Dancing on Ice - the finale

Its hard to believe but today was the last day of this years winter skills courses.

Today I headed out with the team who were on their introduction to winter mountaineering and, after having a gruelling day yesterday, the reward was a slightly easier day with the prospect of some introductory climbing.

Approaching Stob Coire Nam Beithe, Glencoe, Scotland.

And so we headed up into Glencoe and towards the lower flanks of Stob Coire Nam Beithe. For anyone who has done this walk, you will understand what a brutal slog this can feel like first thing in the morning. A well constructed path winds its way quickly and steeply up the hillside but in the damp, icy conditions of early morning it was a testing wander.

Looking across to The Screen, (Grade V Scottish), Aonch Dubh, Glencoe.

Above we could all see the smears of ice pouring down - including Elliots Downfall, not yet fully climbable but formed, and improving again in the cool conditions. This route was last climbed (we think!) in 1986. To its right was the Screen, in exceptionally good condition and with at least one team at its base.

Dave Macleod passing on some of his expertise

After an hour or so we eventually reached the foot of the buttress. Andy Turner (Pro Partner and PYB instructor) and Dave Macleod (Pro Partner) led the introduction to ice climbing techniques whilst Tim Neill and Ian Hey disappeared above to rig some top-ropes on the ice above.

Mountain Guide, Tim Neill rigs some top-ropes

The first taste of steeper ground for many of the group

For most of the group this was their first time ice climbing. So it was a baptism of fire launching up icy runnels, even with the security of a rope. The afternoon ended with a quick tutorial in Ice thread anchors and before we knew it we were heading down, through the encroaching snow and sleet back to the valley floor.

A little ice bouldering to warm-up

Like the week itself, the day was over far too quickly.

If you're interested in experiencing the Scottish mountains under the expert guidance of Plas Y Brenin, they are running courses from now until early march. You can visit their website at http://www.pyb.co.uk/ for more information.

Blowing a hoolie on Aonach Mor

Winter was well and truly back in force today. The freezing level has dropped to around 400m and the snowpack is now bullet hard. In addition to that, today we had some seriously gusty winds, giving everyone a comprehensive taste of wild winter weather.

Today the winter hill-walking course headed around to Aonach Mor. Time for some revision on the crampon skills they had been introduced to on day one, before we skirted around the flanks of Aonach an Nid in search of some deeper snow.

After a quick introduction to the art of emergency snow-shelters we found some steeper ice forming over a couple of rocky outcrops to get everyone used to slightly steeper terrain before half of the group zig-zagged up the steep snow slopes towards the plateau of Aonach Mor.

The only slight downer? By the time we were back at the top station of the Gondola, they had decided to close it due to the strong winds. So it was a leisurely walk back down the hill to the base station!

Winter Skills Day 2

Epic adventures today.

With less stuff to faff around with and organise we got an earlier start today, heading up Glen Coe to Stob Coire nan Lochan.

After a short walk in through the drizzle we quickly roped up for a scramble up "The ZigZags".
From there it was a walk up the blunt ridge to the side of the corrie for ice axe arrest practise. Normal, backwards, upside down and then upside and backwards, all not so straight forwards.

For there we headed up the corrie proper to the base of Dorsal Arete, a classic easier route.
Roping up at the bottom of the climb on ledges stamped out of the slope definatly had a big mountain feel.
Really fun climbing up very solid snow with the odd rock move followed, in an amazing postion. We blasted up in two ropes of 4 in double quick time. Emerging on to the spindrift blasted ridge was great.

After the summit we descended to a col in the face of the blasting spindrift. I was really happy to be testing a new improved hood design: Even better protection.

After chopping out a snow bollard we classic abseiled down into the Hidden Valley and then descended the neve covered hillside above the river gorge.

We arrived back at the car park in exactly the same windy, drizzly twilight that we experienced when we left.

Roped up on The Zigzags

Above the Zigzags

Heading up the back of the corrie towards the start of Dorsal Arete, which starts on the left hand side of the central buttress in the picture.

More photos to follow.

