MTA Winter Weekend

I've just spent the weekend working at Glenmore Lodge on the Mountain Training Association Winter Weekend. 45 members attended to learn and refresh skills based around the Scottish winter environment.
On saturday I was out looking at how we can teach winter skills and the cold conditions firmed up the snow pack nicely for that. My team varied from those who did their WML some time ago to folks with Assessment in the future and we had a fun time looking at how we can help students pick up basic skills for travelling in the winter.
On saturday night Matt and his team in the kitchens treated us to a particularly fine Burns supper and Phil's 'Ode to a haggis' raised some suitable confused English eyebrows!
Sunday was Wetter and soggier but I was working with Sam and another varied group of 8 (9 if you include the SARDA hound) looking at the security on steep ground aspects of the WML syllabus. The snow was damp but the banter was great!
Staying at The Lodge this week working on a WML Assessment. Snowholing nights beckon!
Finally I don't know who left the bottle of whiskey for me at the front desk but thanks very much!

 George Intro's saturday

 Peer coaching step cutting

 Sara hits the deck

 'How do I get up?'

 Crampon games

 Silly walks

 Heading for home

 Tying knots with gloves

 Preparing a short steep step

 Helen looking for her dog

 Confidence roping

 Sam takes a seat

 Building a better bucket

 Reinformcement

 The Ciste Gully

 Bollards

Aw shucks

 Phil, his dirk and a haggis

Brun's supper

One Mor time to the west face

Well it looks like I've missed out on the steep ice that's been being enjoyed for the last few days but today was a work day again so it was all about my students. Ruairidh and Jen both needed some time on the sharp end on straightforwards climbing ground with good gear. I decided to take them to the easy route I soloed back just before new year on the west face of Aonach  Mor. The ridge definitely fit the bill today (think Dorsal Arete but twice as long and without the crowds) although the wind was a little stronger than expected (even with the beard I'm not going to need any exfoliation for a while).
Looks like I've missed the boat on that ice for a while as tomorrow will be a well earned leg rest day before a week in the east as the weather goes unsettled.

 Ice Screw

 V thread

Ruairidh gives it a test

Off we go

 R on the sharp end

 A belay sheltering from the wind

 Jen following

Non stop smiles

 A belay in the wind

A breezey belay on Aonach Mor from Alan Halewood on Vimeo.

 Jen topping out

The final belay

More boring beauty-Western Rib

Claire hit the weather right with her three days this year!
After Golden Oldy last winter she fancied the idea of revisiting the same face but on a slightly harder route so she, Jamie and I hit the first gondola and were soon making good progress round to the west side of Aonach  Mor. The walk in was pretty quick today and the now well worn trail only partially blown in. The route was a little powdery to start but the weather was once again awesome!
After a few good pitches of climbing we ditched an axe, switched to mountaineering mode and upped the pace with a promise of a drink in the Nevis Range bar. Those views and a beer made a great end to Claire's 3 days mountaineering. I reckon the legs will be glad of a break after 3 big routes too!

No-one else on the Summit Ribs today (although there was a soloist in one of the Gullies). A team headed onto the East Ridge of Carn Dearg Mheadhonach and climbers were on Stand and Deliver and routes on the W Face of Aonach Beag. On the Ben Point 5, Vanishing Gully, Hadrians Direct and the Curtain were all climbed and I have a report of superb conditions on Pinnacle Ridge on Sgurr Nan Gillean. Finally, I've just seen photos of Ben Udhlaidh and it is 'in'! Winter is shaping up nicely…

 The summit ribs

Pitch 2

 Great fun climbing

 Amazing views

 Stunning weather

 What's not to like?

 Think thin thoughts and squirm!

 A change of pace

 Warm work

 Getting higher

 Nearly there

 Weather approaching Ben Nevis

 The sunny summit plateau

A Devil of a Ridge

More boring beauty!

Grey but dry and clear on Sron-na-Lairig

A steady mountaineering day for Claire, Jamie and I today. Its a long time since I did Sron na Larig and I was worried about the amount of snow on the approach but it only became a deep slog beneath the route itself and was fine once we'd made the crest. Good visibility helped us pick a safe line down from the col to the east after I'd been belayed to the cornice to prepare it. A quick stomper got Claire and Mr. B down to easier ground and then it was a reasonably quick run back to the road.
The ridge is open and rambling lower down but wonderfully  exposed and defined higher up.
N.B. The car park has not been cleared and we parked on the only bare patch at one entrance feeling a little guilty for  blocking it until we saw the next car to arrive get stuck and even the NTS 4wd truck struggle with conditions in the actual car park.

 A rosey glow to the dawn sky

 The walk ahead

 A splash of sunshine across the glen

 Jamie 'Bulldozer' Bankhead out ahead

After the wade finally some climbing!

 Onto the crest

 Grey but good vis

 Higher up

 Narrower too

The thin bit just below the top

 To the top!