14-01-15, Mam na Gualainn, West Highlands - Winter Hillwalking

More snow down to sea level today. The road up to Glen Coe wasn't getting cleared very quickly and plenty of abandoned cars. We went for a walk along the broad ridge of Mam na Gualainn towards Beinn na Caillich, plenty of post holing was had!

02-02-14, Coire Garbhlach, Cairngorms - Winter Walking

 Another very windy day, slightly damp start also. To get out of the wind and still learn some essential winter skills Karl and I headed to Coire Garbhlach in Glen Feshie. Some bits of ice forming on the cliffs on the right and left of the valley when it steepens. I have no idea about climbs in this area, there were a few folk out with climbing axes, didn't actually see them climbing though. We headed into the back to ascend some harder snow on southerly aspects to top out on Meall Dubhag and had a painful whiteout experience walking on bearings off the mountain. More carnage weather forecast tomorrow and next week, but hopefully there will be a slight lull on Tuesday.

01-02-14, Cairngorms - Winter Walking

A very windy day in the Cairngorms today, ski road closed, too much drifting of snow on the connecting road. I have been out with Karl practicing all things navigation across Meall a Bhuachaille - Craiggowrie. The weather wasn't as nice as the photo makes it look!

23-01-13, Creag Meagaidh - Winter Walking

I am back at Glenmore lodge this week, doing some more mountaineering. It has been very stormy and plenty of snow has fallen in the Cairngorms. Went to Creag Meagaidh today for some different scenery, up the window very scored and hard neve then back over Stob Poite Coire Adair. The cliffs are plastered with neve high up, the ice routes are starting to look promising. A lot of ice at the bottom of Last Post and South Post Direct (middle pitch looked good as well). Looked like an Ice sheet forming on The Wand, but couldn't tell how thick, The Pumpkin is no where near. Plenty of slab looking snow in Easy and Raeburns Gully - as to be expected!

Coire Adair.

Last Post, South Post Direct forming nicely.

Hills looking West from the window.

Heading up the window.

05-03-11, Cairngorms - Winter Survival Expedition

Beautiful last day looking across the Cairngorm Plateau.

The last 3 days with the Royal Navy were spent on a the Cairngorm plateau with a 2 night expedition sleeping in snow holes. This was a chance for the team to put all the skills they have learnt together with the added concentration of staying as comfortable as possible and looking after themselves in this harsh environment. Thursday we ascended pt. 1141 over t-Sneachda to Coire Domhain where we dug in to create our home for the next few days. We did some night navigation on the plateau that evening. Friday to the summit of Ben Macdui in white out conditions - hard navigation! Saturday was a brilliant blue sky day - we summited Cairngorm then down. The snow underfoot was hard and icy, but soon softened in the sun. The northern corries were very rocky, but the easy gullies will be in great condition.

Snow Bunting.

Team on the plateau with some blue sky.

Busy on the plateau.

Home sweet home, return on the second day.

Stunning last morning.

Beinn Mheadhoin.

Ben Macdui and Coire Dumhain.

01-03-11, Cairngorms - Winter Skills

This week I am working for the Royal Navy on a week long winter skills / mountain survival course. Today was another stunner! blue skies, hard neve and no wind. We looked at boot, axe and crampon skills in Coire Laogh Mor before ascending to pt. 1028 and to Cnap Coire na Spreidhe then down Coire na Ciste. The snow pack is very solid and icy, crampons very necessary. The ski slopes weren't that busy but people were out and the pistes didn't look too icy. The northern Corries were looking black but we were quite far away! Weather forecasts imply the high pressure should stay over us into the weekend so I look forward to more glorious winter days!

22-02-11, Cairngorms - Winter Skills

A stunning day in Cairngorms National Park today. Myself and the Reaseheath Team, looked at navigation as we went on a journey putting yesterdays boot, crampon, and ice axe skills to good practice on an ascent of Cairngorm via pt. 1141 along the fiacaill choire cas. Blue skies, for the most part, hard scoured snow on the plateau as well as finding some heavy drifting in Ciste Meridth. More than enough snow to snow hole in, with steep walls and cornices also. The team also got the chance to have a brief look at snow anchors. Unfortunately it is all set to change with rain and warm temperatures forecast for the next few days!

Snow Buntings on the summit of Cairngorm.

21-02-11, Cairngorms - Winter Skills

Coire an t-Sneachda - looking fairly white!

Today I have been working with students from Reaseheath College on a Winter Skills week in the Cairngorms. Day 1 today and we headed to the Ciste, to look at walking on hard and soft snow, use of crampons and ice axe arresting. The winds were much slower today maybe gusts of 40mph and we even had some sunshine. We walked up and over the ridge to the Ranger station then down to the Sugar Bowl car park. We will be trying to take advantage of the hard snow and forecast good weather tomorrow before the turbo thaw +7 degrees on the summits on Wednesday arrives! Photo - team sat next some immpressive sasstrugi.

