DON'T BE FOOLED - ITS STILL WINTER!

Enjoying the weather, Coire an lochain

Pete demonstaring some axe skills

Walking and axe belays

Looking up into The Couloir, Coire an Lochain

2 metre snow pit

Plenty of snow in the corries

The Vent, crags still white

Despite the warmth it was still full on winter high up

Assessing the snowpack

Another balst of graupal

Axe technique

Soft snow, hard work

This weekend I have a big group of 12 folk out from staff and customers of Cotswold Outdoor store, Livingston. We haded into the quiet Coire an Lochain in the Cairngorms. Despite the mini heatwave there is huge amounts of snow and the crags are still white. We covered lots of vital skills, including just coping in the very strong winds. Even though it is 'warmer' all the guys had plenty of layers, went through several pairs of gloves and were wearing their ski goggles. The gusty winds were bringing a lot of loose snow down the slopes. We talked a lot about avalanche awareness and assessment with many snow pits being dug all over the corrie on many aspects. Depth of snow in some places was 2 metres. The snowpack as stabilised. Only folk we saw all day were two climbers heading up to Savage Slit. A big learning curve for some folk on how wild and cold and snowy the Cairngorms can be, even when it's warm! Good craic and big thanks to Pete who is helping me this weekend.