Kevin Rutherford MIC

Hill and climbing conditions for the Scottish Highlands.

www.ecossemountains.co.uk

Winter Courses - Winter Skills, Winter Mountaineering, Winter Climbing & Norway Ice based in Rjukan

Monday 13 February 2012

Winter ML Refresher










Working at Glenmore Lodge over the weekend on a ML refresher. Saturday was drizzly and damp with low cloud coming and going, we focused on navigation, teaching movement skills and self arrest. Sunday was spent on steep ground looking at group management, snow anchors and scenarios, the 2 days couldnt have been more different with colder temperatures and an overnight dusting of snow tranforming the northern corries. More snow please.... anything will do!


Friday 10 February 2012

Shitpipe Sesh





Today has been penciled in my diary since the start of the winter as a day for getting a big route in preferrably away from the Cairngorms. Sods law, Scotland this week has been one of the warmist places in Europe and todays hill forecast was pants along with current conditions.


Plan B, i ended up in Thurso at midday and had a cold but enjoyable afternoon on the Shitpipe wave. Magicseaweed had forecast waves breaking at overhead height with 3 stars today so i was relieved to see waves at half that height when i arrived. Still not got the bottle to get onto Thurso East. I suppose Magicseaweed are a bit like MWIS, sometimes its right and sometimes its wrong.

Wednesday 1 February 2012

4 days Winter Skills









Some photos from in and around Cairngorm after a winter skills course. A real mix of conditions which is always great for the learning process. We re still very thin on snow which is a bit concerning, fingers crossed for February.