Autumn into Winter

It's been  very full Summer and Autumn with  trip to Scotland to run an ML Assessment on the Isle of Rum and then holiday time, Mountain First Aid in Bavaria for JSMTC and more MLs and First Aid courses. 

When we returned to Wales we hit the ground running with 6 First aid courses, followed by one in Leeds,  trip working in Iceland, an ML Assessment in the Lakes, two Mountain First aid courses for the Military and then two days of Geography Fieldwork for Oswestry School. 

WINTERSKILLS IN SCOTLAND

Our Winterskills courses are becoming more popular with 7 people signing up to this year's events.

We based ourselves in the Cairngorms as being the most reliable area for snow (although it was a nail-bitingly close call with the snow arriving the day before the clients!)

In fact on the Friday we were reccying the decent snow patches on the Cairngorm plateau having watched the snow disappear the week beforehand!

Day One saw us heading up to Coire Mer  via the Coire Cas ski areas where snow was accumulating in the driving wind. It was a good chance for people to get used to walking on crampons in a safe environment and slope.                                            

We were able to practice using ice axes to cut steps and look at some impressive snow holes that ML groups had dug. We also bumped into several Mountain Rescue Teams training in  the area including our own, Llanberis MRT and Northumberland and Killin. Everyone was converging on what was one of the best accumulation areas for snow.

Day Two saw us heading into Coire Cas for some unexpected persistent snow (definitely not forecast as can happen in mountain environments). Again we were able to do further practice walking in crampons and cut stepping. We also looked at the Avalanche risk and how it was developing due to wind driven snow. There was time for a little play at ice axe arrests but the slopes which were safe (non-avalanche slopes) were not quite steep enough so we had to improvise.

The weather came in unexpectedly with persistent heavy snow around lunch time so we hunkered down in the group shelter for lunch before heading to the summit of Cairngorm. On the way down we played with the avalanche transceivers and did some small searches.

heading up the ski slopes in search of decent snow

Day 3 was wild; even the Lake District Mountain Rescue dogs headed down to the forests for search training and hardly surprisingly there were not many vehicles in the top car park bar ourselves and an RAF Mountain Rescue team. Valuable lessons were learned in how hard it is to navigate in strong winds, and how exhausting and debilitating strong winds are. (and how puny we are in comparison). At times we experienced full on white out which was a useful experience for everyone. A challenging but rewarding day.

The day before and brown hills. Where's all the snow?!

Luxury accommodation inside (not dug by us; probably by a Winter ML group

Step cutting; steeper slopes without crampons

Time to get the crampons on

Definitely white hills now!

Cluanie enjoying the snow.

The snow arrived

Practising ice axe arrests in case of a slip

some of the group enjoying better weather

Unexpected (unforecast) persistent snow on Day 2

Heading for the summit of Cairngorm

The Summit photo

taking respite in the Ptarmigan

A wild and windy day with gale force winds

We survived!

Winter Fun

Steve and I have just returned from a two week slot in Scotland. Some was personal training and pleasure and some was working (still pleasurable!)

We got some really decent Scottish winter conditions and several decent Mountain days in. The snow arrived at just the right time for us and our first day out was up Ben Tee, a delightful Corbett just north of the Great Glen.

We then headed across to the Cairngorms for the Mountain Training Winter CPD based at Glenmore Lodge.

After that we had several days to ourselves so we climbed Corriehabbie Hill by Morton's Way (very apt for me); a long walk from the east but with easy gradients, but as you can see the choice of walking was pretty much deep snow on tracks or deep heather.

We also climbed a Graham and a Corbett., Leana Mhor and Ben Iaruinn in Glen Roy, famous for the Parallel Roads of which there are three. These are different height lake shores. A glacier blocked the exit into Glen Spean and the melting ice from Glen Roy was damned back. The lines you can see are the former lake shores as different lake levels drained or overflowed. You can read up on it on the Scottish Natural Heritage website.

http://www.snh.org.uk/publications/on-line/geology/glen_roy/time.asp


This day felt truly Scottish Winter with strong gusts of wind knocking me off my feet several times which meant gusts in excess of 50 mph, and redistribution of snow as spindrift. Never underestimate Corbett days. Although the mountains are smaller than Munros, the walk ins can be longer and often there are no paths or what paths exist can be indistinct which makes for hard going.

Mortons Way, Corriehabbie Hill