This week I am up in Scotland with my university’s expedition society to do winter mountaineering. We have however been plagued with poor weather and lack of snow since we have been here but thankfully that has not stopped us!
On the first day we went up to Stob Ban to teach winter techniques to the unexperienced people in the group showing them how to use ice axes and crampons and do important techniques such as ice axe arrests. Due to the ridge to the summit being on cloud for most of the day we did not head up to the summit and ended up just teaching in an area of snow we found near the coll.
On the second day gale forces were forecast but we decided to give walking a try and headed up to Aonach Mor but it turned out the forecast was correct and when we got to the gondola station we were in the cloud with horizontal rain and winds that seriously impeded motion. Due to this we just headed back down the downhill track which looked like an amazing track to bike on which I plan on heading back to this summer with the bike!
Today the forecast was better albeit still with gale force winds so we decided to head up ‘Number 4 Gully’ on the north face of Ben Nevis which was a great day out, despite when we got to the ridge being in the cloud with very strong winds and rain which provided amazing views from the summit (I wish…)
Towards the end of the week the weather is improving so hopefully before the week is out we might get some views, but even if we don’t we are still having a great time with the winter mountaineering.
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