Saturday 2 January 2010

NEW YEAR, OLD TRICKS


Paddy, a return client, was out with me today on a two day Winter Mountain Leader refresher. Paddy is taking his Winter ML assessment in March. Today we covered movement on steep ground and setting up various belays. The only gear that can be used on the WML assessment are a rope, sling and Karibiner. We headed up to the area just to the North of Castle Ridge on Ben Nevis. It was another sub zero temperature day on the hill although the sea level temperatures did get a little above freezing, don't think I've chewed on so many rock hard chockie bars over the last three weeks. On the walk up to the crags there is quite obvious pockets of winslab around, would be nice to get some freeze/thaw conditions, during the day we also covered avalanche awareness & assessment. Lots of wonderful looking ice on the crags where we where . This is a lovely wee area, away from the crowds and not too far a walk in from The North Face carpark. Weather was great today, the clouds soon lifted by mid morning and clear skies, light winds by afternoon. Cold conditions still around for some time yet, the path up from the NF carpark through the tree plantation is fast becoming a good luge run.

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