BMC Rescue For Climbers Course

 Assisted Z Hoist

This weekend I've been running a Rescue For Climbers course with Nick Jones (More Than Mountains) as part of the BMCs Club Training Program. We were based at the MAM Glan Dena Hut in the Ogwen Valley which gave us plenty of options within walking distance. Saturday was spent on Milestone Buttress enjoying the sunshine after a few early showers dried out.

We began the day with a mass ascent of Pulpit Route (VD) to fine tune the groups belay building, stance management and generally be proactive in avoiding problems in the first place. A self protected abseil descent allowed everyone to experience extending the abseil device away from the harness and the many advantages this brings. Back at the base of the route we began to look at the building blocks of improvised rescue including escaping the system, assisted and unassisted Z hoists and solving common problems in a single and multi pitch scenario.

MWIS were forecasting torrential rain and strong winds for Sunday and they were spot on. Well wrapped up in our waterproofs we braved the waterfalls on Tryfan Bach to play with prussicking, accompanied abseils and lowering past a knot. A couple of scenarios to work through stretched the grey matter before we retreated to the hut for tea and medals. A final debrief in front of a roaring log fire pulled it all together but fingers crossed none of the group will ever have to use any of these techniques.

A huge thanks to Mike from MAM for looking after us very well. The vat of tea and log fire when we returned from the crag as drowned rats was very much appreciated!

 Mass ascent of Pulpit Route (VD)

 The Ogwen Valley.

Accompanied abseil with an injured (& wet) climber.

Mountain Rescue Training

 Stunning conditions in the Cairngorms

This weekend I've been running some winter training for members of Langdale & Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team. They braved the journey north to the Cairngorms leaving behind a very snowy Lake District!

However by the time they got home on Sunday night a major thaw meant that a water rescue capability was probably more use! Saturday gave us blue skies but a strong wind that was moving plenty of fresh snow around. We spent a considerable amount of time looking at avalanche avoidance and rescue strategies. There was multiple layers of windslab in sheltered locations and we were able to trigger a number of small slides. We were also able to look at winter belays and emeregncy snow shelters

Saturday evening was the Association of Mountaineering Instructors AGM at Glenmore Lodge which proved very successful with 100% support for a number of measures to increase our professionalism.

The snow pack was much reduced on Sunday with the temperature having risen above the summits during the night but the remaining snow had refrozen giving us a very fast paced ice axe arrest session. A wee bit of winter navigation and goggles were donned for a trip to the top of Cairngorm in pleasantly full on conditions!

Working an avalanche probe line

 Plenty of snow being moved around

Your stereotypical Mountain Rescuer!!