Sunny rock climbing on Anglesey

My third and final day with the Glenmore Lodge team was forecast to be fine so we decided to start our trad. Rock season at Castell Helen for a little ‘Gogarth lite’ action.

In 3 teams various routes such as Rap, Pel, Blanco and Lighthouse Arete were climbed (first pitches damp and chilly)then and some of us went across to enjoy the sun at Hollyhead Mountain where I climbed Black and Tans with Nancy followed by the bottom pitch of Thread and the top pitch of something harder. My first time climbing there and it was hot, sunny and felt more like a continental sport crag than a British Trad crag near to one of the UK’s best known sea cliffs.

We bumped into various old friends including Shelagh (who used to work at the Lodge) and Robin and Twid Turner all out enjoying the sun. Happy days; the rock climbing season is on!

Many thanks to JSMTC Indefatigable for hosting us throughout our stay.

 The team getting ready to abseil in

 Sandy heading down

 Jon explaining where the line goes to Derek and Sandy

 Nancy abseiling in whilst Andy leads up the first pitch

 Nancy nearly at the niche

 Nancy leading off

 Nancy on Lighthouse Arete

 Hollyhead Mountain

 Sheila in the sun

 Nancy starting up Thread

 Pulling over

 Let the rock climbing season commence

Wales

I'm down south in Wales for 3 days Staff Training with Glenmore Lodge. Yesterday and today we split into 2 different groups and each have had a days sport climbing and a day's climbing movement coaching workshop with John Kettle (to get some external input into our work- and some new ideas to steal!). Yesterday I was with John at the Indefatigable climbing wall and today I visited 2 unpronounceable crags on the A55 for some bolt clipping.
Tomorrow some proper climbing.... :-)

Poesy- sometimes the mood takes me

Every now and then, usually on expeditions I get some inspiration. Must just be this season....

Something beautiful

In the early starts, yawning, forcing self from the warm soft bed

In the dozy drive, quiet roads, keys in locks, insulated mugs of swirling caffeine

In the long walk in, sweating, heavy rucksack, looking ahead

In the kitting up, rarely alone, food bolted, buckled up, clanking gear racked

In the approach, steeper than you thought, insecure in body and thought, first belay in sight,

In the first pitch, brutal awakening, with a long way to go

In the wait at the stance, doing your belay dance, wondering, peering up

In the runner found, wish there was more, wish the ice was thicker here, thinner there

In the fear, run outs, steep and hollow ice, flat and rounded hooks, last pro way below

Uncertainties: Why am I here? What need does this fulfil? Was this a good idea? What if I back off? Put them in a box. Pin them down with meagre self control. Shut them away for another time when they won’t matter.

Something beautiful

In the excitement, when the pitch goes, the hook, the perfect swing, the move made

In the weather, glorious or grim, hot aches or too hot for this hat, spin drift, sun burn

In the first view of the top, cornice, tunnel, wall, arête, plumes of snow blowing

In the moments; moves, slips, frights, escapes, laughs, sights and summits

In the topping out, relief, joy, shaken hands, but only half way there

In the way off, avalanches to avoid, long walk or steep gully, walkers to look down on

In the car, boots off, a look back, a grade ‘discussion’, plans for next time

In the pub, was it epic or easy? The glow inside and out, the well earned first one

In the sky, the snow, the ice, the rock, the smiles, the curses, the people, the silence, the wind, the pain, the fear, the relief, the exhilaration

There is something beautiful that brings me back again and again.

On a more practical note i'm on my way to the Lakes to join the staff team from Glenmore Lodge. We're off to Wales (!). Its a staff training trip with some chat on MIA courses, sport climbing and a coaching workshop from John Kettle. the way I stopped off at Glasgow Climbing Centre to chat Technical Advisor stuff, CWAs, Lead Climbing Teaching, NICAS etc.  

And once again here is a link to Davy's blog- more avalanche knowledge....

