SPA Training Course

I have been working on an SPA Training course today with a group of students from Liverpool John Moores University who are based at Blue Peris Mountain Centre for the week. We headed into the Llanberis Pass and enjoyed the warm sunshine and blue skies. It has been a stunning day and there were plenty of climbers about enjoying the weather. 

Curved Ridge, Buachaille Etive Mor

Today was a lovely day here in Scotland with blue skies and sunshine and no rain or snow so a real treat! Mick, Steve and I climbed Curved Ridge (II/III) taking the steepest line wherever possible and enjoying moving quickly over mixed ground. There were only a couple of other teams on the route although there were a lot of teams on D Gully Buttress and from overheard shouts I wonder how many of them thought they were on Curved Ridge? The snow was great giving nice first time placements and the views from the top stunning. A fabulous day with Scotland at its finest! 

Winter Mountaineering in Glen Coe

I have been joined for three days by Mick and Steve for a winter mountaineering course. Both guys have done quite a bit with me before although no winter mountaineering. We headed to the Zig Zags in Glen Coe which the boys lead for themselves with me alongside. We had lunch on the summit and then descended the route with the boys leading it again. This allowed us to look at a variety of belay types in ascent and descent as well as some abseiling and efficient use of the rope. We had some snow for a couple of hours around mid day and some sunshine later on. 

Hadrians Wall Direct

I have had a day off today and so teamed up with friend Carl for a day climbing on the Ben. It was a pretty overcast morning as we walked in but the day brightened up as we topped out. We climbed Hadrians Wall Direct (V,5) which gave a brilliant days climbing. The ice was good and the snow sections were beautiful neve giving first time placements. A fantastic day! 

Climb & Ski

It has been a beautiful day here in Fort William with blue skies and sunshine. The boys wanted to be down for 2:00pm today as they had flights to catch in Glasgow so we went to Aonach Mor and used the gondola to gain height quickly. We went onto the East face of Aonach Nid and the boys lead a grade 1 ridge for themselves with me alongside. We looked at a range of belays and generally enjoyed the sunshine. I then managed to squeeze in a couple of hours skiing in the wonderful snow before heading home. Friends Dave & Carl went to the Ben and got involved in a rescue of some avalanched climbers, you can read more on James Thackers blog here. They also managed the first pitch of Waterfall Gully (IV,4). Teams were climbing Orion Direct, Hadrians, SW Ridge of the Douglas Boulder and Ledge Route but there is still lots of snow about. 

Dinnertime Buttress, Glen Coe

Gregorz, Simon and I headed for Dinnertime Buttress in Glen Coe today. This buttress route gives  a grade II mountaineering route that is nice and low in the valley and so avoids a long wade through deep snow. Nonetheless the route itself was absolutely buried and I would find it hard to recommend at the moment! We watched some impressive natural avalanches coming down the gullies of Aonach Dubh, some of the largest I have ever seen in Scotland and there were small sluffs happening all day on most aspects as the temperature rose. It had also been snowing all morning. We decided to descend our route which gave us the chance to look at mountaineering in descent and have a look at some abseils too. Many thanks to the MIC training group that put a track in yesterday! 

Zig Zags, Glencoe

I have been joined for 3 days by Gregorz and repeat client Simon for a winter mountaineering course here in Scotland. It has snowed massively over the weekend with loads of fresh snow that was waist deep in many places on the mountains today and obviously creating a High avalanche risk. We climbed the Zig Zags in Glen Coe which gives a nice grade 1 mountaineering route on a NE aspect which was pretty wind scoured. We then headed over the top of Gear Aonach, into Stob Coire nan Lochain and descended from there. We owe a big thanks to whoever put the track in yesterday and this morning as it was very deep to the side of it! More snow forecast for tomorrow! 

Struth Ruth what a lot of snow!

