Latest mountain conditions

These are posted as and when I have the time or information. Climbers are welcome to let me know what they find anywhere in Scotland, and I will try and post this information also. Links to other relevant sites are at the top and foot of this page. Important links as follows:

Bridge of Orchy Hills

Thursday, 31 December 2009

Alan,

Have been out past couple of days on Beinn an Dotaidh, and then on Beinn Udlaidh. West Buttress had outstanding frozen turf and some good ice, with not too much powder. Taxus was also being climbed by groups, although the avalanche risk there remains high I would guess; we avoided it because there was a lot of slab breaking away in the lower part of the gully.

Beinn Udlaidh was busy; we did the first pitch of Green eyes and then the second pitch of South Gully of the Black Wall to give almost continuous good ice.An 'instructor' of some sort got to the bottom of Quartzvein SScoop before anyone else, and then spent the next hour teaching his two clients how to belay at the bottom of it, thus stopping anyone else from climbing the route. Caused some considerable rumblings in teams who had to make do with other routes. But there is loads there to do.

Duncan Francis





posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 13:09 


3 Comments:

Blogger Ochilandy said...

I truly hope that the 'instructor' wasn't an instructor as behaviour like you observed is unreasonable and gives the rest of us a sore reputation. Anyhow, an hour to deliver critical training under a popular climb is very poor instructional technique; I feel sorry for the 'clients' who had to stand there whilst this went on!

1 January 2010 19:54  

Blogger Ochilandy said...

The behaviour of the so-called 'instructor' is a very poor show and reflects badly on the the rest of us. I appreciate that constructing and setting-up belays is a critical aspect of climbing progression but to do so in such a popular spot and to have the clients hanging around for the hour you describe is low-grade technique.
aye, Andy

1 January 2010 19:59  

Blogger Westcoast Mountainguides said...

Hello Ochilandy (?),

Which day was this? I was in the corrie taking photos on 30th and noticed a number of parties on Quartzvein Scoop queueing and they were not all instructors as far as I could make out. By the way Andy were you in the corrie at the time?

2 January 2010 22:01  

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