Just back from a most amazing trip to Glen Spean and Glen Coe areas of
the Highlands.
Friday and Saturday - winds supposedly gusting to 90mph at 3000ft with
heavy snowfall.
The experience bore out the accuracy of the forecasts! Neither day did
we manage to "top out" on a mountain, being beaten back by gusts that
knocked us over on Friday, and by a steep and avalanche-prone snow
slope on Saturday. Probably the strongest winds we have ever tried to
walk in - more fool us, possibly, but it's something to bore everybody
with in the pub!

Sunday was something else - on a wonderful ridge on the edge of
Rannoch Moor (Ben a Chreachain) with strong winds again, yes, but
clear skies, near-infinite visibility, and everything within sight was
plastered in fresh snow! One of the best hill days ever.

We wanted winter, and we sure got it - only sad to see the temps
rising again up in the highlands from today onwards.

Oh yes, and they were definitely skiing in Glencoe yesterday!

Paul
Leigh
Lancs

"Paul Richardson" wrote in message
...
Just back from a most amazing trip to Glen Spean and Glen Coe areas of
the Highlands.
Friday and Saturday - winds supposedly gusting to 90mph at 3000ft with
heavy snowfall.
The experience bore out the accuracy of the forecasts! Neither day did
we manage to "top out" on a mountain, being beaten back by gusts that
knocked us over on Friday, and by a steep and avalanche-prone snow
slope on Saturday. Probably the strongest winds we have ever tried to
walk in - more fool us, possibly, but it's something to bore everybody
with in the pub!

Paul
Leigh
Lancs

Heading up into the hills with a forecast like that too true....."more the
fool you"......spare a thought for the poor guys who would have had to carry
you down as they end up doing most weekends in the Highlands with
over-enthusiastic climbers ignoring quite serious weather forecasts.

JP

......spare a thought for the poor guys who would have had to carry
you down as they end up doing most weekends in the Highlands with
over-enthusiastic climbers ignoring quite serious weather forecasts.

JP


Not going to be drawn into that debate, except to point out that we
were properly equipped, not least with the sense to abandon two summit
attempts when the forecast proved its accuracy. Having said that
though, if you never went out when the forecast looks bad in
Scotland...... not sure you'd be up in the hills much at all!

Paul

"Paul Richardson" wrote in message
...
......spare a thought for the poor guys who would have had to carry
you down as they end up doing most weekends in the Highlands with
over-enthusiastic climbers ignoring quite serious weather forecasts.

JP


Not going to be drawn into that debate, except to point out that we
were properly equipped, not least with the sense to abandon two summit
attempts when the forecast proved its accuracy. Having said that
though, if you never went out when the forecast looks bad in
Scotland...... not sure you'd be up in the hills much at all!

Paul



Sure, it wasn't meant to be personal as I have no idea of your expertise and
am sure you were capable of judging the conditions. Was just making a
general point as living up here in the Highlands I see the Helicopter going
up into the hills every week-end and nine times out of ten it is to rescue
climbers who totally misjudged or ignored the forecast, were ill-equipped or
downright stupid.
Hopefully it is a minority as no doubt there are lots of others who go up,
come down safely who we never hear about of course.......the hills are there
for all to enjoy.

JP

On Tue, 10 Feb 2004 21:14:43 -0000, "J.Poyner"
wrote:

... to rescueclimbers who totally misjudged or ignored the forecast, were
ill-equipped or downright stupid.
Hopefully it is a minority as no doubt there are lots of others who go up,
come down safely who we never hear about of course.......the hills are there
for all to enjoy.

That's a point too often missed; the vast majority get up and down
safely and wihtout inconveniencing anybody. A few get down through
sheer good luck (being ill-equipped and ignorant of the hazards) but
most do precisely what you suggest they should, always get down
safely... and are never heard about.

To my great regret at the time, my party of walkers decided to stop
1,000 feet from the top of Ben Nevis, many years ago, in good weather.
Skies to the West indicated that an advancing front with strong winds
and snow would arrive sooner than expected. Although conditions were
OK at the time, we needed to be sure that if conditions deteriorated
suddenly (as they do!) we still had time to get down before dark. So
we stayed below 3500 feet, practising cramponing and digging snowholes
(in a safe location). Thoroughly enjoyable it was, too!

A few people continued on towards the summit, with one pair wearing
trainers. They ignored our friendly advice... that really annoyed us
and *you* would have been spitting blood! But my main point is that
generalising from specific incidents such as this can easily create a
false impression. Most of "us" do the right thing, always.

Cheers

--
Dave

"J.Poyner"wrote Heading up into the hills with a forecast like that too
true....."more the
fool you"......spare a thought for the poor guys who would have had to
carry
you down as they end up doing most weekends in the Highlands with
over-enthusiastic climbers ignoring quite serious weather forecasts.

I agree with the later post that pointed-out that the vast majority of all
climbers are perfectly responsible and cause no problems to the tax-payer
or emergency services.

A bit like the 99.9% of cyclists, rugby and football players, potholers,
anglers, canoeists, flyers, swimmers, bungee-jumpers, DIYers, and (yes
it's true) gardeners. It's the 0.1% that cost us all money in
rescuing/treating them etc.

Unruly football "fans", like habitual drunks, have a far worse record in
being an unnecessary drain on the emergency services, I think.


- Tom.

On Wed, 11 Feb 2004 00:44:16 -0000, "Tom Bennett"
wrote:


I agree with the later post that pointed-out that the vast majority of all
climbers are perfectly responsible and cause no problems to the tax-payer
or emergency services.


There were certainly a lot of folks going out into the hills, and I
didn't hear of any problems ...... mind you, we were out walking, not
at home listening to the news!

Paul