Page 20 - AMA Summer 2024

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AMA WINTER MEET 2024
HTunter Davis
he AMA winter meet is one of the association’s highlights of the year, provided the Scottish weather permits. For the last two years, the meet has been based in Glencoe on the Scottish West Coast.
The meet is run from Glen Coe Youth Hostel which the AMA book for the week for all attendees. Glen Coe is a fantastic destination for winter mountaineering within minutes of the hostel and Lochaber and the Mighty Ben, only forty minutes away.
The meet aimed to introduce AMA members to winter mountaineering and develop already experienced members towards Joint Service qual- ifications. Our aim, as relatively new winter climbers, was to explore the highlands and climb a bunch of cool routes. We wasted no time ticking off that aim.
On arrival we met our instructor for the week, Andy Hogarth, a runner who climbs winter grade VIII on the side. The first two days were spent on Buachaille Etive Mor climbing Curved Ridge and North Buttress under glorious blue skies. These were big days on the hill and set the tone for the rest of the week. The routes themselves are both classic climbs, offering spectacular views and superb climbing. The routes also offered a brilliant shakeout for moving on very much mixed terrain, often in quite an alpine style (read: conditions were often very lean).
The third day started with another big walk in, this time to Stob Coire Nan Lochan. The freezing level had dropped which led naturally to a discussion of avalanche risk and how to assess the condition of a climb. As the coire was quite busy we climbed Pinnacle Buttress Groove, a blocky route with enjoyable climbing that appears in very few guide books. After abseiling off, we approached the base of Raeburn’s Route, another classic. It was at this point Andy said; “I don’t think we’re actually going to climb this”. A short glance up revealed why. The climb was dripping wet, and in poor condition for a safe and enjoyable winter ascent. Andy’s decision was vindicated as we began our retreat and a large lump of rock came whizzing past.
Over the next two days the weather along the West Coast was set to be warm and wet, leaving little hope for good climbing. Therefore, we headed East, to the Cairngorms. The two-hour drive is offset to some
Some people wait a lifetime for a traverse of the Aonach Eagach
extent by the shorter walk in and over two days we climbed Haston Line into the Messenger and the first two pitches of Honeypot. These felt like proper winter days, battling against wind and occasionally being smashed by spindrift. The Cairngorms also offered more exposure to different styles of climbing; Haston Line sticks in my memory due to a big move on positive hooks and Honeypot for the opposite, obvious yet relatively delicate moves moving systematically upwards. Every pitch offered fantastic climbing and even the screaming barfies couldn’t wipe the smiles off our faces.
With the forecast improving in Glencoe, we headed back to the hostel ready for the sixth day. There were a few options available but the lure of a winter traverse of the Aonach Eagach Ridge proved too good to miss. We put the afterburners on during the approach to move ahead of the many people who had also decided to make the most of the blue skies and attempt the traverse. Chris Dowd, who completed the traverse just ahead of us summed it up best; “Some people wait a lifetime for a traverse of the Aonach Eagach on a day like that”. It was indeed an unforgettable experience. We moved fast thanks to a masterclass in short-roping from Andy and witnessed spectacular 360 degree views from start to finish.
Which left just the final day, a Saturday with a good weather forecast. Cue hordes of people at the car park. We left earlier than usual and flew up the walk-in to Stob Coire Nan Lochan. Despite passing several teams on the way the crag was still busy. Fortunately, we were the first on Raeburn’s Route, another classic. Having climbed it, it is easy to see why; it had a bit of everything from frozen turf, to steep sections and balancy traverses. What a route!
We would like to thank Chris Dowd for organising the meet and Andy Hogarth for his superb instruction. We have had seven days of amazing climbing and significantly increased the base of experience we are currently building. We would also like to thank the AMA for their continued support of mountaineering in the Army. We have both greatly benefitted from expeditions and instruction funded by the AMA so we are looking forward to running future meets to give back to the community and inspire the next generation of Army mountaineers.
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