New base in Lochaber for February

This winter has been anything but settled, in fact here on Arran it's felt at times that its not really got going.  Just as the engine starts to rev, it stalls.

Wally and I are shifting our base up to Lochaber for February.  This doesn't mean that we are not available to lead winter walking days out on Arran, but as winter is a bit transient down here we've got a better chance of seeing some good conditions further north.

Last Tuesday we headed up to our new base on the shores of Loch Eil, and on Wednesday enjoyed a superb day out on Mullach nan Coirean, an often overlooked munro on the Mamores ridge.

It was a belter of a day, after weeks of gales the brisk wind felt like a summer breeze- and the sun even shone for some of the time.

I'm back on Arran this weekend for a mountain rescue exercise but will be heading northwards again to enjoy what looks like is going to be a cold settle spell.

New Year Three Beinns

We started 2016 with a hill day and headed up to Coire Bhradain and the Three Beinns. The weather was brisk- cold and breezy with icy paths and a dusting of snow.

Festive Beinn Damh

Last post of the year from me, and it's a bit late as I'm updating with some pictures from Beinn Damh on Christmas Eve.  Wally and I spent Christmas in Torridon with our friend Hazel.  The weather was wild and daylight didn't put in much of an appearance, but we snuck a day out between the teeth of the storms and were rewarded with what are currently feel like fleeting wintry conditions and magic views.

Views of Beinn Alligin and Liatach

The craggy flanks of Beinn Damh

Wally looking festively snowy!

As I write this we are in the closing hours of 2015. It's been a spectacular year for us, with Wally joining the business, work for me in Malawi and hundreds of memorable hill days. We'd like to take this opportunity to thank our clients and colleagues for making our jobs so much fun and to wish you all a joyful and mountain filled 2016. Happy Hogmanay!

The Castle

A slightly late post- (blame- computer malfunction) with some photos of Sunday's stomp up on to Caisteal Abhail, one of my favourite peaks on Arran (they might all be my favourites actually).

The north ridge

I'm bumping along with an annoying shoulder injury at the moment so we kept it easy on the upper body and stayed away from the amazing mountaineering on the Sleeping Warrior. It's possible to summit without too much scrambling by climbing the North Ridge and descending the curving arc of Sail an Im.

Cir Mhor and A'Chir

NE face of Cir Mhor

Winter is here!

There was a bit of respite from the recent stormy weather today.  Goatfell had a good covering of snow overnight so it was a good opportunity to head up in to Coire Lan to enjoy the fresh snow.

Once up on the ridge it was pretty wild, with spindrift flying about. The path under the buttresses was passable but required a fair bit of route finding.

Happy Lucy

Stacach ridge looking Alpine

Surprise rain/snowbow

Some winter left on Goatfell

Wally and I headed up in to Coire Lan today to have a look at Stacach Gully. We didn't like the look of it unfortunately- we broke trail on the approach slopes through a layer of windslab over graupel, which poured down the mountainside as we released it from under the firm layer above.  A quick dig about, and we established that the endless hailstorms that have hammered Lamlash this week, have unsurprisingly dumped plenty in the hill too.

Stacach Gully is the dogleg gully in the middle of the picture

Plan B was a good option, we headed on to the NE slopes of Goatfell, where ice covered slabs sit in shade. We spent a happy time fossicking our way up through ribs and gullies, and eventually gained the ridge. It was strange to be wearing crampons and to see folk enjoying a sunny Easter day in shorts.  The short wearers are definitely a bit premature, although we didn't need the crampons on the ridge today.  The rock is bone dry and the snow mostly softening where exposed to the sun, but winter is still hanging on up high.

Back up North again...

No sooner had I got home from Ullapool last week, but it seemed I was out the door and heading back up the road to the Far Northwest. This time I was heading up to Torridon to meet up with Jim Sutherland from Nineonesix Guiding, for a spot of shadowing in the winter hills. Spending time with other outdoor professionals is a great way to keep skills current and to learn new ones, especially when they have the wealth of experience and superb mountain venues that Jim and his company have to hand.

Enjoying the view from Beinn Eighe

And so it was that I found myself heading up on to Beinn Eighe on Thursday morning, with Jim and his two lovely clients Gavin and David.  It was pretty clagged in, and mild, but high up in Coire An Laoigh we found enough snow to look at the basics of self belay, arrest and safe movement before heading up on the the ridge for the summit of Spidean Coire nan Clach. On the way down, the mists parted, and we were treated to fabulous views of the Torridon peaks and a golden eagle flypast. We stomped back in to the coire, taking a bit of time to look at bucket seats and some basic ropework on the way. This was a fun day for all and Gavin and David were quick learners, hopefully this is the start of many more winter days in the hill for them.  There is a bit more about this day up on the Nineonesix Blog too.

Gavin and Dave looking comfy

Friday was a rest day for me and my pal Reuben came down that afternoon for a spot of bouldering.  I'm not much of a boulderer, but even I was well impressed by the quality of the rock around Torridon- dry, clean, and solid, with grades of problem to suit everyone.  We went to the Celtic Jumble and enjoyed a few hours clambering about in the cool winter sunlight.

