Security on steep ground

For our third day of the Mountain Leader training course that I am running this week we were looking at security on steep ground on the North Ridge of Tryfan. We were also joined by Bryn from MLTW who was out as part of the training boards commitment to quality assurance and standardisation between providers. The day started off overcast and cloudy but brightened up nicely as we spent the day looking at the skills that are necessary to look after clients in this type of ground in ascent and descent. We got down without needing head torches today and for our evening session had a tour of the Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team base and a look at the sort of equipment that an ML might be able to assist a rescue team with in the event of a rescue. We also had a look at some basic ropework in preparation for tomorrow. 

Mountain Leader Training Day 2

For our second day of the ML training course we have been out to undertake a quality mountain day as defined by the scheme. Along the way we looked at access and the environment and emergency procedures in the mountains. We based ourselves on the South side of the Glyderau from Pen Y Pass and it stayed dry for much of the day. This evenings lecture was on the legal and moral aspects of working as a Mountain Leader. 

Mountain Leader Training Course

I have been joined for six days by Marianne, Nik, Will, Simon, Luke and Steve for a Mountain Leader Training Course here in Snowdonia. Each of the guys and girls have been out with me before and we will be spending the week following the syllabus of the MLT scheme with today being a micro nav day. We are based at Plas Curig Hostel for the week and headed out the back door onto the Crimpiau today, spending the last hour or so of the day doing some night nav. The mountain training is supplemented by evening lectures with tonights topic being mountain weather. A full week ahead so the blog might get a bit shorter than normal! 

Winter Ethics

A bit of a giggle!

Scrambling on Tryfan

Today we headed up Little & North Gullies on Tryfan which gave some great grade 1 gully scrambling whilst being sheltered from the morning winds. After lunch on the summit the winds had dropped as forecast and we descended the North Ridge (1). Towards the lower end of the ridge we played with the rope for a bit looking at how to give protection to a nervous second and how to retreat from a difficult section. It was wet this morning but brightened up and we all had a great day. 

Intro to Scrambling course

I have been joined for two days by Charlie, Laurence, Nik and Peter for an intro to scrambling course here in Snowdonia. I have also had Jim along observing the course. We have had a dry day but with 55-60mph Southerly winds whistling over the mountains. We managed to avoid them by scrambling up Seniors Gully (1) and Seniors Ridge (1) but got hammered on the summit of Glyder Fawr. A hasty descent of the Devils Kitchen ensued! A great day out to blow away any cobwebs. 

Video from Toubkal 2011

Here is a short video that Paul Poole put together on our recent trip to Morocco. I hope you enjoy it and if you fancy coming next year, have a look here.

Micro Nav & Night Nav

I have been out with Katrina again today looking at micro navigation skills. We spent the day on the North East end of the Glyderau looking at off the path contour interpretation, bearings, pacing and timing and strategies for poor visibility navigation. We had a break for tea at Petes Eats and then went out in the Llanberis Pass once night had fallen for a couple of hours of night nav. Another great day out in the mountains and some more beautiful weather. 

Stunning Cloud Inversion

It has been a stunning day in the mountains today. I have been joined for two days by Katrina to brush up on some navigation skills prior to her ML Assessment and we headed up onto the Carneddau today. As we climbed Pen Yr Ole Wen from the car we were in low cloud but as we scrambled up the East Ridge we emerged above it to a stunning cloud inversion that seemed to cover the rest of Snowdonia and beyond. We even had a brocken spectre at one point! I shall let the photos do the talking, it was magical.

Search Dog Assessment

I have been out with SARDA Wales all weekend for our autumn Search Dog assessment. Skye and I were being assessed over 3 days as a lowland Search Dog team. It was a hard and tiring weekend but I am really pleased to say that we passed and so after two and a half years of weekly training we are now a qualified search dog team. Woo hoo! Five other dogs were also assessed and all passed too so it has been a great weekend. As a reward for the dog we managed to squeeze a bit of helicopter training in this afternoon with Llanberis MRT! 

Llechog Ridge

Robin and I were joined by Will today who kindly agreed to come along for the day as belayer so that Robin could get some leading done. We headed into the Llanberis Pass and made our way up the Llechog Ridge (2). The grade 2 version on the right hand side looked ideal for today as it has been very wet, I had not done the route before and so the route finding by Robin & Will was all for real! As a scramble its not bad low down but gets a bit heathery high up, it does have some cracking views though. Robin lead the day in good style with me climbing alongside offering tips and advice. A great couple of days.

Advanced Scrambling - learning to lead

I have been out with repeat client Robin today on the Idwal Slabs. We climbed Ordinary Route in big boots to look at the skills involved in leading grade 3 scrambles. We focused on gear placements and belays before Robin lead the scramble off the top of the Slabs. We then headed over to the Gribin Facet and looked at abseil set ups. We managed to stay dry all day despite it generally being overcast, a small ray of sunshine happened to be sitting over Cwm Idwal! 

East Face of Tryfan

Simon, Kristian and I headed up Bastow Gully Buttress (3) on the East Face of Tryfan today for the second day of our advanced scrambling course. It was little damp all day but we enjoyed the route and then used the North Ridge to look at some belay skills and abseil techniques. Some wet kit to dry out tonight though! 

Advanced Scrambling Course

I have been joined by Kristian and Simon for two days of advanced scrambling here in Snowdonia. We started off on North West Face Route (2) in Cwm Idwal, traversed across onto the Idwal Staircase (2) and up into Cwm Cneifion. We then enjoyed the Cneifion Arete (3) to ourselves and even managed to stay dry all day with just the odd shower somehow always going round us rather than over us. The autumnal colours and the low light are beautiful at the moment and the hills are almost deserted too, a lovely time of year to be out.