Off To Catch The Sun

Just as soon as things started to look wintry it all disappeared again, this is something I'm quiet glad about as I am about to jet off to India for the next month this evening. I am going to be working for World Challenge Expeditions leading a experiential learning expedition for a Australian school group of 14 students.

The expedition will consist of a number of parts, we are to make a accent of Ranthan Pass in the Himalayas during our 10 days of trekking,  2 day white water rafting trip down the river Gange, undertake a community project in Rajasthan where the team will help construct a much needed wall around a local primary school as well as teaching in the school and to wrap the trip up some time to rest and relax visiting some of the tourist sights of India including Taj Mahal and visiting the pink city of Jaipur.

During this time I will only have limited access to Internet so any enquires may take a little time to respond to. I still have a number of spaces on 2012 Winter Skills Courses www.verticalworlds.com bookings available online or via post. (Please not postal bookings will not receive confirmation until after 15th January unless you email as well)

Looking forwards to returning and starting 2012 Winter Skills season.

What a difference a year can make

This time last year the UK was in a firm grip of the Arctic weather system where the world of winter climbing was at its peak in North Wales, a year ago today I climbed the fantastic Maesglasau Falls where as today the temperature is near touching double figures.
http://nickmortley.blogspot.com/2010/12/maesglasau-falls.html

This being said things are forming up nicely in the Scottish highlands laying down a good base for the upcoming winter season. To be totally honest I feel a little sigh of relief that things are not in top shape in North Wales and not looking likely anytime soon as I am about to jet off to the Indian Himalayas until mid January leading a expedition and couldn't bar the the reports of North Wales winter classics being ticked.

Winter Preperation

With the lack of winter arriving in North Wales as of yet Huw and myself decided to get some pre season training in. Huw excitedly called me (as if to tell me that all of the winter routes on Cadair Idris had formed up without us realising) that he had found a first class dry tooling venue in a slate quarry close by. We both scrambled up over the slate tips to be confronted with a massive retaining wall which looked climbable all over. Huw set off up the wall which was very reminiscent of climbing a busy ice fall as we were showered with peaces of crumbling slate falling from the face being knocked by huw and the ropes. Huw with his new tools made little effort of climbing to the top before my go was up. This felt more intimidating than finding yourself on some unprotected climb on the north face of the Ben to me being showered by peaces of louse slate. Huw unfazed by this got back on to take a harder line until darkness struck. I think I'm going to wait for winter to arrive!!!