Peak Mountaineering
The climbing blog of Paul Lewis
Archive for March, 2009
March 11, 2009 at 9:51 am · Filed under peak mountaineering
I’ve just returned from running a mountain leader training course in Snowdonia. This was the training for the summer award although, with snow sitting at 500m in Wales, the team suggested it could be a combined summer and winter course. Unfortunately it doesn’t work that way!
We spent time around the Glyders and Carneddau before heading for night navigation and security on steep ground work in the Llanberis Pass. I always really enjoy these courses - the participants are experienced and motivated and their skills really develop over the course of the week. It can also test the participants as they cope with the unexpected. In this case Kerry and Martin were well and truly tested when their tent turned into a swimming pool half way up Tryfan on the first night of the expedition but it was great to see them still smiling the next morning despite wet sleeping bags (despite wet everything really!). Many thanks to everyone for a fun week and good luck with your consolidation period.
March 5, 2009 at 10:26 pm · Filed under peak mountaineering
If you haven’t watched Kung Fu Panda you have really missed a treat (whatever your age!). A noodle making panda becomes the ‘Dragon Warrior’ by accident and defeats the evil Tai Lung…I bet that’s got you rushing to the DVD rental shop! Well, the point of mentioning it is a quote made in the film by that sayer of many great quotes, Master Oogway. As he reflects on Panda’s complete inability to learn any of the skills he is being taught he gazes up at the blue skies and says reflectively, “Just remember Panda. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery but today is a gift. That’s why they call it the present!” Priceless!
Well today I enjoyed a gift of a day with Mark. The snow continued to fall overnight and this morning we needed somewhere that offered a good adventure safe from the high avalanche danger. The West Face of Aonach Mor. We got an early gondola and masterfully hung back just long enough to have a good trail broken through the thigh deep snow by other parties in front of us and finally got to our chosen adventure, ‘Golden Oldie’. This is a long (500m) ridge/buttress route of almost alpine proportions that provides a great day out in spectacular surroundings. It does help if, like today, the sky is blue and the temperatures are on the mild side (-3) but the route is a good option for anyone wanting a technically straight forward option anytime.
It’s a longish day though, and we had to fly down the side of the ski area to make the gondola…but what a day! All that was needed to complete a great day was a meal in the Stronlossit and some good company. Job done.
The next day we awoke to even more snow. This limited our climbing options even further so we decided to have a look at Stob Coire nan Lochan in Glencoe. Errrmmm. The plan was good but trail breaking to the Coire base took us until lunchtime and we had to admit defeat before even getting to the climbs. All part of the experience and we still parted with big smiles on our faces. No snow to too much snow in a couple of days - good old Scotland!
Thanks to Mark for a great few days.
March 3, 2009 at 10:01 pm · Filed under peak mountaineering
I waved au revoir to Darren just as another regular client, Dom, arrived….along with the snows that had been forecast to arrive overnight. We awoke to see Ben Nevis with a fresh winter coat and drove to the Dam for a day on the Ben. It was busy and blustery but it was fantastic to be out in conditions that heralded the return of winter.
The following day we headed through the Lost Valley of Glencoe for a day on Bidean Nam Bian. The valley is a magical natural feature that was used for centuries by clansmen trying to hide their cattle and every time I go there I feel the history of the place. We then took a line past Lost Valley buttress and followed the ridge to the cloudy summit. By now the wind was gusting strongly and a quick descent to the col gained us a bit of shelter before the final climb to Stob Coire nan Lochan. We whizzed down Broad Gully and a quick drop down to the car meant we were in the Clachaig in no time.
The rain continued to hammer the valley as more snow fell on the tops and we had a walk on Stob Ban for Dom’s last day. Thanks to Dom for a great few days and I hope your journey home was okay.
