Scotland Winter Skills!

To kick off our experience
in Scotland, fourteen of us took part in a winter skills course with two
MIC instructors, Rich Bentley and Ken. 

Our first day started with a
walk in to the north face of Ben Nevis, looking out for signs of
avalanche risk, such as cornices. We carried on up into the Coire where we
spent time trying out walking with crampons (in deep, deep snow),
learning how to perform ice axe arrests on our front and back (floppy
seal, alert seal!), and then bumsliding down.

 On day 2, we used our new found talents to tackle a ridge, ultimately
summiting Stob Coire nan Lochan, at 1115m. As we slogged in, the weather
slowly improved, and we were able to eat lunch at the top with a
stunning view across the Highlands. The ridge included a few interesting
winter scrambley bits (aka, a rock or two), and it was enough to whet
our appetites for the week to come. 

All in all, a great introduction to
Scottish winter, and I’m sure all of us can’t wait to get out there
again next year!