Mat, Karolina and I went up onto the West Face of Aonach Mor today. The snow that has fallen over the last few days has been deposited by Westerly winds onto Easterly aspects and so we thought this would be an objectively safe place to go and get Mat doing some leading. We climbed a combination of gully and then rock rib around Ruths Gully which gives about 300m of grade I/II ground and was ideal for today. Mat lead the first half and then I took over on the upper section as the weather closed in. It was the usual wind and whiteout on the top but we were amazed to find over an inch of snow had fallen in the car park! The wind changed direction today to a North Easterly and the top of our route was collecting large amounts of fresh windslab, hence the switch to the ridge. Its snowing hard outside the window of the house now with the roads all white so the skiers will be happy!

The Dorsalgrat

For day two of our winter mountaineering course we headed up into Stob Coire nan Lochain and climbed Dorsal Arete. It was pleasantly quiet with just one other team on it and the snow was actually quite good on the whole despite massive amounts of windslab elsewhere in the Coire. There were teams on Scabbard chimney, Ordinary Route and Unicorn which resulted in some power screaming and a big lob! The stunning views forecast this afternoon did not materialise and the wind was still pretty strong on the top. It has also been snowing on and off all day so care is needed in route choice this weekend with a high avalanche risk. 

East Ridge of Beinn a Chaorainn

I have been joined by repeat clients Mat and Karolina for a 3 day winter mountaineering course in Scotland. It was pretty wild forecast today with 80mph winds and a High avalanche risk so we had to be choosy about our route. We headed up the East Ridge of Beinn a Chaorainn which allowed us to avoid the worst of the massive accumulations of new snow and enjoy some lovely mountaineering. We had some snippets of blue sky this morning giving some lovely views and as the day went on the freezing level dropped down to the road. It was pretty wild on the top, Karolina is only little and could not stand up as we walked across the summit plateau so was glad of the rope. We followed a couple of bearings in zero visibility, battled the wind and the snow and dropped down the South side, glad to escape the beating! A great day nicely summed up by Mat as we walked down as the best day in the mountains he had ever had. 

Blue skies and sunshine in Wales

I am home for a couple of days now before heading upto Scotland again on Wednesday. Yesterday I took Archie for a walk into Cwm Idwal, there is no snow here at the moment but its been beautiful weather yesterday and today with blue skies and sunshine. 

Last day on the Ice

Today I teamed up with Mick and Jason for our final days ice climbing here in Norway. We headed into the Lower Gorge this morning and climbed Camillas Foss (WI3) with the guys doing some simu-leading. We then picked a two pitch WI3 on the other side of the gorge and the boys lead a pitch each with me alongside for tips and advice. After a good lunch we found a great single pitch lump of roadside ice that was WI5 and thoroughly finished our arms off climbing some steep ice. A another great day with blue skies and sunshine. We have all got a day off tomorrow so will be enjoying the knee deep powder with a day of skiing locally. 

Ice and sun - its a good life!

It has been another blue sky day in Norway with overnight temperatures of -10c and a slight rise during the day. Paul and Simon lead Armeringsjernfossen (WI3) today with me soloing alongside to offer tips and advice when required. This is a great 3 pitch climb below the Ozzimosis area with a 10 minute walk in and finishing next to the car on the road! The boys climbed well and we managed another pitch of WI3 further up the road before heading to the Vermork Bridge area. We then climbed Susses Veil which gave a nice pitch of WI3 that Paul lead in good style before heading home for tea and cakes. 

Steep ice and sunshine!

Today Simon, Paul and I headed for Rjukan centre and climbed Tjonnstadbergfossen (WI4) which gives four big long pitches above Rjukan town centre. It was a brilliant route with big belay ledges, steep water ice with a nice coating of snow ice on the top, nearly 200m of climbing, 10 minute walk in and 4 big abseils of descent. It is also South facing and so we could climb in the sun which is warm enough to be pleasant without being dangerous! A fantastic day in wonderful weather on nice squeeky ice.  Thanks to the boys for the nice photos!