I have not put an update up for a while so here is the July version of Andy's epics. I was out on a double completion week-end last week-end. Anne is one of my longest serving clients and a good friend so it was a pleasure to be asked along to her completion walk. Anne is very organized in her campaign and arranged to complete both her second round of Munro's and her first round of Corbett's the same day on the same walk!

So together with some of her Scottish Hills friends we made the trip to Kintail to do Am Batach and Ciste Dubh above the Cluaine Inn. We had a party of 26 in the end and loaded with various bottles we made good time up Am Batach for the first celebration. Then on to Ciste Dubh for the second completion of the day.

Now, Anne has been going on at me for years saying I couldn't be a proper mountaineer because I don't have a beard. So today I presented Anne with her own beard. She must be a real mountaineer by now having done all these hills and needs the proper equipment.

Here are a few more pictures of our day, the weather was kind to us much better that MWIS would have had us believe.

 

You can see the pub from here..........

Well that was a busy period. The reason I haven't blogged resently is that I have been Island hopping. Last week I was on Arran doing the Corbetts with Anne and Molly the Collie. We had an excellent time doing Goat fell on the way to the Lamlah Hostel then the following day doing the A'Cir Ridge in all its glory. We had to abseil the down climbing section with Molly firmly strapped up in her harness she abseiled it with me. Would have made a good photo but I was rather busy at the time.

The after Arran came a trip to Skye. The highlight of this trip was a trip up the Dubhs Ridge with Alastair, Anne and Al (74 years young) We caught the boat in from Elgol an excellent way to start the day. We then climbed the ridge and Sgurr Dubh Mor and descended Coire a Ghrunda to get back to Glen Brittle where we had placed my car the prevoius day. An epic 12 hours on the hill, not bad effort for the team especially for Al. I hope I can do that when I am 74.

Finally a wee trip to Rum this week. Anne Molly and I caught the boat from Mallaig a 1 hour crossing to Rum. we chose to camp hoping the midges wouldn't be to bad. We soon found out that the little b*****rs were out in force and camping wasn't much fun.

Anyway Thursday dawned fine dry and sunny so we went for the full Rum Cuillin traverse five peaks, two Corbetts and a long walk back later we knew we had had a long hot day. At least on the hill there were no midges.

Friday we caught the afternoon boat back via Canna lovely journey spotting a Minke whale on the way across.

Here is a panarama taken fron Ainshval

A pretty fair coupe of weeks on the hill. Lets hope the weather keeps going like this....

Hello all those out there in blogworld well I was supposed to be going to Rum this week with Anne. But the weather forecast was a bit Rum as well so we put it back for a couple of weeks. We didn't fancy camping in the rain and not seeing anything on the hills. So it was back to odd jobs for me and back to corbet bagging on the mainland for Anne.

Forecast for the week ahead looks o.k. I am out for three days looking after a film crew this week I will let you know how that goes.

I have finally packed it in for this winter although I am sure some die hards will still manage to scrape up an odd route. But it is well into May now and I want some sunny mountains and warm weather with lighter ruckacks. Here are two pictures from last week-end the first is on North Gully on Creag an Coire na Ciste on Ben Nevis last Saturday. In fine condition if a little hollow on the ice pitch

Sunday the guys were a trifle fatigued so we went to Polldubh and did some classics in big boots in the sun. This was Three Pines on Reptons Buttress.

Had a great week-end.

A wet Monday in April. Easter has been a little changeable, Friday was good, Saturday poor, Sunday great and today appalling. wet windy and thawing. I am hiding inside today catching up on a few things

I was out with the Oban MRT training on Ben Cruachan on Sunday. Very pleasant new snow, sunny and warm. Wore my sunglasses most of the day. We had an eventful day playing in the snow even got dusted by the helicopter from prestwick, rescue 177. That cable looks very thin when theres a large helicoter just above you.

Been out walking this week with Malcolm and its been a right mixture of weather. Rain snow hail sun and wind and thats just the first day. I also did my first new hill this year, Beinn Resipol over in Morvern nicce views. Here's a couple of pictures of Sgurr Connich Mor done from Glen Nevis on a windy day!

Been having a week off this week and haven't been out much apart from walking Meg a few times. Just as well as the weather has been crap. A mega thaw and high winds. Glad I'm not out today. But I am out again on Sunday for another week of fun in the snow and it looks like the weather is going to pick up too. Heres hoping.

