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Life’s been full of stuff over the last few weeks, lots and lots of work. I passed my Mountain Ski Leader, presented a very successful lecture for the MCofS at the Mountain Cafe on Wednesday night, directed another Winter ML training and now my bags are packed for the Alps.

I’ll be off-line blog wise for the next nine days while I enjoy some great touring hopefully, I’ll be out in Switzerland with some friends making the most of the white stuff, seeing how there is no winter left in Scotland!

The conditions in the mountains in Scotland just now are very very poor, there are no routes left complete in the Northern Cories. There is just enough snow to run winter skills. It truly is a sad sad sight.

Fingers crossed for the return to winter soon.

Here's how it should look

Heather Morning and Di Gilbert getting psyched for the day

Today we headed out West for day three of our Mountain Ski Leader course. We took the risk and bought tickets that allowed us to access the top of Nevis Range giving us easy access to the back corries.

For most of the day the skiing was good over the back, spring like snow with only a small amount of heather / mud skiing to get back round to the lifts.

We covered lots today looking at belays, rope work, safeguarding steep slops and entires, steep skinning and change overs from skins to skis and vise versa on steep ground. We also looked at lots of group management issues with steep slopes and poor vis, all well catered for on Nevis Range!

Ski belays for safeguarding steep entries

Ian Sherington testing the belay, think it will hold???

No return for Ian

More ski belays

Team Mountain Ski Leader, with our fearless leader Ian Sherington

I’m lucky enough to a student on a Mountain Ski Leader course this week running at Glenmore Lodge, this course has not run for a few years so it’s great to see it back up and running. Other than myself on the course it is made up of some very experienced mountain professionals, Di Gilbert, Heather Morning and Richard Bentley. Should prove to be an excellent week, other than the poor weather.

Some of the on piste ski training today

Corrie Ardair with many routes just about in.

Jon, Giles and myself had a ridiculously early start for Creag Meagaidh this morning, well it felt super early anyway. We where also supposed to be in the good company of Phil Sanderson but he succumbed to some extra slippy ice early this morning and had to bow out.

I had a strange wanting to go and shuffle sideways for two and a half kilometers round Corrie Ardair after talking with some friends about the Crab Crawl. It was not to be as temperatures proved to be about zero degrees in the Corrie and most of the snows where still soft.

Approaching the Wand V-5** and Diadem V-4*

We chose to go high and look at Diadem which non of us had climbed before, from afar it looked good and up close it still looked good. Once established on the route it proved to have some good ice, some cruddy snow and everything in between. I lead the first main couple of pitches in a 60m pitch, and from here JJ, Giles and myself bailed off an ice thread hoping to take in the Wand as well.

The wand being a slightly steeper route was in even poorer condition and after some thin climbing by JJ we opted to head home. All three of us have climbed the Wand before so there was no real incentive to be overly brave!

I then headed up to the Inverness climbing wall with Deziree to get my full fix of climbing for the day.

Jon Jones arriving at the belay after the steeper ice / snow / crud!

The Pumpkin had a number of teams on it as did some of the post faces and some easier gully lines. Conditions where not great but many lines are in but only just. The routes could do with a proper freeze to bring them back to good nick.

Giles Trussel letting the ice know who's Boss!

Jon Jones about to decide that the ice on this Wand aint magic!

Majestic Meggy looking fine for the walk out.

Date: 11th/02/2012

I was back out on my mountain bike today with Deziree exploring the many sections of single track around Badaguish. This is a sure sign of how poor the current winter conditions have become. With freezing level high above the tops and rain coming down today, conditions are very poor just now.

With all that said, come tomorrow the temps around the Northern Cairngorms are due to drop and there looks like a return to some snowy conditions next week. COME ON WINTER, PLEASE………

I’m keeping my fingers crossed and hoping to try and find some high ice to scale tomorrow, we’ll see what happens!

Another acceptable Cairngorms view

Some photo’s taken whilst out on the snow hole expedition part of the Winter ML training last week. We were out over Tuesday and Wednesday. Unfortunately it doesn’t look like this anymore!

Team winter ML off for a nights snow holing

A stunning full moon rising above Loch Avon

Honestly there were some poor navigation conditions....

hmm, which way now?

A palatial snow hole, glad we didn't have to dig it!

Date: 06th / 02 /2012

Some of the Winter ML Training Team, getting ready for some snow belays

Great last couple of days out with the guys on there Winter Mountain Leader training, tomorrow we shuffle off into the Cairngorms for our mini vacation. A night in a snow hole with lots of navigation to keeps us amused!

Not a bad view from the office today!

