Introductory winter mountaineering course

Alix using crampons for the first time.

Everyone was very accomplished after some practice!

Eden Court,Inverness....evening 27th January 2016

World-class mountaineer, Sandy Allan, comes to Eden Court Theatre on the 27 Jan 2016. Book your place HERE

This photo is reminiscent of the Mazeno Ridge but I took this photo of my friend Andy last Thursday on a Munro the North of Scotland. What a fantastic country we Scots live in!!!!

The winter climbing was good up North until the that came!

Andy on the descent ridge

To get good ice where we were climbing is quite rare, so we were lucky!

Several good pitches, this was second one.

and we soled a few.

This pitch was steep and cruddy so worth roping up for, Andy could not get any good protection though.

Steve in blue and Andy on belay

Poor viz at the top....

Between Torridon and Glencoe

 I have been working over on the west coast. Torridon and Glencoe  was where the main action has been for me. It's been quite hectic with a lot of driving time. However it gives me a good idea about snow, climbing and the  skiing conditions across Scotland. Here in Newtonmore we have new snow and while the forecast seems to suggest that a warming period is on its way, climbing conditions are shaping up and a melt/ freeze can only help things along. Team ascent  have got some guides working on the hill and we are open for business as usual.Please feel free to email or call if you wish to share experiences in the mountains with us: info@teamascent.co.uk

Liathach

Stob Coire Nan Lochan, Glencoe

Wonderful Glenoe

Between Aviemore and Torridon

Climbed  around Cairngorm at the weekend,  walking in to climb Jenga with Sarah.

Ace view over upper Speyside

Today with Paul Tattersall in Torridon, snow is building above 700m

Stach Polaidh

The wild weather in the Cairngorm's today made us drive west, winds were still very strong but we manged this 612 m. summit. Many people think its the remains of a volcano, but its not that at all.  In actual fact Stach Polaidh and it's near neighbor Sulliven  was formed by erosion. Many years ago the whole land area was covered by a 1000 million year old layer of Torridonain  sandstone. Ice sheets and rivers  eventually carved  the layer away leaving behind these isolated remarkable mountains.. The last ice sheets melted around 15000 year ago.   

We had to rope up to get to some of the spires.

Red deer grazing  by the road side 

Basic winter mountaineering skills.

 Using the  ice axe for self arrest 

Even with the milder air there is still lots of ice around

We escaped the driven sleet and had an indoors practice session

Nice start to the Year 2016 -Winter instruction and guiding

The Corrie is looking a  bit better with some nice winter conditions developing.

Anna reaching out!

Well frozen

Windy and cold on the plateau