WINTER NAVIGATION COURSE

No.1 Winter Skill

Good visibility 

Firm snow/ice for step cutting 

Even better visibility 

Spot the climbers

View of the day

Jacob's Ladder 

Summit selfie

Wind scoured areas

Danni sporting a frozen tail

Crampon time

Return client, Danni was out with me today on a 1 Day Winter Navigation Course. It was mild and damp first thing this morning but by mid morning there wasn't much precipitation. The high winds from yesterday had also eased right back to very light by mid-day. There is a thin coating of snow above 1000m on the Cairngorm plateau.  Some of which has gone through a melt /freeze cycle. These areas were great for Danni to get some step cutting practise in. On the tops we had crampons on. Some water ice about. Poor visibility all day from around 900m up. Ideal conditions for Navigation.  We only saw one other walker who seemed to be unsure of her location, trying to fathom it out on a mobile phone.  A few climbers about but generally it was very quiet for a winter Saturday. Danni did brilliant and spot on with all her bearings.