Weather looks set to be stunning again tomorrow then some strong winds and weather coming in on Wednesday. Climbing conditions look good in the Northern Corries and reports are Hell’s Lum is still holding some good ice.

Some of the fresh ski tracks today

Skiing looked ace today with a number of teams making nice runs off the East side of Cairngorm.

Bomber Snow Bollard!

Date: 04th/02/2012

Full-On Winter conditions today, with Team Winter ML trainee's

I’m now starting another six days of work running a Winter Mountain Leader Training for Phill George. We had a wild day on the hill today battling high winds and new snow. The dense wind slab build up was quite impressive and avalanche conditions changed and grew as the day wound-on.

Fine views up in the Monaliath

Last week I was working for Glenmore Lodge, running an Intro to Ski Mountaineering. Our team was made up of four willing skiers and what started off as a week battling conditions on monday soon turned into a quest to find the best snow in Scotland with blue sky’s and sunshine for the final four days

Fresh Turns

After this blip of bad weather it looks like weather conditions are returning back to a settled high pressure for the next few days. At least there has been some new snow put down.

Climber Col at Anoach Mor

A great day out in the Drumochtar Hills

More Fresh Turns

Deziree, Robin and Sheila out tracking down a rare Orange Inverness hippo! (Last weekend)

Date: 28th / 01 / 2012

Something is not quite right with my computer this evening so only one photo will upload from todays North West mission.

The view across to Torridon from the 1st belay

Andy Sharp and I planned what we thought would be a blue sky, stunning day up in the North West, last night. When we arrived in the car park this morning to find the road icy we were confident it would be game-on with ‘Tango in the Night’ (VI-7****) up on Sgorr Ruadh. It was not to be:(

With poorish conditions, temperature sitting about 0 degrees, exposed turf frozen and some buried turf still soft, we opted for ‘The Last Waltz’ (V-VI**). I’ll be honest it is not the best route I’ve ever climbed, probably one of the worst routes I’ve ever climbed!

I’m thinking of some sun kissed rock tomorrow and taking a break from the white winter wonderland!

Date: 25th/01/2012

Today was wet, everything was wet, the rock, the ropes, the ice, my pants, socks, everything……

Still Iain and Joe from RAF Leuchars MRT showed good sprit and we spent the day looking at best practice in teaching climbing techniques in winter. I’m working for Glenmore Lodge this week and will be back out again tomorrow with Iain and Joe for another day of rope work, hopefully this time in dry wintery conditions?

Navigation in the 'White Room'

Monday and Tuesday had me assessing some folks on there winter Navigation and I’m pleased to say both candidates past.

Some nice light through the Lairaig Ghru (Monday)

Climbing conditions have been excellent but it’s all gone wrong today, looking at the forecast this is only a minor blip before winter returns.

Sneachda today, a major melt down happening

Joe from RAF Leuchars Mountain Rescue, getting a good soaking!

Date: 22nd/01/2012

Modern Day Navigation, map + compass, Blackberry (for Grid. Ref.), IPhone for mapping GPS!

Yesterday when we made plans to visit the new Creagan Cha-No winter venue we thought we were being reasonably original. Arriving at the car park this morning to see at least three other teams heading up the ridge we knew we would not be alone.

Cha-Not so quiet a crag!

A total of six teams were climbing there today, two teams where working, instructing clients and the rest where just out to climb. Most teams enjoyed the routes already established while one team seemed determined on new ground being explored. Resulting in a mixed bag of backing off, falling off and some success, all very sociable though.

Me starting to realise that this is not going to be easy! (Photo: Mike Brownlow)

Jon Jones, Mike Brownlow and myself opted for Flaked Out (VI-7) and Anvil Corner (VI-6), both these routes packed a punch for what looks like steady climbing from the ground.

I’m never a fan of off-width’s and was questioning why I had chosen to warm up on Flaked Out, then JJ read out about Simon Richardson falling on the first ascent, I guess the words helped me to concentrate!

Me, wondering if this is the place that Simon Richardson came off at? (Photo: Mike Brownlow)

Both routes proved to be well worth the short walk in and provided some tough, enjoyable and worthy climbing. It was agreed that this will be an excellent venue for quick hits and I’m sure we’ll be back there soon.

Mike Brownlow happy to be finishing the off-width

Mike B on the top pitch of 'Flaked Out' (one of the shortest pitches in the world!)

Jon Jones getting involved with ‘Anvil Corner’(VI-6)

Mike B nearing the end of Anvil Corner (an excellent pitch!)

J.J. Happy at the top of his pitch

Enjoying the short down hill walk-out (Photo: Mike Brownlow)