WILD WINTER SKILLS

Descending steep ground

Our 'sheltered' lunch break

Step cutting

Head foirst axe arrest

tandem arresting

The last few days we have had very high winds here in The Cairngorms but today we managed to get out of the car at Coire Cas carpark and onto the hill. Brodie & Sean are out with me for a two day winter skills course. We battled into 60mph this morning and made our way to Coire an t-schneacda. There was lots of windblown snow and fresh snow fall but the coire as well scoured and some nice frozen snow exposed. The winds died to a steady breeze of 40mph after lunch and we could even have a conversation without shouting. We managed to cover the basics of walking on steeper terrain with axe and crampons, went through some avalanche awareness and finished off with some axe arresting, getting some good slides on the side of the Fiacaill ridge. The main emphasis today was actually looking after yourself in difficult walking conditions, carrying the appropriate clothing including ski goggles, balaclavas, etc. The shortest day of the year turned out to be longer than the end of the world at 11am today!

BRAERIACH PLATEAU

Wonderful hard snow and fab views across to Sgurr Gaoithe

Loch Coire an Lochain well frozen

Strolling down hard frozen snow and a wonderful crescent moon

Looking into Garbh Coire Mor

Helena is out with me for a couple of days of  walking a few Winter Munros in The Cairngorms. Today was a lovely day, light winds, excellent snow cover and some morning sunshine. We set off early doors and headed into the northern ridges of Braeriach. There is an excellent wee ridge which encircles Loch Coire an Lochain and I never see anyone here, indeed we saw only 1 person all day, at the Braeraich summit. There was just a very light cloud cover on the last 20m, west was best today. We continued along the extensive snow covered plateau to Sgurr an Lochain Uaine. We had some excellent stretches of neve and rimed rocks on the hill today and sub zero temps above 900m A crescent  moon on the descent saw us down without torchlight to Loch Einich. Big day for a couple of big, remote and wonderful Munros.

SGURR GAOITHE-EXCELLENT SNOW CONDITIONS

The recent milder conditions, coupled with a bit of rain and some windy days thrown in has consolidated the snow pack very nicely. Today the sun came out and the high winds had died to leave a wonderful day on the hill. Karen and I had a nice day on Sgurr Gaoith from Glen Feshie. The cloud formations were wonderful this morning, with the mountains peeping in and out of the banks of cloud rolling in from the west. There is an excellent cover of snow on the plateaux and winter shaping up very nicely. We had an audience all day from the local gliding club in Glen Feshie with several gliders soaring over our heads through out the day. Only a couple of groups out on the hill today, one of which were having great fun doing some ski touring up and down the hill.

AN TEALLACH WINTER SPLENDOUR

With a few days forecast of very cold,clear and windless conditions I headed to the NW Highlands and a day on An Teallach-the finest mountain on earth, probably. I set off from Dundonnell at 6am under amazing starlight with the initial thought of climbing Hayfork Gully, the classic grade 1 route in the Glas Toll corrie. But I was thinking maybe too early in the season and not enough build up of snow. So plan B was a traverse of the ridge. Hard snow at 500m and boggy ground lower down was frozen hard. I was on Bidean a Glas Toll for the stupendous view of Sgurr Fiona and the Corrag Buidhe pinnacles in a lovely sunrise. I sat and lingered on the summit. Fab snow cover and crampons all day. The snow beautiful hard neve but some areas just a crust with still some softer layers underneath. Rimed rocks and frozen turf. Another glorious view point on Sgurr Fiona and still no one seen all day. There was only two sets of footprints, from yesterday I guess. I wanted to savour the day so headed NW along the seldom visited Sgurr Creag Eich slender ridge. Wonderful cornices along the entire ridge line. There was a beautiful sunset behind The Fisherfield Forest and Torridon hills from the summit of Sgurr Creag Eich. I headed back down to Ardessie in torchlight and another star studded evening. What a day. What a numpty too- my camera had been left on overnight and dead battery! So only mobile phone photos today. I've traversed An Teallach many, many times and today this ranks as one of the best. If you've never been then go!

 

WINTER NAVIGATION PART TWO

Russ battling in the wind, Cairngorms beyond

Checking the map

Easier walking today with windblown areas on the tops and some refreezing

The brief thaw yesterday was halted today as the winds had swung round to the NW  bringing colder air again. It was a very strong wind high up and a few snow showers above 500m. The high winds from yesterday and overnight had blown a lot of loose snow off the tops and ridges, coupled with the thaw/freeze which mad walking much easier today for Russ and I. We headed onto Meall a' Buachaille for some more navigation. There were some good patches of icy snow so things looking good for the next few days with temperatures staying cold. We were sheltered much of the day before we started heading down when a big snow shower and strong winds made looking up a chore, I would guess the higher summits today would have been a struggle without ski goggles, an important bit of kit for winter. Russ and mate Neil are back up in February with me for a snow hole trip and more winter skills. The SAIS avalanche reports for all 5 mountain areas begin next weekend.