20-02-11, Cairngorms - Winter Skills

Another day in the wind blasted white room! The weather was a lot harsher than forecast with very strong southerly winds. The team navigated and battled our way into Coire an t-Sneachda. Lots of climbers walking out early and plenty of wind slab about in the back of the coire. No precipitation but plenty of wind blown snow being transported about. I was working for Glenmore Lodge on a MCofS University Winter Skills course.

17-02-11, Stob Ban, Mamores - Winter Mountaineering

Ben Nevis from Mamores.

Tuesday, Kath and I went for a jaunt down to the Southern Highlands to try and climb on The Cobbler. The East and West highlands were swamped by deep snow, and unfortunately for us so was The Cobbler! The 1hr approach turned into 3hrs and the mixed routes were buried under useless powder snow. Will have to return with harder snow pack and colder temps.

Today I went up Stob Ban on the Mamores and ascended the North Buttress via the East Ridge, which is about grade II. A few short steps of interest and enjoyable scramble mountaineering ground in between. Some other teams were hovering around the base of Central Buttress but didn't appear to climb on it. The grade I gullies would have been climbable, but the grade III+ gullies looked thin and hard. The mixed buttress lines had snow on them and would probably provide a good day.

Northern slopes of Stob Ban.

The Cobbler Bellach.

13-02-11, Cairngorms - Winter Skills

I have been working on a Weekend Winter Skills course at Glenmore Lodge the last couple of days. The conditions were varied and ideal for learning and experiencing the different skills required to stay safe in the winter. The weekend showed everyone what makes the winter mountain environment so potentially hostile but equally if not more rewarding than in the summer. Saturday we headed over to Coire an Lochain, under blue skies and light winds. The team went through cutting steps, use of crampons, some navigation and ice axe arresting. There was some new snow about getting blown onto Northerly aspects. Several avalanches were reported in neighbouring Corie an t-Sneachda, some people were injured but not fatal. A couple of teams were climbing in Lochain and some were getting away with walking across the great slab area! Today was a very different but equally Scottish day! snowing, wet and windy. It was a googlies day as we headed into Coire an t-Sneachda to do some navigation, looked at emergency shelters at the moraines and tried to find some evidence of yesterdays avalanche activity. The Goat track debris was still present, but getting re buried quickly by the new snow. I would say that the north facing corries are not the place to be going winter climbing at the moment!

Photo - the team starting to do battle with the ice axe arrest under a snowy Coire an Lochain.

06-02-11, Cairngorms - Winter Skills

Day 2 of Glenmore Lodge Winter Skills course, and another great day to be out on the hill. Light winds, hard snow, great visibility. We walked up Fiaciall Coire Cas, up to the summit of Cairngorm, dropped down to Ciste Meridh then back to the car park. Along the way we focused on navigation and making good route choices. Everything from orientating the map, taking bearings, timings, pacing and techniques you may want to consider when walking in whiteout conditions. The snow was very firm so whenever there was a slope crampons were necessary. Ciste Meridh was the only place we saw large accumulations of flesh wind slab. The northern corries looked very black, but the easier gully lines should be great. We could make out a lot of teams in Alladin's Couloir. Photos, Above - Coire an t-Sneachda, Below - Coire an Lochain.

05-02-11, Cairngorms - Winter Skills

A fine day today. The crazy weather has ceased, relatively light winds 30mph, very hard icy snow, great visibility and no precipitation. After yesterdays heavy snowfall, which turned to rain, then melted away, then re-froze - the Cairngorms have a very hard neve feel with moderate avalanche hazard. I was working for Glenmore Lodge on a weekend Winter Skills Course. The group learnt some of the essential skills to stay safe and operate in the mountains in winter; using ice axe, cutting steps, self arrest, crampon technique, taking compass bearings and pacing. Any snow that fell yesterday has almost completely disappeared and left very hard snow. We ascended Coire Laogh Mor over to pt. 1048 and then down to Coire Ciste. The short view I got of the northern corries, looked very black. The mixed routes won't be in but the easier gully lines should be ace.

23-01-11, Aonach Mor, Glen Coe - Winter Skills

Black buttresses in Stob Coire Nan Lochan.

