Mountain Leader Training Association
Launches We've finally launched the Mountain Leader Training Association.
You can join MLTA for £15 now. Visit the site on www.mlta.co.uk
Developments in Single Pitch and Mountain Leader Awards Reviews are now complete for the Mountain Leader (ML) and Single Pitch Award (SPA) resulting in very few changes to the basic syllabus but a range of developments in the guidance notes.
Where did December go? Is the whole world getting faster or is it just my imagination? The month was filled by meetings and workshops plus the completion of the final draft of the Climbing Wall Award handbook for publication. (You can read it online at: www.mltuk.org/docs/documents/CWAHandbook-Dec19.pdf)
8-9/12/07: Working alongside Allen Fyffe, Jon Garside from MLTE/BMC and myself co-delivered some workshops at Glenmore Lodge and Extreme Dream for MLTS.
On Boxing Day my son Sion and I found dry conditions at Vivian Quarry and climbed "Last Tango in Paris" (E1 5b). On the walk in we met Joe Brown, an auspicious end of the year for me. Joe is of course one of the finest climbers of all time and was certainly one of my great inspirations when I took up mountaineering. His book "The Hard Years" was one of my favourite teenage reads. The belay station is set too far back to retrieve ropes so I abseiled down "Comes the Dervish". Before we could use the toprope opportunity the rain set in.
We had a great family holiday in Chamonix over New Year. It was great to get back on skis again, and my wife Anita finally got a pair of boots customised to fit her fused ankle so we were all able to ski together.
24.11.07. The MLTUK met at the beautifully furbished Bendrigg Lodge near Sedburgh. Saturday evening saw some lively informal discussion followed by some fairly powerful hangovers on Sunday. Nonetheless small groups of Board members could be found walking and climbing the following day in Yorkshire. I joined a team at Robin Proctor’s and Giggleswick scars where we enjoyed modern classics including “Wheels on Fire” (6a+) and Black Swan Rising (6b).
23.11.07 The National Source Group for coaching in mountaineering met in Carlisle to continue work on a report to be presented to the National Councils. This group has been working together for several months now to discuss share needs and make recomendations for future policy on the developmment of coaches.
This month started very promisingly with a week's holiday in Italy. This was a family trip combining relaxed sightseeing with half days of climbing in the Arco region. It was half term in Germany so most of the population seemed to have congregated at Arco, but we still managed to get some good routes in. It did make me reflect (impatiently!) on group practice: even 2 people can be have the same impact as a large group if they are "working" a route and then top-roping it continuously afterwards...
Steve climbing the excellent Cyclops (7a) near Arco Italy. No queues on this route thankfully.
Photo: Anita Long
October 2007
Climbing Wall Award Providers Workshops
29/10/07 I joined MLTE again for the second Climbing Wall Award Prorkshop, clutching our newly revised Prospectus and syllabus. This time ovider Wour venue was the Manchester Climbing Centre, where John Dunne had laid at our disposal an excellent meeting room as well as some ideal routes to practise methods of coaching movement.
22/10/07 Malcolm Creasey, Jon Garside and myself headed over to Bristol's Undercover Rock on Friday 19th October to run the first of the MLTE provider workshops. This was attended by 15 people and was a great opportunity for us to discuss the prospectus and syllabus and look at the practical issues of delivery. In the afternoon we moved into one of the climbing areas and looked at principles for coaching movement.
On Sunday 21st October, Martin Doyle (Plas y Brenin CEO) and myself worked off a hangover on Graduation Ceremony (E4+!) at Gogarth.
The night before saw a huge gathering at the wedding of Tim Neil and Lou (nee) Wilkinson, with much alcohol flowing and dance moves thrown at the Electric Mountain in Llanberis, a fantastic venue for a wedding party.
Request for help with a short survey of climbers . (closing date Dec 20th 2007).
Thanks to all of you who completed the survey questionnaire for my son Sion. He is currrently creating graphs and reports based on the data!
Occasional dry weekend days have allowed me to grab a couple of good days out. At Gogarth, Sion and I climbed Nightride and Scavenger, and at Pen Trwyn we climbed Contusion, Mayfair, The Bloods, No Arc no Bark and Belay Bunny Bounces Back (6a-7a+)
15/10/07 Since the Board meeting we have been working hard on the Climbing Wall Award. Most of the logbook pages have been produced and the handbook should be ready for loading up for internet download next week. On October 11th Andy Say of the MLTE and myself presented a short report to the Outdoor Education Advisors Panel about our attempts to persuade Sports Leader UK to reintroduce a quality control system for the Award in British Expedition Leadership (formerly BELA). We received unanimous support for our actions.
