It's been a bad couple of months for climbing in the Cairngorms. We reported the death of a climber on Aladdin's Mirror last week and that was just the latest of a series of accidents that have left five climbers dead - and it's still only the middle of January.
Although the accidents have all occurred in different circumstances, there's one common factor - they all took place in the same relatively small area of the Norther Cairngorms, Coire an t-Sneachda.
Coire an t-Sneachda, by Richard Nicholls
Easy access, not easy climbing...
The Mountaineering Council of Scotland, the British Mountaineering Council and the Mountaineering Council of Ireland are concerned that the relative ease of access to the area could lead climbers to take its routes less seriously than ascents in other parts of the Scottish mountains. They say:
"The terrain is as serious as any in Scotland and the full range of mountaineering and climbing skills are needed to manage the risks involved. Some of the skills are technical but equally important are judgement and decision-making."
It all sounds very serious - which it is - but no one's trying to discourage climbers from getting out into the mountains. Not much beats a good day's winter mountaineering, after all. The key is just to make sure you're sufficiently equipped and experienced for the conditions.
Winter Skills Training
Experience is obviously essential for safe winter mountaineering, which is a bit of a catch 22 if you're just starting out. If that's you, it's well worth considering a training course where you can learn the skills you need from professional instructors.
Glenmore Lodge, Plas y Brenin and Tollymore all offer winter skills courses, and subsidised training is also available via the Jonathan Conville Memorial Trust and the Catherine Smith Memorial Trust.
Other sources of information include the Mountaineering Councils' Winter Essentials DVD, the annual serious of Winter Skills lectures, and the forthcoming Winter Skills handbook, although they're obviously no substitute for getting out and practicing for real.
Tips From The Pros
The Mountaineering Councils would like to remind everyone who's planning an outing to bear a few things in mind:
- Pay heed to the weather forecast and avalanche report and choose objectives that are appropriate.
- Be well equipped with both warm clothing and the appropriate technical gear.
- Adopt a progressive approach to adventure. Develop skills incrementally by choosing objectives that build on previous experience.
- Don't be influenced by the hype that surrounds adventure activities in the 21st century. It is not always best to “go for it”.
So the message is: make the most of the winter season but don't overstretch yourself, and bear in mind that staying safe involves carrying a good bit of experience under your belt as well as some cosy fleece layers and plenty of pasta:-)
For more information about training courses visit the Mountaineering Council of Scotland, the British Mountaineering Council and the Mountaineering Council of Ireland.
