Page 38 - 2019 AMA Summer

CLIMBINGMEETS
into practise everything they had learnt on the first one. Fab day in the office”. The next day Kurt and Fletch ascended the Idwal Slabs which is amazing considering where they started the day before. Whilst
the climbs generally fall into the easier bracket, you need to have a wide range of skills to safely ascend and descend the slabs.
For me, this is what the AMA is all about. Helping our members gain more experience under expert tuition, so that they can develop into better instructors. The aim is that they then come back and help the next generation.
WINTER MEET 2019
The Winter meet this year took place in Dundonnell and was arranged by Duncan Francis. This meet is by far the most complex to arrange and I am very grateful to Duncan, Martin and Sean for arranging this meet over the last few years. There are so many complications with winter that make it a beast to arrange. The
meet is longer than all the others due to location. There is no point driving to the North of Scotland for a weekend. The weather can be unreliable which makes life difficult for the instructors who must try and find good conditions that are safe. Finally, there is the instructors, there are far fewer winter qualified instructors available than we would like. Despite all this, the meet was a great success and it remains a jewel in the crown for many.
WHAT ARE THE AIMS OF THE MEETS?
If you are new to the AMA, or perhaps been a member for a while but never attended a meet before, please read this next section. The aims of the meets are numerous:
• Have fun
• Learn new skills
38 / ARMY MOUNTAINEER