WINTER NAVIGATION

Heading into a very white Coire an Lochan

Russ map reading

Two climbers above the great slab in Coire an Lochan

It was a milder day today which will be great for the snow pack for some consolidation. I am joined by Russ for the next couple of days who is wanting some winter navigation training. Russ is aiming toward his Gold NNA and a couple of Cairngorm winter navigation days will see he gets to the required standard I'm sure. It was hard going in the deep snow and strong winds today but it did stay dry all day. We headed into Coire an Lochan for a wee bit of shelter from the westerlies. There was a couple of climbers heading into something soft and white lower in the corrie. A few climbers heading into Sneachda too by the looks of things and as early as mid morning there were a few walkers backing down from the plateau, wind/navigation related? In these conditions Naismith's Rule may not be so accurate and at times today we were down to only half km per hour trail breaking. Coire Cas carpark was looking pretty full when we got back, plenty of skiing on Cairngorm this weekend. Another wild day tomorrow and then with a freeze the snow pack should be staring to get good.

WILD AND SNOWY WEEK

It's been a much windier week and with snowfall most days here in The Cairngorms. Today Karen and I had a quick afternoon hill day on Meall a' Buachaille. This great wee hill in summer has a nice path up from a couple of sides but in winter and on a day like today they were well covered in windblown snow. Must have been a good winter day as we needed the compass to get off the summit in near white out conditions. The high winds today and last few days have blown a lot of the  unconsolidated snow off the tops so much easier to walk on at the moment. The temperatures have risen recently so good for some freeze/thaw to consolidate the snow pack but it's been sub zero on the higher summits still. As we made our way down to Ryvoan Bothy there was a nice family of Reindeer roaming about outside the bothy so we had our afternoon tea with them.

A SNOWING DAY

The ice hunters

Jono on steep ground

This steeper section is usually well banked out with snow lataer in the season

Just make out The Douglas Boulder behind

After our wonderful sunny and fabulous views trip yesterday, today the guys  experienced a more 'normal' Scottish winter day out. From the word go we had snow falling at a steady rate from virtually sea level. It was the guys second winter skills day with me and we covered steep ground, crampon technique and avalanche awareness in The Ciste Corrie on Ben Nevis. We saw no one all day and seemed to have the place to ourselves. Any ice was buried under the deep snow but we found some nice wee nooks and crannies to go through the basics of crampon technique. We made our way up to the foot of No. 5 gully and went through avalanche awareness, looking at hasty pits and rutchblock tests. The temperatures had risen today but higher up the hill it was still below freezing. The guys are off on their own for the next couple of days, planning a two day wild camping trip in Lochaber. Well done guys and look forward to hear about your expedition.

ANOTHER TOP DAY ON BEN NEVIS

Along side the Red Burn for some axe technique

No 4 gully was well trodden

The guys enjoying the north face views

Top of No.3 gully

Solitude on the summit

Step cutting on the plateau

An even colder night with sub zero temperatures at sea level gave a wonderful temperature inversion this morning. Another trip up The Ben and today joined by Will, Felix, Luke and Jono who are with me for two days of winter skills combined with getting to the top of Ben Nevis. We headed up The Red Burn to get some steeper ground for axe technique today and we got away from the crowds. Snow still soft and hard work but the sun and views were fab. Better walking underfoot along the rim of the north face with wonderful scenery. Hardly a breath of wind all day. Some harder snow in places where we practised some step cutting. Throughout the day we discussed avalanche awareness. Quite appropriate as the wind slab now has a healthy amount of surface hoar coupled with a big dump of fresh snow tonight. Interesting ground for tomorrow! Take care out there.

3 DAYS ON BEN NEVIS

Mark enjoying the summit views

The summit and Aonach Mor

We had more sun on the descent

Working over in the west next 3 days and on The Ben. Today Mark wanted an early start to make sure he got the last train down to Glasgow. We set off just after 6am in beautiful clear skies and a full moon. Last nights rain was dumped as snow down to 600m and there was some ice lingering lower down The Pony track. We headed up beside The Red Burn to the plateau but no ice or hard snow. The cloud came in but we had some wonderful wee clear breaks while we sat on the summit. The hills are all looking superb. Mark did well on his first big hill and wants more winter action already!