Guided Climbing on Ben Nevis & Aonach Mor

Working for Adam Hughes this weekend.
Callum hasn't done much winter climbing for many years but he's a very experienced fell runner so confident on his feet and keen.

On Saturday we headed up Ben Nevis in a whiteout and climbed Number 2 Gully Buttress, a great route.

Sunday saw us on Aonach Mor along with Adam and his other instructors (Kenny, Campbell, and Adam). The forecast was for strong winds so we were all concerned that the gondola might shut early but Callum and I climbed Tunnel Vision and Left Twin, and were in the cafe enjoying cake and coffee before catching the last gondola down.

Climber ahead of us on Tunnel Vision

Winter Mountaineering - Day 5

A poor weather forecast, but we went to Stob Coire nan Lochan and had a fantastic mountain day using skills learned this week.
The weather was wet as we stepped out of the minibus and headed up the path, but it was kind to us with breaks in the cloud as we got higher, and gave us a wonderful challenge with 35 mph wind and hail on the summit.

The North East ridge was wonderful with the chance to use many of the skills we'd practiced.

asending the Nort East ridge

On the summit we experienced the wind, and hail.

Adam felt some hail sting through his Goretex and fleece as we moved on and down.

A swift adjustment of the rope before navigating around the corrie rim and down the ridge to the West and North.

A great Scottish mountaineering day, with the challenge of the weather adding to the day.

A mug of tea and detailed chat about the day and week before we said gooodbye, maybe to meet in a few weeks on a winter Climbing course.

TOP TIP - don't let your clothes get too wet under your goretex jacket.

You'll feel cold even in the Instructor's warm belay jacket (and he may be quietly frustrated if you damage his expensive inner down vest).

Winter Skills - Day 4

Weather was terrible today and outside the rain hammered loud on the roof and windows.

 

We headed off to the local ice climbing wall where we practiced rope techniquest, climbed indoor rock roues, and then kitted up and went into the massive freezer box to climb with one and two ice tools.

Winter Skills - Day 3

Yesterday was glorious and we ascended the Zig-Zags in Glencoe, where the student saw the use of a rope over short steps.
Today we explained some of the detail and headed into Glencoe to practice bucket seats, buried ice axes, snow bollards, and snow shelters.

The freezing level has moved above the summits today but it didn't stop us from having a great day. 

Winter Skills - day 2

Scotland, 11th January 2011

Today's weather was FANTASTIC and much better than expected as we headed into Glencoe to ascend the Zig-Zags (grade 1) to put into practice the footwork skills introduced yesterday;

We also used a rope on short steps.

Roped support on the Zig Zags

Asending into the sun

Across the tops

camera didn't "stitch" the panorama so well this time

Winter Skills - day 1

Monday's weather was not good but we got a good day practicing basic skill, walking both with and without crampons, and doing ice axe arrests.

Ropes on the Nid

Today we got the ropes out on the Nid area, Scotland

Recent Photos of winteer

Aonach Mor, Scotland - Mark from Lowe on a Grade 3 on the East Face

Blea Water, Lake Distict - fantastic route, frozen tarn

Cautley Spout, Yorkshire - 6am, done before going to the office at 9.10

Dollywaggon Gully, Lake District - the crux, dry

Dollywagon Gully, Lake District - approach

View from Great End, Cumbria - 20 December 2010

Great End, Cumbria - the 3rd route of the day

Helveyn, Cumbria - December 2010

Sunset from the summit, Lake Distririct - December 2010

practicing Emeregency shelters - December 2010

Sunset - Cumbria

Aonach Mor - East Face 2011

Prayer Flags; Hot Chocolate; but a Sad Day

We met at Esquires Coffee shop (opens at 8.00 so a great meeting place) before heading into the Langdale valleys.
Richard and Pav didn't want to do anything too hard so it was OK to bring Pip, hill & home companion since 2001 in Colorado, for a the walk.

Pip - a companion from Colorado 2001

 We headed up Stickle Ghyl and on the way climbed a few short waterfalls - beware, they're greener and slippyer than I've ever seen them. And carried on up the stream bed, rock hopping like the children we are inside.

We stopped for lunch on top of Pavey Ark before heading over to Pike O Stickle where to our surprise there are some Prayer Flags.

It's nice having this splash of colour on a Lakeland summit but I hope it's temporary and not the start of a trend. I hope whoever put them up has taken them down to save them for another time in the future.

And so back down for some brief "retail therapy" before returning to the start at Esquires.

A very sad end to the day. Later in the evening whilst I was sitting at the computer with Pip sleeping nearby, this friend, companion and confidant awoke suddenly and died. I think of a heart atttack.

I miss her.

Pip - 2001 to 17.10.10 - Rip

Scrambling in Wales

OK - I admit to being "computer challenged" and that I'd rather be outside than working on a keyboard or website. But Dan found me via my website and got a group of friends together for a fun 2-days scrambling in Wales.

We met Friday night at the Bryn Tyrch - fantastic food, so good that I think there are now 6 blokes from London way who recon there's nowhere else worth eating in Snowdonia.

I'll have to get them to Petes Eats another time

Although Dan had only booked me they sounded an adventurous bunch and would benefit from a ratio of 3:1, so Andy T joined me.

On Tryfan's Adam (or is it Eve?)

Day 1 - Tryfan East Face. We navigated up Heather Terrace before selecting a route from the scrambles guide book. After practicing with ropes we headed up the scramble to join Tryfan's North Ridge near the summit. The teams learned fast and were soon ascending steep ground, in some cases up to Grade 3 / Diff. Then we headed over the top, past Adam & Eve, before heading down, and another meal at the Bryn Tyrch!

Day 2 - after a long discussion the night before in the Bryn Tyrch we headed off to Idwal Slabs and Ordinary Route (Diff). The teams led themselves, with Andy and I soloing alongside placing protection and building the belays.  

Tiny yellow & orange dots are my team taking the steep route

A gread "lads weekend" and an extreemly impressive result from 6 novice scrambler/climbers.

Cotswold Outdoors - Staff activities

In my "other life" I'm a gear person, previously for Petzl's UK company, and now for Lowe Alpine.
Imagine having a job where you can indulge your gear-freak tendancies and learn the intimate ins and outs of a product? And even sometimes test to destruction (yup, a hammer is often involved). Yipee.

This week I've been in Snowdonia scrambling, breaking kit, tugging ropes, demonstrating the use of technical climbing kit, and informing a load of shop staff on the intricasies of Lowe Alpine backpacks.

The retail shop Cotswold have been expanding across the UK and now have 50+ stores. This week they brought together a person from almost every store to do some on-the-hill activities, as well as indoors close and detailed training.

Katie & Roger on The Cannon

Scrambling on Tryfan North ridge

We were asked, for the second year, to do special backpack training and also provide a day of scrambling. To get the groups to a more manageable size there were 3 of us; Andy Cave; Andy Turner; and me.

Roger - stepping across Adam & Eve - mega drop!

Fantastic days, great people, and well done Cotswold for their staff training.