Winter ML training in the Cairngorms

Posted by Sam Harrison on March 7, 2014 at 21:17.

 Hill walking

aviemore cairngorms winter skills

The next logical step up from the summer Mountain Leader award is its winter equivalent (aptly named the Winter Mountain Leader award). They reckon it's one of the hardest of the mountaineering awards to achieve; Executive Officer for Mountain Training Scotland George McEwan had this to say:
 
Of all the Mountain Training awards the Winter ML Award is one of the more physically and technically challenging. A major part of this are the demands that operating on the winter hills and mountains poses – whiteouts, variable snow conditions, storms, short day light hours all conspire to create one of the most demanding mountaineering environments in the UK
Similarly to the summer ML, before taking the assessment one must attend a six-day training course, and a few weeks ago Lorna, Imogen, Darren and myself took part in one such training course ran by Pete Hill. He delivered the course alongside Lou Reynolds and thanks goes to them both for what was an educational, informative and thoroughly enjoyable week. I wouldn't hesitate twice to book further courses through him.

The course was based in Grantown-on-Spey, and being a group of four gave us the advantage of being able to book out West Gorton cottage for the week, which worked out considerably cheaper than staying in a bunkhouse in Grantown. The only disadvantage was that it was located a few miles from Grantown along a 4x4 track, and had there have been any considerable snowfall we'd have been stuck. As it was we were okay, though I think my car breathed a sigh of relief when we drove down the track for the final time!

West Gorton cottage
West Gorton cottage near Grantown on Spey.


Day one started from Coire na Ciste with general movement skills and ice axe arrests - effectively what you would first teach a group of novices if taking them out in winter - and then moved onto step cutting and crampon work. In the evening Lou gave a presentation on avalanche risks back at the base for the course, Kinross House, accompanied by very welcome coffee, tea and biscuits. Pete joined us for day two and we went through a variety of different ropework elements, from boot-axe and stomper belays to snow bollards and bucket seats, following by a general winter skills lecture in the evening. We changed areas for day three and instead of Coire na Ciste headed to Ben Rinnes, north-east of Grantown, to practice emergency shelters and snow pack evaluations. This was undoubtedly the best weather of the week, and despite a bitterly cold wind the clouds were minimal and I'm sure I got a bit of sunburn (or was that just wind burn!?). The morning of day four was the polar opposite with a howling gale and torrential rain. Fortunately, once we'd walked in from the Sugarbowl car park towards the Charlamain Gap the rain had stopped, and after practicing avalanche procedures, confidence roping and some further ropework consolidation, it was positively sunny.

Ice axe arrest practice
Practising ice axe arrests.


Emergency shelters
Building emergency shelters on Ben Rinnes.


Rope work consolidation
Day four's weather wasn't all bad! Consolidating some rope work near the Charlamain Gap.


The final two days were the "expedition" element of the course, which focusses on building and sleeping in a snow hole. The original plan had been to walk into Ciste Mhearad (which translates as Mary's Coffin!) but by the time we were halfway towards to Ptarmigan restaurant the wind had already reduced us to crawling and so we had to have a rethink. After a turtous and bruising snails-pace ice-axe-arrest-every-metre bum slide down the ski tows back to the ski centre car park, we drove around to Coire na Ciste once more and this time headed into the coire itself. There was fortunately plenty of snow and we spent the next four hours digging ourselves snow holes for the evening; three between the five of us. The snow hole was much warmer than I'd imagined and surprisingly homely. I'm not convinced it would be worth the mammoth effort in comparison to just sticking a tent up though! The evening gave us a bit more time to look at ice axe arrests, navigation and using the rope to handrail features.

Now lies ahead a "consolidation period", where we go out and practice the skills we learnt on the course. The aim is to do the assessment next winter, in a year's time. Watch this space...
 
Snow hole
Nice and cosy in mine and Lorna's snow hole.
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