23rd March - Polldubh

Today Maz and I headed up to Polldubh with Alex for a spot of cragging. Alex hadn't climbed much with ropes for a while, and this was the first time Maz had been climbing outside. I started off by leading up Repton Ridge (Diff), Alex lead up The Gutter (Diff) and then I took us up Right Wall (VDiff) on Styx Buttress. I finished up with a quick solo of Slanting Slab (VDiff). The aim of today was to give Maz some confidence on outdoor rock in preparation for the Inn Pin next month, which we achieved with her confidently climbing a route 2 grades harder than the climbing on there will be!

17th March - Coire nan Lochan

Ali and I were out for the second day of the MIC assessment in Coire nan Lochan. Today was a teaching day, looking at mountaineering skills. We covered snow and rock anchors, placement of pitons, snow pack stability, multi-pitch ropework and logistics and finished up by playing on some steep rock on a top-rope with our ice tools. Congratulations to Gaz who deservedly passed his MIC despite everything Ali and I could throw at him!

16th March - Thomson's Route

Today Ali and I were out being guinea-pigs for an MIC assessment with PyB. We had a great day on Thomson's Route (IV,4) which is an icy mixed route near to No 3 Gully Buttress (our original aim, but there was a large party on it already). The ice was great and Stu McAleese kept us entertained on stances whilst Gaz did his thing leading the route. There was quite a lot of debris around under the gullies today, and some deep soft snow on the walk in.

10th March - Italian Climb Right Hand

In total contrast to the previous day cragging in the sunshine, Jamie and I headed for the Ben today to climb Italian Climb - Right Hand (IV,4). This route has a meaty first few pitches, followed by a few of easier terrain to come out onto Tower Ridge. We then descended the ridge and agreed that it is one route you could justify abseiling off after the main part if you weren't planning to head up TR afterwards.

9th March - Gairloch Cragging

First cragging of the year up at Gairloch in Raven Crag area. Jamie B and I decided that the rock would be warm enough to jump onto today so headed to these lovely crags for some early season mileage. Hard at first not to try and kick each step to seat it after what feels like a long winter, but loving the feeling that you could lace each route with gear! I lead up Lucy (VDiff) to start, followed by swinging leads on Charlestone (Sev 4a), Jamie lead Plump (VS 4b) a nice little steeper line on Fruity Crag, I lead the slightly eliminate line of Leac McCac (VS 4c) and Jamie finished up with Acorn Slab (VS 4b) on Druid rock - a lovely thin slab to start, but a bit loose higher up. Warm enough whilst the sun was on us, but as soon as it dropped behind the horizon we were reminded that it is in fact still only March!

7th March - Winter Mountaineering Day

A day out shadowing Jamie B, who was working with a couple wanting to improve their winter skills and ropework for easy climbing terrain. We spent the day looking at snow stability, anchors and movement techniques in Coire nan Lochan, before heading up the East Ridge in pitches over some rockier terrain to get them thinking about using the rope to protect each other on more exposed terrain. The cloud opened on the summit to give a few views and we stopped on the way back to look at some snow shelters that had been dug by others.

4th March - An Steall Ban

A busy day on Steall Falls. Ali and I went up early for her first outdoor ice climbing. She found it nice and easy and even lead a pitch at the top. After abseiling off, we managed to hitch a lift back to the Fort from some fellow climbers.