Windy at 1141
Wild in Sneachda
Using the rope to give someone confidence
Well it was a bit breezy in the Cairngorms today. I was working with Guy and Richard for Mountain Motion today with Moffat Mountain Rescue Team. Whilst Guy took the probationers for some intor. winter skills Rich and I each took a team for some mountaineering training. Cairngorm Mountain are keen to support the work of Mountain Rescue Teams and allowed us to use the funicular for uplift to the Ptarmigan Restaurant. From here Guy headed for Ciste Mhearad whilst Rich and I took our teams on a route to look at their navigation and footwork to .1141m at the top of the Fiacaill of Coire Cas. We then all dropped into Coire an t Sneachda by windy col and crossed to the area on the far side of the coire beneath Fiacaill Buttress.
We'd been experiencing strong winds and snow flurries all day and these got worse as we kitted up. The team responded well and we were able to look at a little confidence roping before 2 of them led a pitch up 'point five' the small gully to the left of the Goat Track. Now the weather was getting quite unpleasant and we had difficulty standing let alone talking and learning. So we dug a snow bollard and abseiled off to flee the coire and the screaming banshee of a wind howling around the crags.
The rock was black and the snow mushy but as we arrived at the car park it was putting down some much needed wet snow. Guy and his team soon arrived too after a baptism of fire (or perhaps that should be ice) for their introductory winter skills. Well done Moffat MRT for holding together in the face of some pretty appalling weather.
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