This Area includes some of the most accessible (and some of the hardest) winter climbs in Scotland. Coire an t-Sneachda has an excellent variety of winter climbs, many in the lower to middle grades, while Coire an Lochain hosts classics of a range of grades and some extremely demanding test-pieces. This Area also includes the very accessible Creagan Coire Cha-no, Lurcher's Crag in the northern Lairig Ghru, and the training bluffs of the Chalamain Gap. Also included here are the cliffs of the northern side of the Loch A'an basin such as Hell's Lum, Stag Rocks and Stac an Fharaidh (as they are on the same general massif as Cairngorm), while cliffs on the southern side of Loch A'an are in the Ben Macdui, Carn Etchachan and Shelter Stone Crag Area of DLOG. The range's former name is Am Monadh Ruadh (the red hills), distinguishing them from Am Monadh Liath (the grey hills) to the west of the River Spey.
Teaching climbing day with Duncan. He had some winter hill walking experience and had seconded a few multipitch routes. I short roped him up to near the crag, ran a pitch up to the base of the route. We focused on developing his skill as a second and movement skills. Removing gear, stowing it on harness, dealing with slings, clove hitch, how to use two axes, crampons on steep ground, managing the rope at belays, belaying on both sides. His brain was full just belong in the environment so it didn't feel like I was teaching him much, but upon reflection I covered quite a lot. 
