ML(summer) Training

I had a week's leave to use up before the end of February so I booked on the mountain leader (summer) training course.  I'd been meaning to do it for some time, just never got round to it.  Bearing in mind that it was February, I was expecting some grim weather so packed spare waterproofs and boots in case the drying rooms got over-loaded.  The weather didn't quite turn out like that though.

There were 18 of us on the course with 3 instructors.  Not being a teacher or a parent meant that I was unaware it was half term, the previous course only had 6 students.

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Day 1

Saturday started with some basic map reading revision, then it was out on the hills practising micro-navigation.  We did pacing and timing to get distances and started to look at the contours on a map in a great deal more detail.  The weather was beautiful, albeit cold and after navigating to bends in streams we went up Moel Siabod, stopping every now and then to figure out where exactly we were just from the contour patterns on the map.

 
Looking across lake to Snowdon from PYB Snowdon horseshoe from PYB  
Micro navigation Out on Moel Siabod Liz reading a map
Day 2

This started the same as every other day with a review of the weather forecast.  The plan was that as the week progressed we'd look at yesterday's synoptic chart and watch how the weather developed so that we could relate changes in daily weather to changes on the synoptic chart.  Unfortunately the weather wasn't playing ball and every day we'd look at the charts and the prediction for the weather would be "same as yesterday".  This meant that we had sun shine for the entire 6 days of the course - not bad for February. 

Unfortunately day 2 was classroom based, which was a pity given the weather.  We did get outside though to practice improvised carries and rope work.  An added bonus was that John was a fireman so he demonstrated the fireman's lift - not usually included in the course.  I can't remember half of the stuff we covered in the class but we did stuff on hyperthermia, heat stroke, access and conservation, legal aspects.  Given we had a whole day, we must have covered more. Oh forgot, we covered "the leader's rucksack" and mountain rescue. 

 
Using a rope for an improvised carry - very effective Linking hands together for a carry. Fast, but only good for short distances Reinforce the edges of a bothy bag with the rope to make an improvised stretcher ...very comfortable for me (in the bag) Have fireman, will do a fireman's lift - well done John
Pete demonstrating a body belay Liz practicing a classic abseil Not quite a Thompson harness
Day 3

Another great day out on the hills.  Today's theme was leadership on steep ground and we went out onto the Glyders.  The game plan was to practice route finding and route choice together with leader positioning in the group.  Again, navigation was practiced as well.  We had a nice walk up the Griben Facet, across to the top of Glyder Fawr and then back down Seniors Ridge.  Homework was to plan a 2 day expedition, although this got curtailed a bit as half of us went into the climbing wall instead.

 
Nice weather for a day out in the Glyders Johnny and Pete on some steep ground Sorting the men from the boys, going down a choss filled gully (emergency descent only) Typical Welsh weather conditions in mid winter!
  Jan consulting Johnny about navigation Y Garn Where shall we go now?
Nice day for a walk Lunch break. Neil looking out to Tryfan from the Gribben Ridge On top of the Glyders Peter and Jan on top of the Glyders
You don't see this very often - a great view looking south from the top of the Glyders Jan Liz  
Day 4

Today's theme was ropework and a couple of extra instructors were draughted in so we were on  a 4:1 ratio.  We covered body belays, direct belays, lowering, abseilling and confidence roping.  Only the rope was used, no harnesses or other climbing gear.  Improvised harnesses were made from either a bight tied around the waist or a Thompson harness.  Rather than a classic abseil, we learnt a "South African chair" which is far more comfortable.  An early finish was in order was the next two days were the expedition and people needed to get stuff from stores (stoves, tents, etc.). 

 
Jill decides she's going to take Neil caving Confidence roping. The knot makes holding the rope easier.
South African chair abseil - 1. You need a boubled rope, it won't work on a single rope South African chair abseil - 2. Wrap both ends of rope around your body South African chair abseil - 3. Pass both ends of the rope between your legs (front to back) South African chair abseil - 4. Away you go. Far more comfortable than a classic abseil.
Improvised lower in a Thompson harness (Neil) Improvised lower in a Thompson harness (Neil) Improvised lower in a Thompson harness (Neil). The second rope is a safety rope - did you really think they'd let us do this "for real"?  
Exped planning. If you get a tent out of stores, practice putting it up before heading for the hills. Exped planning 2. If you've got a brand new tent and can't figure out how it goes up, read the instructions
Days 5 and 6

This was a two day expedition.  Our group of 6 started from Capil Curig and walked over the Carneddau to Bethesda.  We camped in a little cwm beneath the summit of Carnedd Llewellyn.  At 7 pm we went out for 3 hours of night navigation.  This was the same as previous micro-navigation exercises, just in the dark.

 
Looking down Cwm Eigau Lunch stop, day 1. Carnedd Llewellyn in background Lunch stop Who's going to lead now? Neil and Pete. Cwm Eigau in background
Cwm Eigau. Amphitheatre Buttress is just out of shot in the shadows on the left
Off up to Carnedd Llewellyn The scramble on the way up to Carnedd Llewelyn. Jill and Neil. The scramble on the way up to Carnedd Llewelyn.  
Campsite at 820m under Carnedd Llewellyn A bit Baltic mind. It was -4C at the time
Last day, winter arrives at last. Coming down towards Bethesda. I was going to call this picture "Karimor rucksacks through the ages" but one person spoilt it by using a Berghaus rucksack. Almost there. Neil and Pete.  
So, in  a nutshell that was it.  6 days of enjoyable training.  Despite having a fair bit of mountaineering experience I still learnt quite a lot, I'll now have to go out and really practice the micro-navigation.

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