Several members of the MLTUK Board stayed on for a few days of hiking and climbing. The Burren offers fantastic climbing surrounded by world class pubs with music all night. What more do you want?
1/10/07Just back from a stag party in the Peak District held for Plas y Brenin instructor Tim Neill. Unusually for a stag do my head feels fine but my body is wrecked! Highlights from the trip for me were leading Elder Crack(at last!), the ultimate team ascent of Paradise Wall (20 on a rope!) and watching James MacAffie on-sight Linden (E6 6b)
15/7/07 Yesterday evening while my son was leading "Equinox", a trad VS at Bus Stop Quarry, he suddenly called down "Dad, can I sign up for single pitch training? It would be more useful than some of the exams I'm doing!"
I informed him that the lower age limit for most of our awards is 18.
I believe that the change introduced for the Climbing Wall Award to allow 17 year olds to undertake training is a step in the right direction. The minimum age for assessment remains at 18 which is a sensible requirement for an adult responsibility.
Sion leading Equinox
The first draft of the Climbing Wall Award handbook will be distributed to Board members along with much of the administrative paperwork this Monday, for discussion at the Board meeting at the Burren Centre on 22nd September.
9/9/07Today the Climbers Club President "Smiler" Cuthbertson joined my son and I for an exciting traverse at Castell y Gwynt: Appian Street/Watling Street (E2/3 5c)
Smiler was on his way home from a Climbers Club meeting in Llanberis so we met up to plan our road trip for 2008 and to talk about a few issues facing the club. Sharing adventures together helps keep everything in perspective!
5/7/07 I spent half of today hiking up Moel Siabod with a pair of ex-students from a Plas y Brenin course several years ago. George was celebrating his 72nd birthday but is recovering from a serious health scare having recently suffered a deep vein thrombosis. Our mutual friend Mark is the family biographer for Jack Longland and he has unearthed some fascinating information about this founding member of the mountain training boards. All in all an enjoyable and rewarding outing. Mark leading Scratch Arete
3/7/07 We are preparing for the next Board meeting on 22nd September now, with an Executive meeting on Skype tonight. Meanwhile registrations for MIA, MIC and IML are coming in thick and fast! Currently we are able to process them all within a day or two and I am pleased to report that most applications lately have been very strong.
Helping an ML holder prepare psychologically for his SPA:
R.Blood leading Wen (HVS,4c,5a) Gogarth at the beginning of September.
Opportunities like this are regularly open to MLTA members:check out the MLTA web page for official workshops and conferences
British Mountain Guides SummerTraining Course 2
4-7/5/07. MLTUK convened the second of the two summer training courses for trainee BMG members.This included sessions on coaching, injury avoidance, psychology of client care, high altitude guiding, environmental awareness, working close to/in water, professionalism and marketing. The course included a day in Cwm Glas with a traverse of Crib Goch and featured contributions from UK leaders in specialist areas, including Lew Hardy, Tim Jepson, Martin Doyle, Dave Cheetham and Rob Spencer.
Click on any of the pictures to view a large scale pdf of the set.
Yosemite and the Needles
13-26/5/07.Dave Turnbull (BMC Chief Executive) and Steve Long travelled to the USA for a climbing trip. Conditions proved too hot to attempt the main objective (Astroman) but some significant ascents in Yosemite National Park and at the Needles were made including New Diversions, Mark of Art, Outer Limits, Stoner's Highway, Oz/Gram Traverse, Knob Job ( 5.10's) and Bircheff-Williams, Moratorium, Catchy Corner, Atlantis (5.11's)
4-5/5/07. My son Sion and I took the train to Clogwyn station and pitched our tent at Llyn du'r Arddu. We had a brilliant couple of days climbing on Cloggy, just in time before the rains came. Looks like April showers for a while now!
Left: The campsite. Centre: Great Wall (E4) Right: Troach (E2)
IML Moderation at PyB
1-3/5/07 I dropped in on a few IML sessions on a "new-style" IML summer training course and chatted to the participants. All seemed to have extensive experience, and were finding the course useful and interesting.