March already.... well this winter is shooting past. This week I was out with gary and Andy. Unfortuately Garys week was forshortened by dislocating his shoulder on the second day a recurrence of an old injury and very sore. So Andy had three days one to one fun in the snow including a lovely trip down the Aonach Eagach in Glencoe.

 

And finishing off with an epic trip up Dorsal Arete on Stob Coire nan Lochan. In superb conditions.

This week I was mountaineering with Bruce, David and Graham and the week started well. The weather was amazing with wall to wall blue sky and frosty weather. The temperature on monday morning was a blamy -12 in Glen Nevis. This has produced some amazingly large surface hoar crystals on the snow. See the photo below taken during our ascent of south Gully on Stobbhan in the Mamores.

South Gully.

Tuesday we did the Ben on yet another super day the clarity of the air was stunning and I go a sunburnt nose again.

But all good things have to come to and end and real winter arrived with a bang on Wednesday. We had a full on day on Beinn a Chaorainn's east ridge. With strong winds blowing up and across the ridge and lots of new snow blowing around conditions were exciting. One of the lads said  ' that was the most extreme lunch I have ever had ' after stopping for a bite to eat in 40mph winds and heavy spindrift.

Unfortunately some others were not so lucky as we heard of several serious avalanches on our return. The hoar frost seen earlier in the week probably caused some of the problems once buried beneath the new snow it forms a weak layer .The wind and new snow did the rest. Just waiting for someone to step on it.

Well Thursday was even worse 20 c.m. of new snow in Fort William overnight and a howling gale somewhat limited activities today. We couldn't get to Glencoe as the road was closed. We decided to try to get up Cow Hill 300 m above Fort William, normally a 45 minute dog walk. Well it took a team of 8 of us, 2 hours hard trailbreaking each doing 100 m at a time to get there. Once there we found out why the Glencoe road was closed it was howling across the top with heavy drifts and still snowing. Back down for lunch and an early bath.

The week-end is looking epic too so if you are out this week-end be careful of your route choice. Remember the wind has been and still is easterly! So western slopes are heavy going.

Have fun.....

Another great week playing in the snow. This week I was out with Geraldine and Jonathon. We had a mixed week starting with good conditions underfoot and the tops hidden in the cloud. Great for navigation, we had some really friendly white out conditions. That is now blowing a hoolie so we could pratice out pacing and timing.

Then it snowed again and we had some great weather to fininsh off.

A snowy view of the Mamores

Ben Nevis yesterday was steep and deep as the skiiers would say we did ledge route and it was rather busy. the new snow was keeping most folk on the ridges and out of the gullies so it was a very social climb. here is a general view of the mountain...

and here the team, ahead of the game on Ledge Route...

weather looks fair for the week-end so see you out on the hills. I am back out Sunday.

Yes its true. It was another great week out on the mountains of the west coast of Scotland. You know it's been good now since mid December! It will catch up with us sometime....

Well I was walking this week with Hamid and Julie. We had a great time in the sun and snow. Not so good for teaching navigation when you can see 60 miles though.

 

Here we are on Chino Dearg on Tuesday a stunning day.

we aslo dug some pratice emergency shelters in a particularly deep drift.

Wednesday we were on Ben Nevis climbed via the abseil posts and over the top in the sun. It was remarkably quiet on the ben that day despite the excellent climbing conditions.

Finally Thursday we walked up Sgurr nan Ulaidh in Glencoe. The cloud got close to the summit whilst we were having lunch but stayed off until we started down. So we can honestly say we had cloud free tops all week.

Next week is half term week so the hills will be busy, conditins are good and icey so be carefull with your route choice, have alternatives if your route is busy and make sure you carry the right gear. Have fun.

Well that was a belter of a week. Been out on a winter mountaincraft week this week and had some great weather. Sunday we were on Buchaille Etive Beag for our usual roll about day also doing both munros.

Monday we did the east ridge of Beinn a Choarainn and had a good day with some whiteout navigation thrown in for good measure.

Tuesday the sunglasses day on the mamores we climbed the north ridge of Stobbhan in amazing sunshine and snow

Then on Wednesday we did the Ben by Ledge Route in very deep snow. a hard day but we just beat the weather which arrived with more snow that evening.

 

Our last day out Thursday, we finished with a bang by doing Curved Ridge on Buchaille Etive Mor. In deep snow again, it was another trailbreaking epic. But another great day. The snow was thawing quite alot today so we didn't chance descending the corrie, the ridge to the west of the corie was a safer bet.

