Amenable Ice

When I climb ice there are a few things that go through my head:

#1 If it looks steep, it's going to be harrowing (for me on the lead that is).

#2 If it looks amenable, it's going to be steep.

#3 Always take at least one more ice screw that you think is required.

#4 If you can't see a hold, make a hold.

#5 Every pick placement is a bit of gear.

So today, we had a truly fantastic time, climbing amenable ice with enough ice screws for the entire ice climbing population in Rjukan.

Over the sea and far away

It's that time of year, for the annual trip to Norway with Gregory.  Having spent the past 3 years exploring different areas - to various degrees of success due to conditions - we decided to return to Rjukan.

Without doubt, the place is plastered in ice, which is good because I like ice :)  What is more impressive is that it is quiet, really quiet.

I have just paid over £3 for a can of cider - one of the small poxy ones at that - and am now watching Norge telly in which I can't understand a word.  Happy days ...

Little country with big terrain

For a little country we have some awesome terrain.  The first thing you need to be able to do is find it.

Second day of our Mountaineering 4 Skiers course with the Avalanche Geeks and it was all about finding the terrain and exploiting the terrain to your advantage.

We could have just dropped in, but it would have been a shame to not use the new skills that Blair & Ali learnt yesterday.

A steep little entrance into An Cul Choire and down into the CC Chute provided an excellent descent, followed by an awesome skin (I actually quite enjoy skinning) back up to Stob an Chul-Choire before jumping into the lower part of Summit gully and then the homeward ski/skin.

Next course in now next winter - book fast because this is an awesome course :)

Mountaineering 4 Skiers

Our annual Mountaineering 4 Skiers course kicked off today which we run in conjunction with the Avalanche Geeks.  We opted to remain on the East today but far enough West to have a fairly pleasant day on the hill.

The great thing about working with the Geeks, is that I can translate all that American chat, and the Geeks can translate my broad Aberdonian accent.  Now that we've done all the techy stuff, tomorrow we're going to find the cool stuff to ski putting into practice all the new skills.  Time to head West me thinks ...

Gemini

I loved the walk into the Ben yesterday - the route was quiet, the skies were blue and the conditions looked great.  More to the point, my rucksack was light (super-light) and I was collecting the rack and the rope gun at the CIC hut.

When I climb on the Ben with Rich, I never look at a guidebook because I have the talking guidebook with me and no matter what I suggest, Rich has probably climbed it before.  The other thing about looking at guidebooks is that the descriptions never give the route the justice that it deserves.

Rich had his eye on The Shield, but it's hard when you don't have any reference point for what is in condition or what is not in condition.  Until you swing the axes, hear the reply off the ice and feel the ice you just don't know.  So, The Shield will have to wait for another day.

Not to be disheartened we swung around the corner and had a stonking day on Gemini.

There's a lot of climbing to be had :)

From fast to slow

I could talk a lot about this:

© Mr Drew Photography

but I won't.  If you are interested in nearly 100 racers embracing the Skimo scene, go here :)  Instead, a more mellow approach is required.

Well I say that ...  We all got our excuses in before we left the car park.  

Derek:  "I'm on my really heavy boots and I'm on my really heavy powder skis". 

Catrin: "I'm just back from fiddling with penguins and haven't walked more than 10km in the past 4 months".

Di: "It's Tuesday and I'm always slow".

However, Derek is in training and Catrin is never unfit.  So for 5 hours, we all breathed very hard and was grateful to have to stop every now and then to check the map and eat chocolate.

The touring was pretty naff to be honest and to have to pole very hard to get to the car at the end of the day was just the final insult.  On a positive point, Derek has ticked off some very remote Munro's that would otherwise be a very low, boring walk - some hills are just designed to be skied.

GB Skimo Championships

When we set up Skimo Scotland a few years ago, we had no idea how popular it would become.  This is our 4th racing season and this weekend is going to be the biggest of the lot.  This weekend alone we will have nearly as many racers as our entire first race series.

On Saturday, for the first time in history the GB Championships will be taking place in Glencoe as part of the Skimo Scotland race series.  Excited - you bet.  Nervous - you bet.  Enough time to write more - no chance :)

© Mr Drew Photography

© Mr Drew Photography

© Mr Drew Photography