Avalanches, underwear 'Cry Argentina' and alpine awards

Davy Gunn provides yet more food for though on avalanches.
First up the preliminary stats from ANENA in France. A more detailed breakdown of victim by activity and survival vs burial time would be useful but the points about Recco being promoted by them is interesting as is the breakdown of who is carry 'the three essentials': probe, shovel and transceiver.
Even more pertinent after our own winter is this Article by the Mount Washington Avalanche Centre highlighting the dangers of a 'Moderate' forecast. There is still a need to recognise exactly what the forecasted level is saying and not just look at its position in the rankings 1-5. Lower hazard levels do not mean no avalanches. Enough snow, the right weather and terrain with a trigger and avalanches can happen with any forecast hazard- its about understanding your options and your limitations.
The SAIS went down to weekend only reporting in Scotland as of yesterday as reported here.

Andy K was taking a break from writing his 1000 Tips for Climbers when he produced this blog post on string underwear.... Explains why merino is so popular/effective and a change I'd noticed in the design of artificial thermals. not sure I can inflict me in fishnet tights and top on my climbing partners...

I can recommend Ian Sykes' book Cry Argentina. It's a topical 'faction' book on the build up to the occupation of South Georgia, the conflict as they took it and the retaking by British forces. It's written with the benefit of plenty of research and Ian's insider knowledge of the area as an ex FID but also sympathetically from both sides to an extent. Being ex RN and having visited many of the spots discussed in the book I couldn't put it down and read it over the last 2 days!

RobNZ has posted Marko Prezelj's excellent statement on the Piolet D'Or, competition and the media. Click on the UKC news thread and scroll down to the 10th response (01:13 Monday 15th April)

Today I'm mending kit (Seam Grip and Tenacious Tape rock my world) after the long winter and doing some NGB paperwork. Tomorrow its off to join the Glenmore Lodge Team on their way to Wales (yes... Wales)  for some staff training.

SPA Training and rain in the Highlands???

I've just finished day 3 of an SPA Training with a group of 4 in Lochaber. We spent day 1 at the Ice Factor, day 2 at a chilly but dry Kingussie Crag and today woke to the back end of last night's torrential rain and gales. We went to the Ice Factor again for the first part of the day before heading out as it dried up a little to put what the team had learnt into practise. Lower Falls in Glen Nevis was absolutely pumping and all the burns look swollen with the first run off of water. Thinner and lower snow was visibly reducing during the day but still plenty visible up on Ben Nevis and on Bidean Nam Bian.

 Climbing at Kingussie

 Holly on the lead

 Rigging in the rain

 The extent of the recent fire in Glen Nevis

End of winter? 5 minutes of pictures of 5 months of my winter

I think conditions will last a while on the hill yet but I'm going to be busy elsewhere. In the mean time here is a 5 minute video to show my winter of the last 5 months! Enjoy the pictures and thanks to everyone who has been on the hill with me and Glenmore Lodge and UHI for employing me. What a season!

 

Snapshots of my winter 2012-13 from Alan Halewood on Vimeo.

Big Hex, kit to test from Cotswold, Piolets d'Or and a weekend warning

Been meaning to post about Big Hex for a couple of weeks now. If you aren't aware then its a challenge to complete a journey taking in some fine Scottish Mountain Routes in 1 of 3 timescales. you register your team and start date as well as how long it took you whilst raising money for the best of causes- Scottish Mountain Rescue Teams. Don't forget to give them a 'like' on Facebook too. Who knows, I may see you on one of the routes!

Cotswold Aberdeen have kindly sent me some gear to test: a pair of Marmot XT Gloves (look ideal for spring mountaineering, snug, grippy and tough)

and an Arcteryx Ether Crew LS Thermal Top which seems a good fit and will get plenty of use into the warmer weather.

A bit of controversy over the Piolet's D'Or Awards this year with mass resignations over the Committee's decision to award all 6 nominated teams with Awards. Sounds like a great idea. Look at the list of previous nominees trying to pick one 'best' ascent in worldwide Alpinism each year seems ridiculous. Alpine mountaineering isn't (or shouldn't) be about competition between teams. These inspiring ascents should be attempted for good old selfish mountaineering reasons!
Watch out this weekend in Scotland. We are looking at a possible sudden thaw taking place and given the existing slab (often sitting on a weak layer) and cornices it WILL be kicking off if the forecast is correct. AND be aware of the effects of all the electronic gadgets we now carry on your compass by reading this little article from Heather at the MCofS.
Finally spare a though for this German pair stranded in Bridge of Balgie by our late winter!