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.
2nd day of winter skills/ intro to mountaineering course working for Pure Outdoor. Out with Lee and Joe who had done a day of standard winter skills with me the day prior. Spent the morning looking at snow anchors on the side of the Fiacaill Ridge, before heading to the Flat Ice to further crampon practice. We then headed to Jacob`s Ladder where they placed rock gear in the side walls and belayed using Bucket Seats backed up with Buried Axes. They led a pitch each then I took over to get us quickly to the top. Descent via 1141m.
