With the warm temperatures of late, the outlook to this week was looking doubtful in terms of winter conditions in the NW highlands.  This was my final week working for Moran Mountain this winter and the Easter winter mountaineering course was full. and to top it off...we had plenty of snow.  We visited Glen Shiel, Liatach, Beinn Eighe and Skye for some fantastic days on the snow and with a great team.  Looks like I have one more day of winter before I can make a start on the rock climbing season.

The last two day I have been working with John and we took the Torridon office as a change of scenery.  We left our ice axes and ice screws behind and took our summer boots and scrambling gloves.  John had never been to the Torridon hills so I suggested we have some big days on the Torridon Giants.  Our first day finished after a 22 km round on Beinn Eighe massiv.  We started out climb on to Sail Mor (980m) via the Ling, Lawson and Glovers route, which is just as good in summer conditions as it is in winter.  From here we left the sandstone and climbed up quartz to the summit of Coinneach Mhor which gave some brilliant scrambling.  As we were moving well we went on to Ruadh-stac Mor (1010m), a first for me and then we continued onto Spidean Coire nana Clach (993m) before coming down into Coire an Laoigh.

As the weather wasnt looking great for a Liatach traverse on day two we opted for the Beinn Alligan traverse.  Over the horns, Sgurr Mor (986m) and Ton na Gruagaich (922m) which turned out to be a great option and an easy day for me as John did all the navigating which, despite following a ridge still took some thought in the clouds.

If you have been in Scotland in the last few weeks you will know it has been the place to be.  Blue skies, no wind and views as far as the eye can see.  With such amazing weather I have kept away from the computer so here is a very quick round up of the last couple of weeks since the 'weekend warriors'.  We have had a pretty good haul of route's, even went rock climbing to kick of the rock season.
First off was The Curtain (IV,5) with Alan, a gentleman's day out.  Then I was out with John on Observatory Buttress (V,4) on Ben Nevis, Twisting Gully (III) on Stob Coire Nan Lochain, followed by 3 days in the Cairngorms; Aladdins Mirror Direct (IV,4), Pygmy Ridge (IV,5) and a hill day over to Ben Macdui, followed by a 'follow my nose' day to finish off before heading back to the West.  Then I had another day out with Alan on Ben Nevis where we climbed Indicator Wall (V,4) and the following day I was out with John and we climbed Indicator RH (V,5).  Both were brilliant routes which I had never done before.  Well worth the walk!  We saw a team on Smiths Route (V,5) and that was enough to get John psyched for it.  The next day we took the walk and climbed this brilliant route.  Top end grade 5 I think and John lapped up the lactic acid!  After a good few days on ice we opted a day on Tower Ridge (IV,3), a super classic and it was in beautiful alpine conditions.  I ended up with a rest day so I put rock shoes on for the first time in months and climbed in Glen Nevis in the sunshine which was brilliant.  It was so good that I persuaded John to come climbing there the next day too rather than having a big mountain day.  We had a great time ticking off some more Glen Nevis classics I have never done.  Today, we went back to the Ben and climbed Hadrian's Wall (V,5) which was brilliant conditions but a very wet day indeed.  Here is a selection of photos from some of the days.

We had this view for many days

Indicator Wall

Great week to be in the mountains

A special summit

John leading to Ben Macdui

Cruising around the Northern Corries

Climbers on Smiths route

High on Indicator Wall

Alan hanging out

Summit belay

John high on Indicator RH

Number 4 Gully

John on the Eastern Traverse...photo bombed by a foot!

Dave, Mara, Jose and Ben

Ice time

This weekend I was out with Jose, Mara and Dave for a couple of days of introduction's to the winter mountains.  They wanted a bit of everything so they could get a little taste of what winter is all about and then they could go away and decide what they want to focus their time on.  We started off with basic skills at Stob Coire Nan Lochan, introducing them to the multiple spikes that we carry, how to 'faff' with gloves, how to dig in the snow and much much more.  We finished the day with a traverse of the mountain and a descent of Broard Gully before heading back to the Clachaig for beers and dinner.  

Mara making winter climbing look glamorous

Day two we opted for Ben Nevis to continue where we left off and cover some aspect we hadn't got round too.  Starting off with a bit of ice craft, then followed an ascent of ledge route looking at rope work and rock protection followed by the summit via white out navigation.  Followed by an abseil descent into number 4 gully and finished off the weekend with some ice axe arresting.

Team London on Ledge Route

Down time

Cuillin Ridge

Second summit for the day

This week I was back out with Ade and Katya who I have spent quite a bit of time in the hills with. Usually Sam joins us but this year he has become a grown up, got himself a mortgage and couldn't commit to a climbing trip in Scotland.  Sam...you were missed!  So with just a trio, we spent our first day having a shake down on Skye.  I suppose this wasn't a particular easy day but as Ade asked for a 'boot camp' experience.  We have a very varied week of weather, plenty of snow, fluctuation temperatures which gave us a very difficult day of ice climbing on Liatach, a dry of shelter at the local dry tooling crag, a day of epic proportion on Fuar Tholl and finally a nice day on Blaven on the Isle of Skye.

Carnage on Fuar Tholl

Ade loving the soft snow

Beautiful skyline

Katya giving me a rest by belaying Ade

Katya getting too close

Bum slide

Dramatic day in Glencoe

With a busy few weeks out of the way and another couple starting, I have just about managed to sit down and write about my last few days out.  Since I was last up in Torridon I attended the lovely wedding of Jamie and Claire in Glencoe.  Before the drinks started I dashed off and arrived in Aviemore for the briefing of my final induction course for the British Mountain Guides.  This was the third and final induction for me.  Now that I have completed they are happy for me to precede into the training.  So I am now a Trainee British Mountain Guide.  Happy Days!  Only 3 more years until I become an Alpine Guide.  Day one I had to prove I could climb Scottish Grade 5 so I sealed the deal by climbing a Grade 6, Shark Fin Soup on Mess of Pottage.  I was totally sandbagged by my assessor, it was harder than that!  So pleased that went well, the following two days we did some training as a group, looking at how the guides operate which was very interesting and informative.  

