Well this weekend I was helping five people train to become mountain leaders, the national Governing body award for leading groups in the mountains of the UK during summer conditions. I was working for local course provider and one of the main protagonists of the first wave of the development of the Slate Quarries, Andy Newton. The weekend was fraught with difficult weather, so on the Saturday we had to stay low and avoid the unavoidable ice. Even on the south side of Llanberis Pass there was ice everywhere, and careful route choice helped us to avoid it, whilst the rest of the world seemed devoted to finding and climbing whatever lines they could.
As if like a miracle over night the weather changed from being desperately cold, dry and calm to being ridiculously windy and wet. At least it meant that the ice had gone, however standing out in the rain all day makes far from a positive learning environment, and personally I was happier with the freezing but fine conditions we’ve had for the last couple of weeks.
As such all winter climbing activities will be suspended until we get the next freeze, we are already on the second one this winter season.