Winter training continues...

Alan on the first difficulties on North Buttress

Alan's nice new helmet showing it can loosen itself on its own!

Alan, like every year has big ambitions for the winter and knows how important it is to put the ground work in before the snow arrives.  Getting out on a day like today, short day light hours, cold temps and poor visibility will get us a few steps ahead for when the winter finally arrives.  We got some glove faffs out the way, climbed damp, slippy rock and I placed plenty of gear to get Alan back in the swing of things.  Only one nut dropped (and retrieved) so Alan was happy.  North Buttress on Buachaille Etive Mor was our route as it has some great climbing, plenty of scrambling and tricky route finding in the very low visibility.  Also Alan has never done this in summer but has in winter.  We had the place to ourselves...as far as we could see anyway (10m) except for the summit where a very friendly raven was hoping to share our lunch.  A great day, I'm glad Alan brought a flask, tea and cake on the top was great!
Over the last few days I have been ticking off some Munro's I haven't done, doing a spot of dry tooling (ice axes in the climbing wall) and generally just enjoying being back in Scotland after 2 months away.

This chap joined us for lunch on the summit

Not shy

It cleared now and again...we did get a view from the summit too!