great ice and mixed route (III***).