Monday 30 January 2017

Manchester University Mountaineering Club winter courses weekend 2017.

Well the snow returned in Glencoe right on que this weekend.

We were working with twenty two keen students from MUMC on their annual winter safety and skills weekend.

We had instructors out on Intro Climbing, Intro to Winter Mountaineering and Winter Hill Walking skills courses.

We based the team in Glencoe and used a variety of venues on Ben Nevis and in Glencoe.

Conditions are wintry but we still require more snow and some freeze thaw to consolidate the base and the potentially loose rocks which are to found on the ridges and in the gullies. Please be careful out there. There are only a handful of easy gullies complete so they are getting busy. Ice is forming slowly and the classic ridges are in winter condition just now, but thin.


Winter Mountaineering techniques day one. 


One of the winter walking groups in Glencoe. 


Day two after completing the classic School House Ridge. 


Day one walking groups out learning essential foot work and the climbers in Broad Gully putting all the skills together. 


Ruth on Dorsal Arete. Learning to lead. 


Always a good feeling leading a winter route. 


School House Ridge. Classic mountaineering ground on day two. 


Winter Munro bagging on day two. Essentials to safe travel and hill going.