Snow & Ice 2011

Over the last few days I've been up in the Cairngorms on the West Lancashire Scouts annual winter skills and mountaineering scheme, Snow & Ice, based out of Nethy Bridge. I fist went to the event as a participant 7 years ago, and its where I first learnt most of my winter mountain-craft, so its really nice to be able to go back now as an instructor and impart some of knowledge to people younger than me. The event also has a reasonably good social side to it as well.

Day 1

Ice axe arrest training in Corrie na Ciste.

The first day of the scheme is a compulsory winter skills training or refresher day for all participants. After a minor setback with the ski road being closed due to high winds we set off walking up towards the ski car park. I took my group into Corrie na Ciste above the over-flow ski carpark. First we looked at traveling with the axe, safe travel technique, the axe self belay before getting to arresting a fall with an axe. After some lunch we headed a little higher and found some hard neve to practice kicking and cutting steps, something I think is perhaps a neglected skill these days. We then had a look at avalanche awareness, digging a rustschblock which failed quite impressively and then looking at a tap/compression test. We ran through some basic winter belays quickly, digging a few snow bollards, bucket seats and burying a few axes and looking at how to use body belays with them. Finally we put crampons on and had a quick walk around so everybody could get a feel for them before we headed down.

The group we're really good and we got through most things quickly, and I think they all learnt a few things which is always good.

Day 2

The forecast for Sunday was worse than the previous day, but decided to head into Sneachda to see if we could get up anything. The walk in was tedious and took a long time in the high winds, almost feeling like one step forward two steps back. The team split in the corrie with most bailing back to the car park. Myself and Stu perceived though, and climbed up the mixed ground to the Fiacaill Ridge col before soloing along the ridge. If taken direct, Fiacaill Ridge is actually a really good day out with some easy but exposed mixed climbing in places, and the chimney crux section is certainly a good section of II. We topped out into a whiteout on the plateau where the compasses came out to get round to 1141 and down into Cas. The cornices lining the rim of Sneachda were particularity huge.

Day 3

On Monday Jayne, Stubbs, Stu and myself headed back into Sneachda with a group of 6 punters to look at winter climbing skills, with the potential of doing a route at the end of the day. Again the walk in was tedious and slow. The gullies weren't really in conidion due to large amounts of wind slab and the big cornices at the top. We decided that our intinery from the previous day would be idea, so headed up the mixed ground, looking at belays and ropework, before roping up to climb the ridge itself. Once on the plateau the weather was even worse than the previous day which gave the opportunity to look at some navigation in really bad weather, when you really don't want to get it wrong! The cloud lifted slightly as we hit 1141 and walked down to the day lodge. Again I think people had a good day out, it was hard to explain a lot off things in the high wind but I think people understood most things we did, and everybody enjoyed the ridge - and we didn't get blown off!

After topping out of the Fiaciall Ridge.

Day 4

The final day of the scheme there weren't many takers for climbing as most were either skiing or on overnight expeditions, so the small group of myself, Stu, Martin and Jon headed into Sneachda again, in much better weather, to see if we could get up something. We initially went for Fingers Ridge, which I've got a little bit of a vendetta with. I lead off up the first ptich and immediately found it quite hard going, with the entire ridge being covered in about a foot of loose unconsolidated powder snow making both climbing and finding gear and tool placements very difficult. I decided it was for the best to bail so lowered off from the first belay, deja vu.

Fluted Buttress tempting us with seemingly good conditions...

The four of us then ran across to Goat Track Gully, which was fairly banked out but still gave bit of sport coming over the two bulges. We climbed a varition at the top, going straight up the rock prow on the left, at about tech 3/4-. Again the standard walk off was over and down via 1141, as the Goat Track was still looking pretty dodgy with no tracks going up or down it.

Jon following our mixed variation at the top of Goat Track Gully.

In summary an excellent event, as always. The weather was difficult, but workable, and while everybody may not be able to pull of the most perfect axe arrest in every position or other finite skills I think everybody gains some good mountain life skills/experiences - not letting your gloves blow away, what you need handy in your rucksack, layering etc.

End of the day in the daylodge car park.