Bouldering at the Celtic Jumble

That evening I headed east, to be in place for some more shadowing with Nineonesix- this time on a winter skills course for the SYHA in the Cairngorms. Directed by Dunc Maclennan, this was a two day intro to the basics of winter walking for a team of five clients.

The great white room on the Cairngorm Plateau

They were keen to do plenty of navigation, so we spent a day working our way up on to the plateau from Coire na Ciste, experiencing the full drama of a Cairngorm whiteout. On the second day, strong winds kept us low down on the mountain, providing us with a great opportunity for some practical skills work in a sheltered gully system in Glen Feshie.

Dunc proves that navigation is fun.

Ice axe braking and sliding practice.

Big thanks to Jim and Dunc from Nineonesix for sharing their skills and time with me as well as letting me loose on their clients.  It was superb experience and great fun. They are based in a fantastic part of the world, and have an encyclopedic knowledge of some of the finest mountains and mountaineering that Scotland has to offer.

Not Today!

Today we went looking for that most wonderful and transient of things... an Arran winter route. We didn't find it..... though it is always worth staying optimistic... you've got to have a look! When it is "in" there is nowhere better to be. Here's one we did earlier.

Glen Sannox

North face of Cir Mhor

Heading up towards the Western Stoneshoot

Looking down W Stoneshoot

Wet!

Glencoe's Secret Mountain

We found ourselves in Glencoe yesterday with an unpromising avalanche forecast and a tight weather window. Plan A had been climbing, but with gale force winds not easing until lunchtime,  a relatively high freezing level, and of course, that avalanche forecast, we opted for Plan B. Plan B is often a good idea and in this case it didn't disappoint.

An enjoyable glen walk to the foot of the mountain.

 We braved a walk in which was advertised as long, but was a doddle by Arran standards, and went for a recce of Sgor na h-Ulaidh.  If you haven't heard of it, thats not surprising.  Virtually invisible from the road, and lacking in the stardust of Glencoe's other peaks, it doesn't see much traffic.

Northern face of Sgor na h'Ulaidh

Despite being often overlooked, it sports an impressive northern aspect with quite a few recorded routes.  These start at around 650m, so with the freezing level above 800m conditions were a bit mild for climbing here yesterday, but it was good to get the lie of the land.  We traversed under the face and up to the western bealach, from where we climbed steep turf to the ridge.

Approaching the summit of Sgor na h-Ulaidh

Despite the improving weather, it was wild on the ridge. We didn't hang about on the top, but dropped down the north eastern side where we were pleased to find some scoured neve (despite the av forecast) to descend. Avoiding the windslab took us in to exciting ground and this was the first proper workout for my front points this season (and my head).  Even non-climbing Plan B days are mountaineering in winter! Finally, our route off the hill took us over a second snowy top, beyond which were were able to drop down in to the glen.

Lots of scoured surfaces, and fresh deposits in the strong winds.

Looking east from the shoulder of Sgor na h-Ulaidh

Summits with friends

I had a stunner of a day on the hill yesterday with Wally and Kirstie.  We traversed the main ridge all the way from Cioch na h-Oighe to Goatfell summit.  The forecast was a bit iffy, but mostly the weather was not as bad as expected, although there were a few intense snow and hail showers, and gusty winds towards Goatfell. No matter, we had a ball regardless, warmed by gobsmacking views and the sheer joy of being out in the hills with good friends.

Glen Sannox, Cioch na h-Oighe on the left

Steepish ground and wintry scrambling

It's a belter of a ridge!

Cir Mhor and Caisteal Abhail

All smiles on Goatfell summit.

First Snows

This title is all wrong of course, because Goatfell has been looking wintry for at least a week, but these are my first snows, and I've been enjoying them since the recent "Weather Bomb" storm abated.

This was Goatfell yesterday.  The wild spindrift was fun, I'd forgotten what a proper winter maelstrom feels like.  We didn't go to the top, because near the summit buttress it quickly turned less fun...

Today I was on my own and after a late start wandered in to Glen Rosa and up to The Saddle. The weather seemed comparatively quiet, and I enjoyed watching the Sea King from HMS Gannet training in the Glen. She attracted the attention of a Golden Eagle, and to my surprise, the eagle chased her over Goatfell and out of its territory.

HMS Gannet training in Glen Rosa

From The Saddle, I took the new path up to the summit of Cir Mhor (I think). The path was mostly buried, especially near the top so I ended up taking the turfiest line I could find between the drifts and the slabs. The snow was very fluffy and unconsolidated, and by the time I passed behind the Rosetta Stone I was wading above the knee. I did get some stunning views and for a change it was not too windy so I could enjoy playing with my new camera.... If anyone is wondering whether there is any winter climbing to be had one Arran I'd say... not yet.  Lots of powder, and turf frozen where exposed, but soft under all that snow, with no ice to be seen.

The Witches Step as seen from The Saddle

Big views down Glen Sannox

Gully behind the Rosetta Stone

The Western Hills from the west flank of Cir Mhor

Looking back towards Goatfell

Tracks left by one badass bunny rabbit on the summit.