This weekend I have been working on a 2 day winter skills course in the West Highlands for Adventure Peaks. The snow line is slightly higher on the West than in the Cairngorms. On Saturday we made use of the gondola on Aonach Mor, which got us high quickly. Plenty of snow, a lot was soft, but some ice also, practice walking up and down slopes, with and without crampons, chopping steps and ice axe arresting. Sunday we headed to Glen Coe and traversed Stob Coire Nan Lochan. The freezing level has risen to the summit - 1100m, all the buttresses were black and most snow quite soggy, some rime on the boulders at the top. Photo - right, looking down the east ridge towards Gear Aonach.

20-01-11, Lochnagar, Cairngorms - Winter Climbing

Northern Cairngorms, all snow pack frozen rock solid.

Another beautiful day in The Cairngorms. Blue skies and -7 degrees. Kathryn and myself headed over to Lochnagar. Never been to The Stuic, Coire Loch Nan Eun before so we walked the steady 9km to the base of the crag. When the mountains look so great and the weather being so pleasant, the walk didn't seem too bad, however by the time we got back my feet were aching! The cliff isn't very big, about 100m at its highest. We climbed Twilight Groove, III,4 (photo - right). I thought the grade was slightly harsh, easily grade IV maybe harder?! All snow well solid and frozen, need crampons on as soon as your on a slope. With the very low temperatures at night and during the day hoar crystals are starting to grow. They look pretty and twinkle in the sunlight, but maybe a worry if they get buried by a new layer of snow. Until then however its all go. A cheeky little bit of Munro bagging was had also, this is what we found on Carn an t-Sagairt Mor. It is the wing of a Canberra Jet which crashed in 1956.

Walking to the summit of Carn a'Choire Bhoidheach, Hoar crystals growing.

Winter Skills Courses - Scottish Highlands, Cairngorms

PJ Mountains is currently running Winter Skills courses in the Scottish Highlands. Courses can be designed to suit your requirements. Are you a keen summer walker or climber wanting to learn how to stay safe in the winter environment?

Depending on length or course, essential skills that will be taught would be, use of crampons and axe to walk, self arrest (ice axe arrest), avalanche awareness and of course winter navigation.

The Cairngorms are currently in great condition, with lots of snow down to 400m, some of it soft and suspect but most of it very icy neve.

Private courses can run as 1, 2 or 5 day courses for up to 6 people per instructor. Prices can be found at www.pjmountains.co.uk.

Contact Paul at info@pjmountains.co.uk or call 0773813927 to discuss possible courses.

06-12-10, Carneddau, Snowdonia - Ski Touring

The mighty whitey Tryfan!

A stunning day in Snowdoina. Blue skies, calm and still and wonderfully white! We headed out for a quick ski tour on the Carneddau. The snow cover is OK to ski on however you will have skied better! We ascended Pen yr Helgi Du from Ogwen. There were a few groups out walking. The snow has started to transform slowly, however it is still powdery and deep in places. The ice is getting thicker and the cold period is forecast to stay around. New winter routes are being climbed all the time, Baggy tells me there have been at least another 11 new routes climbed over the weekend. The new winter guide book being written by Ground Up should have plenty to inspire, word on the street is that it should be sent to the printers midweek so available before Christmas.

PJ Mountains will be running Winter Skills courses throughout the season both in Snowdonia and the Scottish Highlands. Courses can be tailored to your specific needs however a basic 2 day course would cover; use of ice axe, crampon technique, moving around on snow slopes, navigation and avalanche awareness.

18-03-10, Cairngorms - Winter Skills

Warmer temperatures and very windy today. Snow is getting very heavy/wet/slushy at present, full depth avalanches may occur. We headed in Coire an t-Sneachda today, anywhere high was out because of the wind, most slopes were out because of the slush factor. Second day of PJ Mountains Winter Skills course with Craig and Caroline, we did some navigation and emergency shelter digging. The buttresses are black, stripped and there were a lot of single point release wet avalanches evident all over the corrie. A few teams attempted to climb but either didn't manage to climb or decided to abseil off routes. The wind picked up through out the day and made standing still very hard!

17-03-10, Cairngorms - Winter Skills

Today I was working on a Winter Skills course with Craig and Caroline for PJ Mountains in the Cairngorms. The weather started fair but steadily got windier throughout the day. The Highlands is going through a massive thaw at the moment, freezing level has been high or above the summits the last 4 days, with that there has been some rain. All of this has completely saturated the snow pack and as long as it doesn't all melt away will firm up nicely, but at the moment it is soggie and mush! We headed into Coire Laogh Mor then to pt 1028, on the way we looked at crampon skills, ice axe arrest and avalanche awareness.

Coire an Lochan yesterday, more rock showing through the wet snow, some big cornices above The Vent and Milkyway, generally wet and mushy snow!

I did a cheeky bit of Ptarmigan Spotter Spotting of my own yesterday also!