LAST SCHEDULED WINTER COURSE

 

Axe, Winter boots and good navigation essential 

I ran my last scheduled winter course of the season last weekend. Sometimes our winter runs into May and my 'record' for running a Winter course was last year, in the middle of May. In the last 10 winter seasons I have been teaching folk axe, crampons and a host of other 'skills' in snow into the merry month of May. With the very warm temperatures we've had recently and the rapidly depleted snow pack I think I will draw a line under this winter season.

On Sunday I was joined by Sarah who was looking for a day out in the snow. The cloudbase was very low in the NE airstream. Whilst the sun beat down on many west and NW coastal mountains we were in the clag all day.

Clag and snow

Going on a course with someone who is based in the area will always pay dividends to get the most out of the conditions. Within an hour from Coire Cas carpark we were into good areas of continuous snow to run through lots of vital skills.

Steeper terrain

Plateau white out

Up on the plateau it was even poorer visibility. Good navigation essential, especially on the big areas of snow above 1000m. We headed over to the snowholes that were still intact. The summit temperatures today were around plus 2 C. Low enough to keep the snow for a good while yet.

Snowholes

Good in here

Room for a few

Even a basement 

Some navigation required across the plateau. Whiteout conditions for a period. Navigation required even for someone like me who frequents the Cairngorm plateau several times a week over many years. I had to whip out map and compass to get over to the Northern Corries and back down the hill.

More navigation in whiteout conditions 

We saw no one all day and when we got back to the carpark it was almost deserted. Peculiar for a Sunday.  Then again, good to see that folk are being cautious if your skill set is not geared towards late winter in the Cairngorms on a poor visibility day.

Today I was guiding for Mckenzie Mountaineering. 

So that's it. Winter 2021/22 has come to an end. Unless we get a good cold snap and fresh snowfall. That's not unusual this time of year.

Watch out for my usual end of season blog. Some say it was a 'poor' winter. Me thinks not!