Assessors' Workshop for N. Wales Scouts at yr Hafod, Ogwen.
29.4.07. I met about 20 assessors for yr Hafod, (registered as an ML Provider), to deliver a workshop on assessing ML and to update the Scout assessors on current issues. The workshop was practical in nature and included navigational legs around Cwm Idwal and some ropework issues on various small crags near Idwal Youth Hostel. I was most impressed with the standard of the leaders and their commitment to continuing personal development.
Plas y Brenin staff training: Coaching processes in climbing
23,25 April. I was able to sit in on a few sessions of this fascinating staff development project combining the coaching experience of Loel Collins with the work of the PyB climbing department.
A very interesting couple of days which all the staff found to be very constructive.
UIAA Mountaineering Commission and Training Standards Working Group meetings
Mid April. These were held in Slovenia. Work on a major revision of the UIAA Trainng standards was completed and I will be organising the publication of this document this summer.
25 + 27 March. A couple of sunny afternoons allowed some enjoyable climbing in unseasonably warm conditions. On Tuesday evening I climbed "Memory Lane" on Dinas Cromlech (E3, 5c) with my son Sion. This picture shows him reaching the finishing jugs. Looks like the rains are set to return this week: a good time to catch up on some office work!
Institute for Outdoor Learning National Conference
24th March. I chaired a workshop about the MLTUK's role in CPD and working at the edges of award remit. This brought some positive resonses and some action suggestions that I will be able to take to the MLTUK Board
BMC Alpine Lecture Tour
Chris Dale and I toured England to give a series of talks for the BMC about climbing in the Alps during early March.
BMC/MCofS International Winter Climbing Meet
On Monday 26th we had perfect conditions high on the Ben, with not a breath of wind. Joining a strong team from Slovenia and Greece (Tomas and "John") but failing to work out where the Tower Face of the Comb started (we had an old guidebook!) we just climbed straight up mixed ground (probably "Lost Souls" in part).
Nick Colton
On Wednesday 28th, I took a small team to Birnham (or Newtyle) quarry. Nick and I were sceptical about this venue until we arrived to find permanently wet and greasy slate slabs, walls and roofs transformed into a fun training venue for wet or avalanche-prone days. We clipped a few bolts and had a very enjoyable afternoon with Cirensangzhu from China and Dougald MacDonald from USA.
On Thurday 29th, I teamed up with Cirensangzhu and Lei Zhao to climb Indicator Wall R-hand. It wan't our first choice but there were queues on every other route in the area! Cirensangzhu led the crux pitch with a only a couple of ice screws available for runners. He enjoyed it in retrospect!
Back in the office
12-14 Feb 2007: Quite a lot of work on the website this week. Produced the minutes from the Board meeting and got halfway through drafting the final version of the International Mountain Leader Award Handbook.
MIC Moderation visit to Plas y Brenin at Ballachuilish
5th Feb 2007: MIC Moderation visit to Plas y Brenin MIC
We climbed Ledge Route on Plas y Brenin in beautiful conditions.
Winter Skills Book launch
Allen Fyffe and Andy Cunningham sign copies of their new book at the official launch at Glenmore Lodge
4 Feb 2007:
MLTUK Board Meeting.
3 Feb 2007:
MLT Officers Meeting. Discussed issues including Climbing Wall Award, WGL and ML courses, Promotional DVD,
1-2 Feb 2007: MIC Moderation Glenmore Lodge
Mountaineering Day: short roping, short piching, navigation and descent around Coire an Lochan
Click Thumbnail to view a video clip
Don't be over-confident about this though; this was very forgiving snow, and the group came to the conclusion that extreme caution should be exercised with this technique.
On Boxing Day my son Sion and I found dry conditions at Vivian Quarry and climbed "Last Tango in Paris" (E1 5b). On the walk in we met Joe Brown, an auspicious end of the year for me. Joe is of course one of the finest climbers of all time and was certainly one of my great inspirations when I took up mountaineering. His book "The Hard Years" was one of my favourite teenage reads. The belay station is set too far back to retrieve ropes so I abseiled down "Comes the Dervish". Before we could use the toprope opportunity the rain set in.
29/10/07
22/10/07
On Sunday 21st October, Martin Doyle (Plas y Brenin CEO) and myself worked off a hangover on Graduation Ceremony (E4+!) at Gogarth. 
22-26/9/07
9/9/07
5/7/07
