More staff training in the East

A second day of staff training at Glenmore Lodge and after a discussion about the Centre's Quality Assurance scheme we were out on the hill in the wee Coire just East of Coire an Lochain (several ropes out) looking. Different groups were workshopping thoughts on shortroping as it applies to their work as an MIC or how to teach it at MIC level. A great day with about 16 active MICs all out enjoying the good weather and the exchange of information. The snowpack is firming up and quite stable andthere was some good if thin ice on the surface of rocks.

Home to the snow

Reading the load cell

Digging anchors on the west wall

Tested to destruction

After an epic journey of planes, coaches and vans we made it to a friends' house at Boat of Garten early this morning so that I could attend some staff training at Glenmore Lodge today.

The bulk of today's time was spent testing a variety of snow anchors including burying some of the modern leashless climbing tools with their radical shapes in the same way as a more conventional mountaineering axe. We had a load cell out today to make the testing a little more quantifiable. It was quite a team with almost 20 MICs and Guides in Coire na Ciste today. Although the east hasn't had the copious amounts of snow that the west has strong winds have led to scouring and deposition on lee slopes.

The Long Hope

Whilst I was at the Kendal Film Festival I was lucky enough to see Hot Aches “The Long Hope”. I’ve now got a copy of the DVD and if you are looking for a Christmas present for a climber it would make a great choice. Unlike many of the ‘high 5ing’, ‘Xtreme’ films around at the moment it has a bit of soul about it whilst still showcasing some seriously hard climbing.

Dave Macleod’s fascination with the original 1970 aid route climbed by Ed Drummond led to many visit’s to this huge and remote crag on Hoy in the Orkneys before the final successful ascent filmed by the Hot Aches team. To make things even more special they also record the return visit of Ed Drummond to the crag and the climbing is interspersed with Ed’s readings from his atmospheric essay on their first ascent.

Andy Turner makes a great foil to Dave- appearing slightly bemused at what he has allowed himself to be talked into! His description of Dave’s rack is particularly succinct.

Some of the footage is really world class… one shot where Dave is pulling past an overhang with almost the full height of the crag beneath was one of the few pieces of film I have seen that truly captures the exposure of an enormous crag. The crux pitch, E10 in itself is climbed with steely control after the hundreds of metres of E Grade climbing below.

The added extras on the DVD include: an ascent of an E5 on the nearby Mucklehouse wall, an ascent of The Old man of Hoy (good beta for would be ascentionists), Mountain Equipment’s inspiring historical retrospective of 50 years of Mountaineering and “Return to the Indian Face”- the story of Macleod’s successful ascent in 2010 of Johnny Dawes iconic route. This last I though was a great film in itself with comment from both Dawes and Nick Dixon.

Many climbing DVDs I’ve seen are ‘one watch wonders’ with little to go back to but The Long Hope is worth more than that- one to keep and return to.

You can get a copy on Dave's website here.

Still in the sun.

I'm still in California and from the sounds of it I'm glad to be missing the 'hurricane' at home. 165mph on Cairngorm and over 100mph around Fort William, derailed gondolas at Nevis Range?

Thought I saw a cloud here yesterday... nope... my mistake its all blue sky!

California Dreamin'

Painted cave, perfect sandstone and crouching tiger, leaping daddy!

Send it son!

Huecos, huecos everywhere!

Whilst the Scottish winter action all kicks off at home I'm in California limping a little with an injured knee. However its great to be out here enjoying the sunshine and family time- particularly since the west highland summer this year hasn't felt unlike an extension of winter from last season!

Managed a little bouldering on some good sandstone today in the hills above Santa Barbara. Some great problems at Painted Cave and Lizard's Mouth. I just have to remember to keep checking those huecos for black widows!

Spain vid, Kenton Cool and a little work

Back from sunny El Chorro see the short video) to a wet and strike bound Glasgow. I went to TCA Glasgow to burst the arms a bit and whilst there got a text from a pal to invite me to a Kenton Cool Lecture at Tisos. Because of the strike I then had to hike from Shields Road to north of the City Centre with 20kg plus of luggage in the rain... welcome home! The lecture was worth it though. A little catch up with work tomorrow (sorry those waiting booking forms... copies of NGBs.... etc.....its my only holiday of the year) then California on Friday!

My last full day in El Chorro

My last day with Sal, Liz and Meeps and we went to Amtrax. My knee is a bit broken after running in the mornings so I was limping up the route today. We came back to the Olive Branch via the ice cream shop and there were a few comedy moments with people daring each other to go into a rather cold pool.... see Sally's face!