 

A great week. still room on the March courses if you would like to have a go....

Well that was a good week-end. Saturday was spent with the family Skiing and snowboarding at nevisrange. It was a bit icey for the boards but Catherine progressed well on the board and was sliding done the piste almost in control at one point.

Sunday I was out with the Nevis Hillwalking Group for some winter skills training. We had a good roll about in the snow on Buchaille Etive Beag in Glencoe. The conditions were good underfoot, certainly better conditions on foot than on skis anyway. Nice icey snow that you didnt sink into and held a crampon well. Busy place though with several other teams up there playing.

On the way up Glencoe I could still see the screen and No6 on aonach Dubh but the bottom looked thin on No6, most of the real low routes are on there way out now but the higher ones are getting better with the freeze thaw. Another thaw due wednesday then cold again, so looking good for next week-end

After a bit of a thaw things are looking pretty good. The thaw has got rid of the low snow and most of the low ice so access to the hills is alot easier. But High up there is still plenty of snow and ice to walk and climb on. New snow today might change things as it is raining and blowing here in Oban today

Had a family ski trip at the week-end and Nevis range was still good although some snow had been lost due to the thaw.

Ice up high is still good photo below of central gully stob Coire nan Beith.

Have fun out there.

 

Things are hanging in well during the low level thaw. The ice was a bit softer yesterday as it was a balmy +4 degrees in Oban today. popular routes have been very busy over the week-end the blog has something to answer for. I saw seven team on No 6 Gully Aonach Dubh on Saturday. Thats alot of ice falling on your head! Just be carefull out there and think of alternatives if others beat you to your chosen route.

Ben Udaildh still looking Good

 

I have been out on the hills for the past four days. It has been hard going in the soft snow especially in the glens but once on the ridges things are better going the wind has stripped the soft snow away. Here are a couple of pictures from a trip up Ben Nevis yesterday via Ledge Route. It was hard work getting to the CIC hut but after that conditions were very good underfoot. The tops of No 's 5, 4 and 3 gullies were clear of sofy snow and cornices as we walked to the top.

Access roads require care Glen Nevis is very slippery as are most other minor roads but if you can get to the hills the popular ones have good trails bashed down. especially in Glencoe.

Have fun out there

.

A Happy New Year to all of you. And its great out on the hills at the moment with much less snow aound here than further north. Have a good one

Well that was a wild week. Started well with some night navigation with the Nevis hill walking club. We were out on the hills from 7 till 11.30 navigating around the lumps and bumps above Fort William. Great fun and really tests your navigation and mapwork.

Then a couple of days first aid training with the Oban Mountain Rescue Team. Whilst hiding from the wind and rain.

Luckily the coming week-end is looking good with an easterly wind forcasted and some snow on the hills things are starting to look interesting.......

The Nevis Hillwalkers in the dark

Wow what a week-end. Clear forsty weather made for excellent walking and mountaineering conditions over east. I was staying at Rothemurchus lodge with the Oban Mountain Rescue Team for the week-end.

On Saturday my team of Bill Lucy and Robert made our way to Breariach via the Larig Ghru and Breariach's east ridge, superb weather and good snow underfoot we made good time. We saw another of the OMRT teams in Coire Bhrochain climbing Campion Gully. Which was complete if a little thin.

 

On Sunday we went for a shorter day so Robert Gordon and John and I went back up the Larig Ghru to Lurchers crag to Climb a route called Collies Ridge. The ridge gets the sun about 10 a.m. so with cairfull timing and route finding we climbed in the sun all day. It was a bit slippy in the shade but lovely in the sun didn't even need gloves to climb.

Lurchers Crag

Gordon at the top of Collies Ridge

 

The view from Lurchers:

4th November.

Hi

Finally a dry day on Oban, Just back from a long walk with Meg the dog. It is very wet underfoot as you would expect during the monsoon season. The forecast for the week-end is looking good at the moment. I am over in the Cairngorms this week-end with the Oban Mountin Rescue Team. So I hopefully should have some better condition reports for you after that epic.

Cheers

Andy

 

Hello out there.

Yes Alba Mountaineering has finally got round to starting a blog. Been meaning to do it for years.

Another wet day in Oban so I have been sorting out my summer photos. Have a look and remember the good days. Not a great summer but hey that's what you get up here.

I will try to keep you posted on whats going on out on the hills with regular posts of climbing conditions and weather history.

Cheers

Andy