Page 27 - 2018 AMA Summer

able to convince her by physical presence and persuasion that she could manage and she did.
We then followed the ridge, turning the difficulties and gaining the plateau in perfect conditions. It was decided we had time enough to carry on out to bag Cairn Lochan, before returning via Stob Coire an t Sneachda to point 1141 and thence descend. Cloud came in on cue, enabling us to carry out navigation legs and realise the different skills required to navigate in full winter conditions before descending back via the lower ski slopes. The climbers worked elsewhere,progress- ing to a grade 3 gully, climbing North Gully (RH) on Lurcher’s Crag in the Lairig Ghru, with the student leading grade 2 ice.
The best weather was forecast for the west on Tuesday, so after an early start we drove over to Glencoe and walked in perfect sunshine up the path to Stob Coire an Lochan, whilst the climbers carried on to the end of the glen to undertake a winter traverse of the Aonach Eagach ridge. I unfortunately had to descend from below the snow line with the senior cadet who had aggravated an old rugby injury by twisting her ankle on the stone path and could not continue but the remainder summitted. The first group had sunshine on the top and great views over the Aonach Eagach and out over Glen Etive, but even the others had great views on the way up and down. I met the climbers, Billy and his student, after their successful traverse in excellent conditions with a banked out Pas Mauvais, which had made life easier! We drove down the glen to meet the walkers. One candidate had found the terrain difficult and slowed considerably, but his team supported him well, staying with him to encourage and one even taking his pack. They eventually descended and we headed back east.
After a long day and in response to a forecast of extremely high winds, on Wednesday it was decided to have a later start and work locally. Accordingly, after a lecture on emergency shelters, we introduced the novices to transceivers and carried out searches in the environs of the lodge, before driving up the ski slope road to walk into some steep snow slopes we had identified previously on the bends of a valley stage river. They would provide suitable shelter sites. The
climbers utilised them to practise ice and snow belays, whilst after more transceiver searchs, this time for buried rucksacks to give the novices experience of using snow probes, the group set about fashioning emergency shelters. There is no way of describing how hard digging with only an ice axe is, it has to be experienced. They were incredulous when I told them that in the olden days, to pass ML(W), you had to get yourself out of the wind in 20 minutes!
‘The walkers headed out locally to do a bit of navigation’
Thursday had to be a short day as all the equipment had to be handed in and the minibus packed for an early start Friday. As high winds were still forecast, the climbers headed over to Kinlochleven to have a session in the Ice Factor, a frozen boxofartificiallymadeScottishnevé.This tested their skills on steep ground to the limit, as the walls are variously almost vertical, vertical and overhanging! The box is booked in two hour blocks and the climbers agreed two hours was enough. The walkers headed out locally to do a bit of navigation on some very rough, unforgiving terrain beyond the Ryvoan bothy. The team all worked hard and even though there was no snow cover as we were so low (the extremely high winds precluded moving higher) a lot of experience was gained.
‘The aim is to increase the number of AT qualified CFAVs in order to improve the quality of AT carried out in the ACF and CCFs’
Once the admin was completed, we all sat down together for a traditional Burn’s Supper which John our excellent chef, had prepared. One of the candidates, although English, could play the pipes and had his with him, so he piped in the haggis and I addressed it, albeit using a tablet to supply the words! It was a fitting end to a fine week of Scottish mountaineering.
CCAT runs JSAT and NGB courses to qualify Cadet Force Adult Volunteers (CFAVs) in the AT disciplines, largely at
weekends and during school holidays to fit with their availability. In addition to operating in the UK, courses are run in Bavaria, the Alps, Norway and even Canada, wherever the conditions meet the needs of the activity. The aim is to increase the number of AT qualified CFAVs in order to improve the quality of AT carried out in the ACF and CCFs by ensuring personal development is front and centre. Whilst in the Regular and Reserve forces AT is used to develop physical and mental resilience in order to improve operational effectiveness, the Cadet Charter states that military, adventurous and community activities are used to achieve personal development in order to make better citizens, more able to be their best and contribute to their communities.
Unfortunately, much AT carried out currently does not serve this aim. As ACF National Adviser for Adventurous Training, I enjoy working with the grass roots of the organisation and always use it as an opportunity to gather intelligence about what is actually happening on the ground. I can then talk with authority about the reality of cadet AT provision rather than the system’s espoused view, but that’s another story!
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