Next generation winter mountaineers

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