British Mountain Guides Summer Training course part 2.

Bruce Poll short-roping
Originally uploaded by SteveMLT

This week I'm helping on the British Mountain Guides Summer Course 2. As a member of the Training Committee I thought it would give a useful oversight of the summer section of the scheme if I worked on both elements of the summer training course. It was interesting to compare the two courses; one based at a club hut in the Lakes and convened by an independent Guide (Adrian Nelhems) the other based at the National Mountain Centre and convened by its Director of Training (Martin Chester). I feel that the two coursed complement each other very well, with the fortnight in between providing a good consolidation opportunity. It's a real privilege to be able to work on courses like these and I am excited that MLT has agreed to free up my work schedule to stay current and also ensure a level of consistency between the various UK (and worldwide!) training schemes.
Tomorrow we have some keen young mountaineers for the coach candidates to coach, so there should be plenty of ideas and enthusiasm on show. Unfortunately there will also be vast amounts of rain water pouring down our sleeves, but you can't have everything!

Lovely day for a walk

John Cousins (MLT Executive Officer) and myself had a day off while in Scotland so we went for a walk over to the Shelter Stone. We took a small rack and rope in case conditions the temperature dropped, but it was clear that the snow wasn't frozen as we strolled over the Cairngorm plateau, although crampons were desirable in places on the approach.

We soloed the first couple of pitches of Route Major up the snowy ramp, but at the step rightward onto a steeper ramp we found bare rock and grass. It was clearly climbable in these conditions and not very difficult but we decided that we would cause too much damage to the turf and therefore climbed carefully back down the ramp. So we continued up the gully, enjoying the rock architecture and then made good use of the good visibility to enjoy the walk back over the plateau, passing the usual cluster of snow holes in Coire Domhain.

John Cousins apporaching the summit of the Shelterstone crag

British Mountain Guides Open Day

Mountain Leader Training works in close partnership with the British Mountain Guides - closer than many people imagine, as our training schemes are largely seperate. However, the reality is that MIA and MIC holders can attend shorter training programmes for the UK sections of the British Mountain Guides' scheme on account of "recognised prior learning". The British Mountain Guides sit on the MLT Board in a non-voting capacity, and MLT has a place on the BMG Training Committee in return. All of the Associations; BMG, AMI, BAIML and MLTA are currently working towards closer working relationships through a collaboration group set up last year.

This weekend I attended the Management Committee meeting in my observational capacity as Chief Officer, but the day before was a lot more fun. This involved showing up in my capacity as a keen climber to meet up with a group of young hopefuls on a Guides' Open Day. The afternoon involved divinding up into climbing teams and blitzing Llanberis Pass, followed by a bouldering session at the RAC boulders.

Saturday evening was also great fun. I was a guest at the launch party for the fantastic new Ogwen guidebook from the Climbers Club. This was also a celebration for the work of long-serving editor-in-chief Bob Moulton, after 35 years of service. So the forthcoming Tremadog guide will be the first book to be published by the next generation. During the ceremony I was lucky enough to meet the legendary John Disley, athlete extraordinaire and orienteering advocate. Now in his 80's, he was the man who persuaded the CCPR to purchase the Royal Hotel, now Plas y Brenin. (which sort of means the same thing - King's House)