I was working for EICA Ratho at the weekend running this course.

Saturday we spent on Gael Charn in Drumochter  revising our movement skills and looking out steeper ground to get us prepped for getting onto “mountaineering terrain”. The weather wasn’t as bas as forecast with only the odd heavy, snow shower, but it was windy. We also revised our self-arrest skills.

Sunday we headed into the Northern Corries and climbed some steep ground on the Fiaciall ridge and then at the end of the day looked at snow anchors. A good day of weather but windy at times.

Stunning conditions yesterday

I’ve been at the CIC hut for the last five days. Conditions have been cold and snowy, but with strong winds. All major lines are firming up, with good ice on most routes. Lower down, the hut cascades and the Curtain are staring to form, and Vanishing gully is looking good. Parties at the hut climbed Point 5, Comb gully, Central Gully on Creag na Ciste, North East Butress, Tower Ridge, Ledge route, Vanishing Gully, Italian Climb.

We climbed the SW Ridge of the Douglas boulder, Ledge Route, Jubilation, some short lines on the hut cascades, the top part of South Trident Buttress and a bimble up Moonlight Gully.

Jubilation – bottom pitch; lovely easy ice and neve at the top; looking over to the Pinnacle Buttress of the tower

Katherine, Andrew  and I had a wander up to the NE corrie below Ben Ledi today – high winds forecast kept us off the bigger peaks.

The NE corrie is a lovely, quiet spot and we had a great day climbing some steep, icy snow straight to the summit. Very windy at times and the odd snow shower.

Out on a Ratho Training day today looking at short-roping and mountaineering skills with Nic and Martin on the crags south of Meall nan Tarmahcan in the Lawers group. Cold, bomber turf and snow but lean.

Nic starting up Carlins/Mackay’s Gully.

Being lowered of a modified stomper by Martin.

I was on  an AMI workshop today on Ben Nevis with ran by Richard Bentley. A lovely, cold, crisp day. Hard snow on the approach and some ice build up in places – Smith’s Route looking very fat – but lean elsewhere.

We climbed up to the crest of South Trident buttress, down No3, then up and down the Douglas Boulder gullies.

A new semi-permanent roof is on the CIC, and it will re-open tomorrow.

Some photos when I dig the camera out – but have a look at Rich’s page above.