Winter Skills Day 1

I'm here with the Cotswold Outdoor guys on the second Winter skills course run in conjunction with Plas Y Brenin in Glencoe. A week of a wide range of activities, from Mountain walking, general mountaineering and ice climbing.

Today the team I was with spent a happy day cramponing up Corrie na Tulaich on the flanks of Buachaille Etive Mor. The snow was nice and solid becoming very hard on the upper slopes of the mountain. A very useful range of crampon techniques and general mountain awareness issues were covered by the instructors, and a good time was had by all.

Looking up the Corrie from half way up, we took the right hand gully

A water ice step provided some fun

Spicy climbing action

Descending back into the Corrie after a quick lunch on the summit of Stob Dearg

Snow, Ice, Rain and avalanches

Well its been a mixed few days up here in the Scottish Highlands. Winter is hanging on in there - amazingly the ground even at lower levels is still bullet hard in places and smears of ice are clinging precariously to the cliffs. But the thaw has been rapid and severe lower down. Above 800m, winter is alive and well. Plenty of snow, plenty of ice.

But its also been pretty wet at times. The freezing level has been going up and down like a yo-yo! So we've had rain, sleet and wet snow combined with tonnes of slushy water on lower paths to trudge through. What a brilliant week for testing products!

And the dampness has also managed to permeate my camera despite hiding inside a dry bag - hence the lack of photos!

So what have we been up to? Well we've had people having their first taste of winter climbing - having great days out on Dorsal Arete in Stob Coire Nan Lochain and North Buttress on Buachaille Etive Mor. We've had mountaineering teams out in the White Corries, and Carn Mor Dearg and then hillwalking teams learning essential winter skills around Glencoe, rounded off with a successful summit day on Buachaille Etive Mor yesterday!

And some of our groups were fortunate (?) to witness one of the largest avalanches many of us have ever seen in Scotland - which teared down the slopes of Beinn Fhada into the Lost Valley. We watched in astonishment from the far side of the valley as the slab released, followed by a large portion of the slope beneath. It was the perfect follow-up to the previous evenings avalanche lecture. Just remember to keep checking the SAIS forecasts and exercise careful route choice out there.



Its all about to kick off again and winter looks like its returning. The freezing level is forecast to drop considerably over the next few days with snow forecast for Wednesday and Thursday.

Avalanche on Beinn Fhada from Richard Talbot on Vimeo.

Calling all film makers and photographers!

March 2010 sees the Llanberis Mountain Film Festival in association with Mountain Equipment get under way.

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The Llamff Commitee are still taking entries for films in the below catergories

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Main Feature - Entries must be 14 minutes in length with a mountainous, outdoor, environmental or ecological theme.

Prize - Trophy and £500

Short - Entries must be no more than 14 minutes in length with a mountainous, outdoor, environmental or ecological theme.

Prize - Trophy and £250

Newcomer Award - For film makers who have'nt had a film made into a DVD, shown on television or a a film festival before. Again films must have a mountainous, outdoor, environmental or ecological theme.

Prize - Trophy

there will also be a "Peoples Choice award" presented at the festival choosen by the audiences at the event from any of the above catergories

Prize - TBA

The closing date for entries is 31st January 2010 - please see the LLAMF website for forms etc. http://www.llamff.co.uk

There is also a photography competition being held inconjuction with ukclimbing.com head to the below link for all the details closing date is 1st February 2010
http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=2382

Festival Tickets are also available via Joe Browns, V12 and http://www.llamff.co.uk

Weekend!

So its looks as though its back to the waterproofs as UK's population of Snowmen and Women begin to disappear and the thaw/traditional wet British weather sets in this weekend.

Its been yet another busy week for our pro partners and a some what painful one for ME pro partner Kev Sheilds, especially after taking a 15ft fall ice climbing in Glen Nevis ouch - see video



Luckily Kev escaped with just a damaged ankle, but for the full story see http://kevshieldsclimbing.blogspot.com/

Make sure you also checkout all the latest pictures and stories on our pro partners blogs listed to the right too!

Have a great weekend