Spring Snow expected!

Alpine on the Ben!

West Coast Granite.

West Coast swell.

Spring is here!

This week could just finish the winter season off so so well, 3 foot of snow is expected!

This could confuse the local frogs a little !

Happy late ski touring, climbing and walking and early surfing, bouldering etc! So desperate to get out on the surf again!

We are so lucky here in Scotland what would we do with out the seasons?

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Canyoning On Mull, spring descent!

Half way down, it gets narrow and has small jumps into rock pools.

The easy section after the second abseil, just relax and go with the flow.

The second ab, single rope techniques rule here!

Entry to the canyon, an exciting start.

Andy and Mike headed to the Isle of Mull today, to descend the fabulous and technical Ben More canyon. Not far from Tavool House, this canyon offers everything from abseils, jumps, slides and swims in a very spectacular narrow canyon system.

The weather was kind as we couldn't get in yesterday due to the heavy rain, but today it was dry and sunny and the water levels were near perfect!

What a start to the spring work and adventures!

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Mull and Glen Orchy feels like spring!

Gill chills in Glen Orchy.

Tavool House outdoor centre and self catering accommodation sits in the trees.

Mike at a local crag near Tavool House, steep and steeper!

Early morning over Loch Scridain.

Dude!

The weekend was warm and very sunny in Oban and the family headed to Glen Orchy, where we decided to Picnic! yes PICNIC!

Time was needed to rest and relax, whilst waiting for the next snow fall as always happens in spring, it will come back, promise!

Little Ben, loved the sun and has develop a love of saying 'Dude!'

Mull, was spring like also, on Monday and Tuesday the southerly wind warmed the ground and the bulbs and buds are starting to show at long last out there. The fishing season has started and the Trout are running in the burns.

Preparing for a season is always fun, sorting crags, checking burns etc , Andy and Mike had a very constructive time at Tavool House and will return soon to start the Activity courses off in April.

Wednesday should see us back on Mull for some Canyoning action! watch this space for spring adventures with Hebridean Pursuits ltd.

Ski touring Winter pics from 2010. The thaw is set in for now! But for how long?

Gill on The Glades at Glencoe

. Mike, Hamish and Byron on Carn Mor Dearg

Andy negotiating the spring thaw.

Gill above Strath Nethy

Graeme heading to Lochnagars's summit.

Just some more beautiful images of Scotland at its best!

Not to have toured this winter would have been wrong, we can climb any average winter but when its been so so good, it has been the only way to play and work!

Ski Touring above Strath Nethy on Cnap Coire na Spreidhe.

Gill with the North East coast ranges behind and with the hills of Cromdale beyond.

Gill and Hamish near perfect conditions.

Andy, enjoying the blue skies.

The fantastic conditions remain on the east, Andy and Gill were out on skis in the Cairn Gorms on Tuesday and Wednesday.

On Wednseday, we skinned up over from Coire na Ciste to the high plateau's above the Strath Nethy, yet again the weather was so brilliant, cold, crisp and fabulous snow conditions meant just the best ski touring one can have .

The last five trips have been some of the best i have ever had in twenty years of working in Scotland, Scotland Outside rules, get out and experience it folks!

Fantastic Ski touring on Lochnagar and from Braemar. .

Heading towards Lochnagar.

The start of the way back to the car, 9 k just incredible!

Graeme on the summit of Lochnagar.

Lochnagar cliffs behind Graeme, only two parties out climbing.

Andy half way back....

Andy and Graeme headed east last week to sample the amazing amount of snow left on the hills.

Just incredible conditions!

Lochnagar gave us 9 k of sking back to the car in Glen Muick car park and the skin in from Braemar to the neighbouring munros was an interesting and esoteric journey on the Sunday, again giving us 8plus k skiing back to the car.

Fantastic, as good as anywhere in the world!

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Glencoe, so alpine!

Some more photos from the last two days.

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Wednesday 3rd March, day two of Dave's course.

Dave outside the snow hole.

Hoar frost on top of the old snow pack.

Hoar frost grew over night!

Back out on the touring skis today, over night another 3 inches of hoar frost has grown, we headed to Meall a Bhuiridh headed out west to look at snow belays, more rutsch blocks and to build a full on snow hole, the weather continued to be fantastic if a little hazier and i guess that is the onset of the next front arriving.

More pics..

Tuesday 2nd March, amazing amount Avalanche activity!

Pile up creation.

NW face profile rutsch block, slid as cutting it! there was 6 inches of hoar frost under the block!

Heading to Stob Mhic Mhartuin 707m

Devils staircase behind Dave.

The hut and Buachaille Etive Mor behind

Andy http://www.hebrideanpursuits.com/ was out with Dave, Ski touring and instructing the fine art of emergency shelters, Snow profiles, avalanche avoidance and rutsch blocks. This was Dave's Christmas present and Dave a vastly experienced mountaineer was looking for a revision of the skills that we all perhaps cut corners on and need to practice!

Some of the pits we dug released as we dug, some triggered before even cutting the final back wall, all very sobering, the West Face of Anoch Dubh has avalanched right along the summit rim.

They stayed at Lagangarbh, the SMC hut and skied toured from the door to Beinn Bheag and then onto Stob Mhic Mhartuin and the summit beyond. the view's of the nevis range were superb, the classic view to the Buachaille were just the best i have ever seen.

The ski off these small but safer hills at the present time was great fun, and being in the sun all day was such a bonus!

A day of alpine conditions and a good top up of the tan!

Scotland rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!

The photis say it all.