Ledge Route

Great conditions shaping up on Ben Nevis

After the induction I was straight back to Fort William to meet Sean, who I was climbing with for 3 days and introducing him to Scottish winter.  We have 8 days planned in the summer so it was a great opportunity to test out the hill legs.  We started off in Glencoe on Buachaille Etive Beag for some skills and two Munro's in Stunning weather.  Then came Ledge Route followed by Curved Ridge, again in stunning weather.  Sean totally lucked out...3 days...wall to wall sunshine!  You can come again!  A great 3 days with great company.  If you are reading this Sean, unfortunately I have caught your cold, nothing substantial yet but will hit me if I have a rest day!

Ledge Route

Chopper searching the NW Face

Curved Ridge

So I had a day off on Saturday so I organised with Andy and Will to head to the Ben for some ice.  I was so psyched for Gemini (VI,6) that I persuaded them to meet at 4.30am so we could be first on the route!  Grrrr we were beaten by 3 minutes!!  Must get up earlier next time!  Anyway, we climbed it anyway and had a nice sociable day with plenty of teams on the route and the rest of the mountain.  That was my 4th route this season in my own time...unreal!  Usually Im up to 30+ by March!

Me heading up the crux pitch

Andy leading after the hard pitch

Will 'off the couch' loving the steep ice

We had to get down in good time as I had to head up to Torridon for staff briefing and then meet the clients for their briefing and kit check.  With a stunning forecast, we opted for a day on the Cuillin Ridge.  Not the whole thing but a great section.  A brilliant day out.  I'll do a round up of this week at the end.  

The mountains and winter conditions are shaping up great and I'm looking forward to some great ice climbing conditions on Ben Nevis when I'm home in March.

Skye generally being amazing!

Regulars Katya and Aide on their final summit of the day

Day 1 team

Just finished up with the Intro Mountaineering Course for Moran Mountain based up from Loch Carron and this week wraps up a 4 week stint in the North West.  Now back home for a few days.  I took a group of 5 out on our first day for some winter skills before we split the group up and made the most of the smaller rations.  I was with young brothers Orlando and Charlie and Mike, a school teacher (sorry for the bus man's holiday) for the whole week which we finished off with a snow hole at the top of the Forcan Ridge.  The highlight of the week was doing the Liathach traverse on day two.  It was the first time I had done the traverse, I have done the two Munro's several times but never linked them, it was the second day in crampons for Orlando and Charlie and Mike was just loving cruising along on the end of the rope.  I guess it has been a while since I worked with youngsters in the winter mountains especially on technical routes and it adds a whole new dimension of care required.  It was a very rewarding week and hopefully I have inspired and enthused the youngsters to seek a lifetime of adventure in the mountains.

Heading onto Liathach

Time to get started

Group heading down to the Pinnacles

Strong image on a steep ridge

Mint

Nearly there

Exped

Forcan Ridge

The Big O and Charlie

Ridge to oursleves

Snow hole scenes

Plan a had a black mid section (and it was windier)

As I have been taking a 'working holiday' up in the North West for the last few weeks with the intention of getting out climbing on my days off.  The last two weekend were either a wash out or I just couldnt face another day in grim weather.  Instead I spent my days off in the comfort of a warm bouldering wall, a friends make-shift gym or hanging out in Inverness with friends.

Murdoch killing time by counting spikes and wondering how grippy Iain's knees are!?

At last the stars aligned...just.  I spoke to my friend Murdoch a while ago, hatching a vauge plan to go climbing but my only problem was that I had to drop clients off at 6.30am...meaning I couldnt meet until 7am.  A late start...a late finish.  Maybe not the most desirable prospect for Murdoch who like to get back in good time.  But Murdoch already had a plan with Iain but mentioned that I was keen and they were both happy for me to tag along.  These two usually end up dong really hard routes and finishing in the dark so surely with a walk in starting at 7.45am they would settle on something easy and we can get up and down and back in time for dinner.  Obviously it was their barbecue, and it smelt good, so I was happy to tag along and go with the flow.  Feeling pretty fit from the last few weeks work I sent a pace to try and tire them out then we could go and have a nice 'gentlemans' day out.  Something I have not been able to do this winter on my days off.

We were both hoping he didn't fall off here, neither of us wanted new air vents in out clothes.

We arrived at the bottom of Pale Rider on Beinn Eighe's Eastern Ramparts.  I have climbed this route in summer and knew it would be a hard line.  What did I expect from a day out with these two.  The first pitch looked pretty straight forward and before I could say 'I'll do it', Iain was on his way.  It looked about grade VI but as Iain took a wee while on it, it became apparent it wasn't.  Pretty glad I had a top rope on it.  Murdoch dispatched the steep and relatively positive second pitch leaving me overheated and pumped after I seconded it and as Iain was already at the belay it would be much quicker if he led the third.  Again I was happy.  It was their barbecue after all and I don't feel fit for leading hard routes this season.  We topped out into a blizzard but it was still light, we managed to find our rucksacks sans map and made our way halfway down the hill before putting our kit away.  Making a return to the van with only flattening the batteries in our head torches for 15 minutes.  So a nice relaxed start, a speedy approach, 3 pitches of wild climbing and back in time for a nice relaxed evening.  Perfect day off.  Thanks Murdoch and Iain for letting me come out and having a late start.

Iain doing what he does best

Murdoch rested on my leg, then farted on my leg at this point, I was not impressed.