Legendary mountaineer and recuer Hamish MacInnes is opening the first on snow avalanche transceiver training park in Scotland on Saturday. Sponsored by ANATOM the Back country Access importer to the UK, and hosted by Glencoe Mountain ski area and ski patrol. The area is easilly accessed on foot via the chairlift for uplift or can be skied into as part of a signal search for those wanting to test or practice their transceiver skills. The park will also have a probing area with objects to “feel” when conducting a formal probe or as part of a pinpoint final search on companion recovery. Supported by the Scottish Avalanche Information Service and Mountain Safety Forum this park should help Freeriders, Back Country Ski Tourers and mountain rescuers practice in a relatively snow sure and realistic way. Individuals should speak to ski patrol and groups might be best to phone ahead. Donations for upkeep and further development welcome.

Davy Gunn
http://www.crankitupgear.com
Dynafit & BCA Distributor
Highland Scotland

i’m heading up to scotland next week but we are based around Aviemore for a winter mountaineering course and winter navigation course.  We hope to get some ski time in, but are unsure about touring.  This new park sounds great so I may try and persuade my mates to drive across there instead for some practise. Well done to you.

how are conditions with you?

any spots worth hitting up with skins you could recomend a fellow pistehor in the Cairngorms??

p.s- which is better, ski touring or mountain biking? i’m a die hard mountain biker who loves to ski tour.

OliC - 06 January 2011 06:18 PM

p.s- which is better, ski touring or mountain biking? i’m a die hard mountain biker who loves to ski tour.

That’s a good combo, you can indulge your mountain biking passion and only tour when the conditions are good.

Great news about the transceiver park, and Scotland seems to be getting good snow again this season.

It would be great to see some Scottish TRs posted.

Touring conditions this season have been excellent all over Scotland with even the lower hills in the South seeing good cover.  Cairngorm has excellent cover at all levels so classic tours accross the Platuea should be good.  Glen Feshie nearby is very good and it’s also worth the journey down the A9 from Aviemore to the spittal of Glenshee where good tours aare possible from the ski centre.  The avalanche risk has gone up over the last 36 hours due to a now icy base having cross loaded with slab but this is mainly on N to NE aspects.  The overhead conditions are good but very cold with 20mph winds and - 10c giving quite nippy windchill.  Enjoy your trip and dont forget a nice malt in the evening

davidof - 06 January 2011 06:40 PM

It would be great to see some Scottish TRs posted.

I was hoping I can write something up for you,
but with a mixed ability group going up i’m not sure if we’ll ski tour much, mountaineering or piste cruising.

Davy Gunn - 06 January 2011 06:52 PM

Enjoy your trip and dont forget a nice malt in the evening

Thank you very much and keep up the good work and get some TR’s in for Davidof.
and i’m sorry to say, i’m not a wiskey fan, i like that jack bloke from the US of A, but i don’t want to start arguments.  Being a born and bred Herefordian I’m a cider drinker.

Not quite Hereford, more Mummerzet but here’s something for you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHtfZCMYCP0