Manchester University Mountaineering Club Winter Mountaineering and Walking Skills Course.

This weekend we have been working for Hebridean Pursuits out in the mountains with students from Manchester. They were back for their annual skills course weekend. And what a weekend it was! A fantastic bunch and so keen to learn. The conditions allowed us to really instruct the essential skills required to get out into the winter mountains. Day 1 and 2 are seen in these pictures. We headed to Aonach Mor where we found brilliant snow to practice ice axe and crampon techniques and a whole lot more. The weather was very changable and pretty wild at times but this gave the students a reality check of just how tricky it can be in the Scottish winter mountains. With 27 students out on the hill we broke into smaller groups to go off on a journey up the Nid Ridge where we found wonderful neve and blue ice bulges to practice climbing on. Day 2 Sunday, was a totaly different day. We headed up into Stob Coire nan Lochan to put all the skills into place on it's majestic peak. We ascended it's 1150m summit in near perfect conditions. The NE ridge was scoured and ideal for cramponing up. The sun shone most of the day. All the team reached the summit and rightly they were impressed by the sublime views way out to the west coast. A truely classic day out in the mountains. Thanks to Scott Kirkhope and Julie Baum for working with us theis weekend. And to Alan Kimber for his support with boot hire and the students loved staying at Culluna. And of course thanks to all the students, Joe Fisher for coming up to Scotland for the weekend. Andy Spink

Winter Walking Skills, Mountaineering Techniques, Leadership Training and Climbing Guiding over last few days with Hebridean Pursuits.

A very busy few days out on the hills for Hebridean Pursuits. We have been running a mixture of courses. The weather has settled down at last and we have had some glorious days of sunshine and cooler temperatures. Our clients have have been out bagging Munros, Corbetts and Grahams. Others have been climbing routes and mountaineering and of course learning about the techniques required to do the above safely. Heavy snow fall has made tough going on the Dragons Tooth, School House Ridge, the Hill of fury, Stob Coire an Lochan and in The Mamores. But it does mean the season will extend nicely into late spring and for skiing perhaps beyond. We are open for winter courses and spring climbing snow and ice courses.

Storm Force Winds on Fiarach today.

Today was pretty wild even at modest altitudes. A plan to stay low made a huge difference to the enjoyment of summit bagging today. Often heading for Grahams or Corbetts make for a much more pleasant experience as the tops are normally just below the weather and cloud line. This proved to be the case. At a modest 652m the Grassy pasture hill was a fine choice. It's craggy summit being defined and giving excellent views of The Crianlarich Hills.

3 days. Rock Climbing SPA training and winter expeditioning work.

A contrasting 3 days at work on the rock and snow, at sea level and on the summits. Wild conditions continue and some very large avalanches have been triggered and witnessed. The snow is consolidating and the recent warm front has cleared a little of the depth. It is shaping up to be a brilliant spring for climbing and mountaineering.

Solitude is best and Scotland offers it by the bucket load.

It was probably the best day of the winter on the west coast on Saturday. It was dry, relatively cold and very beautiful in the mountains. Finding quiet places is the key I feel to enhancing the experience of winter mountaineering. As I write this blog I am conscious of the many blogs offering easy and quick solutions to the dylema of where to go the next day. I am as guilty as charged but looking back before all the instant information, we had to decide and plan based on experience and local knowledge. This is the essence of the quest of the unique experience, I adore searching out esoteric places, historic routes and the quieter corners. There is of course the flip side that meeting up with others confirms your route choice was perhaps sensible?

Back to School! Tom and Richard's annual climbing course adventures.

Back to school! Leading, placing gear, building anchors and efficiency of movement were the themes of today on School House Ridge grade II. We were lucky enough to have some fabulous views today from the ridge which was plastered with snow. So rock and snow were utilized for anchors. There were a few folk out and some turned back on realizing this ridge is a climb not a walk, big respect to them as it is never easy retreating past others. Good to see Donald King descending out of the mist with a party after traversing the classic horse circuit. It is always pleasing to meet other instructors and guides working in similar areas. Tonight the weather is to change for the worse again, so watch out as the snow will become very wet indeed tomorrow and there are some very large cornices just itching to break off! We are out again tomorrow but tomorrow is another day!

Red Campion Gully. A good old fashioned winter adventure.

Here are a few images of the esoteric Red Campion Gully 300 m grade II we climbed in and around yesterday. I say around because the huge amount of snow in the gully line was rapidly becoming increasingly unstable. We encountered unprotected waterfall and rock sections, steep [just] frozen turf and copious amounts of deep snow. After about 200 m we escaped due to the fresh blown snow creating wind slab and on pitch three a small slab was triggered leaving a crown wall of about 8 inches high, it certainly gave a brief cause for concern. After which we climbed up on the small ridges lines that abound the face. After making an assessment of time and conditions under foot [very slow] we made an abseil off a good block and descended to easier ground as the weather increased in intensity and the snow fell hard to road level. A good old fashion day out or mountaineering and scratching around new areas. Please be careful out there at present and in the days to come. There is so much snow up there and it is building on all aspects. We thought a SE aspect would have been somewhat less troublesome but the wind has been depositing the snow in every aspect. Just shows it is only when you are there that you can really make the right choices on the best way to proceed and or escape.