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.

Working on the 3 Peaks Challenge

 Summit joy on Scafell

For many people the 3 Peaks Challenge is their first taste of the delights of ultra events. Climbing the highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales in 24 hours is becoming ever more popular with a constant stream of walkers and minibuses at this time of the year. It has attracted a significant amount of negative publicity and there are plenty of far more interesting challenges to be had but it is still a significant physical challenge and provides the stimulus for a huge amount of charity fundraising.

I guide a few events for Activius each year so Saturday morning saw myself and a couple of other guides heading up Ben Nevis with a group of 21. Taking point I was soon passed by Alex enjoying his first time in the hills by cruising up in a blisteringly fast 2:06. Pretty impressive for a newcomer to the hills in walking boots. The next 4 hours were spent on the plateau guiding clients safely to the summit and pointing them in the right direction for the long knee jarring descent.

A few hours later we were rolling up into Wasdale with the clouds clearing fast from the summit. I pointed Alex in the right direction and did my best to hang onto his tail arriving on the summit in around 1:15. The views were spectacular but a chilly northerly was blowing. An hour later I'd checked the rest of the fast moving team through and was away on the descent. Scafell is usually the hardest mountain physically and mentally coming at the end of a long day with the final challenge still many hours away. Any weakness in the legs or knees is cruelly shown up by the demands of the descent and a number of our group began to suffer.

The final mountain is Snowdon in North Wales which we climbed by the PyG track. With perfect conditions and visibility we were able to let Alex off the leash who duly dispatched the mountain in 1:56 topping out in 1:08.  the rest of the group soon followed with 19 folk completing the challenge.

Despite this being work it provided a great work out for the legs with 2500m of fast paced climbing in 6 hours plus another 10 hours of hill time.

 Checking the participants through Scafell Pike

Amazing early morning light on Snowdon