You all know the routine by now so I am making no promises about the weather. If its fine or foul we will still have a good time.
In the last of this winter's talks, Rock Hudson will take us on a long walk through the very varied scenary of the Atlas Mountains. Across high plateaux, through deep gorges, along pleasing valleys, past Berber villages, and to the top of the highest mountains in North Africa. A travelogue with photographs and information, which he hopes will motivate some Oreads to repeat.
The 56th AGM of the Oread MC will be held at The Bear Hotel Alderwasley at 8.00.p.m.
The committee is proposing an amendment to the last sentence of rule 7.2. to read: "The Trustees are entitled to an indemnity from the Club members against all claims for damages, interests and costs as a result of the holding of their office."
At present rule 7.2 states:-
Any freehold and leasehold property ot the club and any investments authorised by the committee [other than cash which shall be under the control of the treasurer] shall be vested in Trustees for the Club and all the property vested in them shall be dealt with by them as the Committee shall from time to time direct by resolution of which an entry in the minute book shall be conclusive evidence. The number of Trustees shall not be more than FOUR or less than TWO. The Trustees shall be indemnified against risk and expense out of Club property.
Would you be able to ?
You are 400ft. up a route on Cloggy, a party on the next route dislodge a rock and it hits your partner, knocking him off; the rope holds him but he is dazed and not able to help himself. Would you be able to get to him? Would you be able to get him off the cliff..quickly..safely?
Many of us, especially if we have been climbing for a long time, have probably had to rescue someone at some time or another and could, no doubt, sort out some means of dealing with the situation above. The critical things, however, are speed and safety and these are the bits where we might not be good enough.
A couple of weeks ago a friend of ours, Rick Cotgreave, an AMI qualified instructor, gave Chris Wilson, Snod and myself a day's training in rescue techniques. What became clear very quickly, almost immediately in fact, was that our notions of our abilities to cope with problems were seriously exaggerated. We lacked not only the knowledge but also the skills to deal with the simplest problems effectively, and in more complex situations we would surely have been hopeless.
Rick is an excellent and experienced teacher and we had an excellent day: we learnt a lot, we have a lot more confidence in ourselves - and, importantly, in each other.
If anyone is interested in doing such a course, then contact me, or Rick directly at the address below. Rick's fees are £120 per day and he can handle up to four people at a time, which at £30 a head is excellent value. Perhaps we all owe it to our climbing partners to have these basic skills.
rickcotgreave@blueyonder.co.uk - Please make sure subject box is completed with the word rescue in it.
As many meet leaders will testify, organising a winter meet in Scotland is a chancy prospect because of our fickle weather. Better to look at the forecast and head up when the conditions are guaranteed. Rob & I had a brilliant couple of days on that basis 20 years ago, and the week before this meet Steve Christian & Simon Pape snatched a fine weekend and bagged some good routes. The forecast this time was not too bad, but I was not expecting anything exceptional.
The Alex MacIntyre hut is well situated to get up in reasonable shape on Friday evening, with a short journey to Fort William next morning. Thirteen Oreads and friend assembled on Friday night and plans were made to get up at 5 am to make the most of what conditions would allow.
I still felt pretty groggy as Gill and I set off from the Golf Course at 6.15 - torches not good enough to avoid the boggy sections and tempers frayed. Once into a rhythm on the correct path, we settled into the long plod up to the CIC hut. As the sky lightened, the Ben was obscured by low cloud and we wondered what might go. Then the cloud shifted and the day transformed into one of the best I have enjoyed on Ben Nevis. Clear skies and most routes in reasonable nick. Of course the classic routes were heavily subscribed, but we were second in line on Comb Gully. The party ahead took a stance half way up the second pitch, so I had an uncomfortable wait on a temporary stance with a deluge of ice and snow coming down from above. However the day was so fine we could enjoy looking around and take in the magnificent ambience of the finest winter venue in Britain. On the plateau we had fantastic views with an inversion layer of cloud below us. A casual saunter to the summit to enjoy the fabulous weather.
We met Roger Gibbs and Graham Cooper who had climbed Indicator Wall, a fine Grade 5 route. Graham Weston and his friends Steve & Phil had climbed Number 2 gully and then descended to climb North Gully. Over in Glencoe, conditions were a bit thin, but Kev Alsobrook and Andy Wild had an enjoyable time on Dorsal Arete. Conditions were equally good on Aonach Mor, where Chiz & Reuben Dakin traversed to Aonach Beagh and Hereward Tresidder and James Tubby climbed Right Twin and Sleaven.
A fantastic day enjoyed by all. Most had the energy to enjoy the pub as well, although I succumbed to an early night!
Sunday was a bit different. Another early start to catch the first gondola up Aonach Mor, but the cloud was down, a steady drizzle and a stinging NW wind which coated gear and clothing in a film of ice. Once down Easy Gully we were sheltered from the wind, but still in the clag. By good fortune we were first at the foot of Right Twin which Gill led, while Hereward & James, followed by Graham Weston and his team were on neighbouring Forgotten Twin. Roger & Graham with estimable energy and enthusiasm had headed once again for the Ben, but at the time of writing I haven't heard how they got on.
Despite the weather on Sunday, this was certainly a memorable weekend for the brilliant conditions on the Ben on Saturday. Thanks to all who joined the meet - if you keep going, you win eventually! CJR
.