Day 2 with the MICs. Today we took the Uni students on a proper mountaineering day out. Boy did they love it.
After discussing the weather forecast with them it was explained that we would be driving to Glencoe and then walking up the torturous path to Stob Coire Nan Lochain. At which point we would see what the weather conditions would allow us to do. The importance of not outlining plan A, B, C etc. was highlighted. Promising plan A and delivering plan B ends up with disappointed clients.
We walked the tourcherous path up to the coire. Not much to say about that really other than its long, and hot work.
When we got in to the lower coire it started to feel like a proper mountain day. The cloud was swirling dramatically around us and the ridge onto which we were planning to walk was hidden. we got on the the broad ridge without any difficulty though. We then proceeded along the North East Ridge. This is proper mountaineering. A pleasant enough ridge (see earlier blog post for photos) but with the threat of imminent death should a person wander astray.
The ridge also as a few fun rocky/icy steps. It really feels like proper climbing (it isn't) and a real mountaineering experience (it is). This is what Scottish winter is all about!
We reached the summit cone with spirits high. A falling bottle of coke wizzed past us just below the summit. Someone wasn't getting their caffein hit any more.
The decent down North West ridge proved iceier than anticipated but with Sue, the Uni lecturer (a WML) and I coaching footwork while Sam and Steve cut steps it was a thoroughly fun affair. At least for the students. when we were back in the inner coire it was time to start descending back to the vans. This is almost as bad as the way up. Only this time its your knees taking a battering. However soon we were back at the mini busses and it was time for Sue and I to take our leave of the group.
Thanks very much to Sam who invited me along, and Steve for letting me shadow him.
After discussing the weather forecast with them it was explained that we would be driving to Glencoe and then walking up the torturous path to Stob Coire Nan Lochain. At which point we would see what the weather conditions would allow us to do. The importance of not outlining plan A, B, C etc. was highlighted. Promising plan A and delivering plan B ends up with disappointed clients.
We walked the tourcherous path up to the coire. Not much to say about that really other than its long, and hot work.
When we got in to the lower coire it started to feel like a proper mountain day. The cloud was swirling dramatically around us and the ridge onto which we were planning to walk was hidden. we got on the the broad ridge without any difficulty though. We then proceeded along the North East Ridge. This is proper mountaineering. A pleasant enough ridge (see earlier blog post for photos) but with the threat of imminent death should a person wander astray.
The ridge also as a few fun rocky/icy steps. It really feels like proper climbing (it isn't) and a real mountaineering experience (it is). This is what Scottish winter is all about!
We reached the summit cone with spirits high. A falling bottle of coke wizzed past us just below the summit. Someone wasn't getting their caffein hit any more.
The decent down North West ridge proved iceier than anticipated but with Sue, the Uni lecturer (a WML) and I coaching footwork while Sam and Steve cut steps it was a thoroughly fun affair. At least for the students. when we were back in the inner coire it was time to start descending back to the vans. This is almost as bad as the way up. Only this time its your knees taking a battering. However soon we were back at the mini busses and it was time for Sue and I to take our leave of the group.
Thanks very much to Sam who invited me along, and Steve for letting me shadow him.