
Cracking day with a client who has never been out in winter or up in Scotland. His real aim was to experience some of "it". And bag a few Munros.
Very little snow but during the night there had been a dump of snow. It started snowing gently as we left the ski centre car park and up windy ridge - ptarmigan cafe - Cairngorm Summit. The weather improved as we went up with minimal nav but talking about what we were doing and looking at walking styles.
The plan was a tour of the corries and down the 1083 unless he was doing well in which case we'd look at Ben Macdui. Plus conditions. There was a moderate stripy avalanche risk E-S so I wanted to check the older banks around Carn Lochan before committing. However descending cairngorm to 1141 a white out and strong winds kicked in. A short lived shower but full on nav required. Plus some learning about equipment for my client!!
But we went over to MacDui as the forecast and reality tallied. And the snow seemed stable. A few small showers and windy spells but oover all a great day. Down over the 1083 and back to the car.
It is most likely that the ascent of a significant mountain is included in the day.
•The individual takes part in the planning and leadership. - my plan, taking into account client wishes and weather etc with a few options.
•Navigation skills are required. A short section of full on winter nav plus a few bearing checks. Not heavy on the nav as weather was generally favourable but good to get a bit of white out.
•Knowledge is increased and skills practised. Mainly teaching skills practiced having worked with Mick Jones earlier in the season. Using his style covering (for eg) getting across snow bridges
•Attention is paid to safety. Throughout - including some instruction on walking, kicking snow to get a platform, use of the axe
•Adverse weather and underfoot conditions may be encountered. Potential for avalanche didn't seem to be there but we had a few snow bridges, slopes, different angles, boulder fields poking out of the snow. Plus a white out and some very strong winds. A steep bank of older snow near the summit of MacDui made for a good demo of steep ground. Not full on winter skills but walking confidently and using the axe to cut steps on ascent and confidence coming down (it wasn't steep but intimidating for a newbie)
•Five hours or more journey time.
•Conditions encountered should be in terrain and weather comparable to that found in the UK in true winter conditions.
•An ice axe and crampons are likely to be required. Crampons weren't necessarily but definitely axe.
Area :
The Cairngorms
The Cairngorms are ‘a little piece of the arctic in Scotland’ according to the SMC Munros Guide and the area contains many of the tallest peaks in the East Highlands. Ben Macdui (1309m), Cairn Gorm (1244m) and Braeriach (1296) are probably three of the better known and the whole area is full of steep corries and high plateaux. Access to the mountains is typically from Aviemore or Braemar.