32 years of Winter Mountain Safety Lectures

Well, that's it all done and over with for another year. The 32nd year of Clachaig's Winter Mountain Safety Lectures drew to a close last night with locally based IFMGA Mountain Guide Mike Pescod looking at the Human Factors in Decision Making.

Attentive faces in the Boots Bar

Without doubt, the winter of 2017 has been a challenging season (so far, at least!) for everyone involved with the Scottish winter mountain scene, whether that's skiers, climbers or pubs who serve beer and food to skiers and climbers. However, despite rather fickle winter conditions, the numbers attending the safety lectures have again been very encouraging. Hopefully, when (if!) winter does finally arrive, the topics covered and the lessons learned will still be remembered, and enjoyable days on the hills will be had by all.

Mike in full swing

Once again, there's a huge thanks due to everyone involved. To our team of lecturers, some of whom faced the crowds at Clachaig for the first time, and some who can almost be regarded as old hands on the circuit. These guys live and work in the the mountains, and between them have an incredible depth and breadth of experience and knowledge to share with us. Thank you all.


And thanks once again to Mammut UK, for their continued sponsorship of the series. We passionately believe that to reach the widest audience possible, the lectures should be free to everyone. That continues to be possible with the support of Mammut. So, to you, we also offer our sincere thanks.

Lots of lovely goodies from Nevisport

Fort William (and beyond!) retailers Nevisport come along to each of our presentations. They back up the support given by Mammut with their intimate product knowledge and their enthusiasm for all those bits of shiny new kit that you know you just need to have. Nevisport, you've been troupers through February, and it's been great to have you on hand again.

The Big Winter Raffle continues through until the close of FebruaryFest at the weekend. We've already reached 4 figures raised, and look forward to seeing the final sum when it's all added up. The safety remit broadened slightly this year, with the funds going to help establish heart-start defibrillators in the south Lochaber villages. To everyone who bought a ticket or donated one of the fabulous prizes, another huge thank you.

How winter at Clachaig should look

Read more about the 32 years of our lectures on our web site. Got some ideas or some feedback for us? We'd love to hear it.

There's still time for some of this before spring arrives

We thoroughly intend being back for year number 33. Planning starts in September and we'll be back in the Boots Bar on Tuesday evenings in February 2018. Till then, stay safe out there!

Back to Winter

Or is it forward to Summer? Who knows. It's all seasons in one day at the moment.

Throwing back the curtains this morning revealed quite a heavy frost. Saturday also started with a frost and at 6am I had to scrape the ice off the windscreen before heading north to Shieldaig for the day. But this morning, it was a proper winter frost. White over. Middle of May!?

Glencoe: Frosts and flowers!

Not only that. Davy from the An Teallach Brewery delivered another van load of beer yesterday and brought further proof that winter is still refusing to let go. Leaving the west at an unearthly hour he'd passed by Ullapool where he'd had to drive through a couple of inches of 'proper' snow on the road.

And then last night we had to endure a power cut for 2 or 3 hours. Fortunately, at Clachaig it came after food service and so for most it made for a pleasant bit of atmosphere in the pub. On Facebook I see that there were a few suggestions of increased demand for midwives in 9 months time (names withheld for fear of incriminating those with a filthy mind). Fortunately, I'd just returned from a 25 mile time trial and was much more interested in how I was going to microwave my TV dinner and get a mug of tea with no electricity. The idea of a lie down in a darkened room had an altogether different appeal.

But before you all cancel your trips to Glencoe for fear of getting stuck in deep snow drifts and having to battle through blizzards (yes, at Easter plenty of you did exactly this didn't you?), I can also tell you that by 8am the sun was over the mountain tops, the frost was gone in 10 minutes, and it's now a glorious sunny day here in Glencoe.

The winter that was.

A rare guest blogging moment as James adds a few words and a couple of pretty pics regarding the winter just gone...
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After the harshest winter for decades, has spring finally arrived? With daffodils starting to bloom in the meadow and the snow melting, perhaps now is a good time to look back on a remarkable three months in Glencoe.

The first major snowfall of the winter came just before Christmas, and was followed by Scotland's coldest January since 1914. The snow remained on the ground on Rannoch Moor for almost 100 days, which meant the best season for skiing at White Corries for years. It came as a bit of surprise one day in late February when the BBC reported Glencoe ski centre as the "world's snowiest"!

It was good news for winter climbers too. Conditions were consistently good for almost three months, with several first ascents taking place in Glencoe. New ice routes were even climbed on the crags just above the Inn! Nice to see that none of it was wasted on Clachaig staff either, who were often out enjoying the snow, climbing, hill-walking and even snow-boating during their
breaks from work. You know it's a real winter when the staff are cutting steps in the snow with ice-axes in order to walk the 30 yards to work in the morning.

It hasn't been all fun and games though; several huge avalanches occurred in Glencoe between January and March, one of which could be seen all too clearly from the windows of the Lounge bar in the Clachaig. Even after the rapid thaw and heavy rain of the last few days, the remains of the avalanche debris can still be very clearly seen.

So three months and several hundred burned logs later, winter appears to be finally coming to a close. Easter is almost behind us, but with the May Beer Festival not too far away, a change of pace and the summer are just around the corner.

Winter

The irony is that the glen is really quiet just now. Ok, you need to choose your days. The weather changes fast, as do the conditions on the mountains. It could be wet and windy. It could be quite pleasant. But when you strike it lucky and get a day like this one so early in the season you know you are truly blessed!


I remember the good old days when you used to complain to the staff that their c.v.s all waxed lyrical about the fact that they wanted to come and work in Glencoe so that could climb all these wonderful mountains, only to find them unable to get out of bed before noon.

But like everything else in life, times they are a changing.

James got out of his bed last Friday and went for a bit of a wander. And I have to say that I am just a little bit envious. Bidean nam Bian is not only looking absolutely fantastic in this shot, there's not a foot print to be seen on the final ridge to the summit.

Winter has arrived in Glencoe!