Over the October Bank Holiday (27-29 Oct 2007) weekend seven members of the club successfully completed a three-day Rescue and Emergency Care, Level 3, course at the Burren Outdoor Education Centre.

This is an essential requirement to keep a Mountain Leader qualification in date and is also necessary for all ML aspirants as well as being an excellent First Aid Course with an emphasis on a wilderness setting.

The tutors, Jen Ward and Kenny Roberts, were excellent and one of the highlights of the weekend was a visit from the Coastguard helicopter and crew from Shannon on Saturday afternoon.Pilot, Captain Cathal Oakes, Duty Co-Pilot, Capt. Mark Kelly and winchmen, Paul Truss and Ciaran McHugh gave us a tour of the helicopter and outlined what we have to do if we need to have a casualty airlifted from the mountains.

Twelve Clare Outdoor Club souls spent a very enjoyable June weekend in the Aneto area of the Pyrenees. This finely honed and toned group departed Shannon for Carcassonne amid a total absence of fanfare early on Friday June 1st.  Preparation had varied from the intense (Lorraine’s Guarana patrols of the Tesco aisles) to the calculated (O’Shea’s Pat “haven’t done any walking so may as well conserve energy at this stage”).  Others were sighted in Mangan’s Cash & Carry freezer perfecting snow and ice skills. Trip liaison officer, Carol-Anne, fretted that a rival COC group might already be in-situ and urged total electronic silence for the remainder of the trip – Agent McHale reluctantly switched off his satellite phone, GPS, altimeter, barometer, thermometer, sonar, aerometer &  integrated infra red camera.

Carcassonne was annexed safely and the group departed the airport at high speed in Mafia like staff cars. Mission security was ensured by dividing the human cargo into hot guys, hot girls, and well… the rest and keeping instructions to a minimum! As it transpired this minimum proved too much for some but despite various navigators’ best efforts we reached base camp, the appropriately named Hotel des Sports in Luchon nestling in the French foothills of the Pyrenees. Concierge Gallagher expertly arranged troupe deployment with his local résistance contact (alias Mrs Doyle) and the group retired confident in its ability to march, the very next morning, on Spain.

This confidence proved well-founded. Transport was abandoned (heavily camouflaged under one of Breda’s many rucksacks) at Hospice de France (1,300 m) and the group began the trek toward Spain and the Port de Venasque (2,400 m.).

This is a glorious walk along a well trodden and sometimes zigzagging path. Altitude was gained quickly, relatively painlessly and in approx. 3 hours the Refuge de Venasque was reached. This small hut, situated in an idyllic setting, was just escaping winter’s tentacles with snow still blanketing the surrounding hills and the lakes presenting a turquoise cocktail of clear water & mini icebergs. The path ahead was quickly swallowed up in snow and quite a steep snow slope invited an icy bath in the lake far below. Bagnell Ruth did her utmost to reach the lake and had to be physically restrained in her bathing attempt by two of her colleagues. The path re-established itself once the snow slope was negotiated and a steep climb of ca. 100 m. over broken ground led to the Port de Venasque. This Iberian imitation of the Heavenly Gates marks the border and the narrow pass opened to a magnificent valley vista, the Renclusa Hut and, in the distance, Pico de Aneto itself.

The descent to the valley below was uneventful and punctuated by the ever-changing flora and fauna – expertly described, from beneath her still many remaining rucksacks, by Breda. Rumour had it that she was to have put Dave in one bag for Eimear but he refused to get in citing he did not want to get caught in the sack with the mother-in-law. The snow of the higher reaches quickly gave way to a variety of flowers with the ginseng (deepest azure) & daffodils peppering the meadows and the shrill whistle of the many marmots teasing our ears. Once the floor of the valley was reached, a well worn path eased the 300 m ascent to the Renclusa Hut, or home for the next two nights. Walking time was ca. 6.5 hours with a total ascent of ca. 1,400 m.

 The genealogy of the Renclusa can be traced in the surrounding buildings with the current hut providing first class accommodation for ca. 100 souls in what can only be described, in mountaineering terms, as the lap of luxury. The hut provides full service (dinner, breakfast and gear hire), friendly noisy Spanish hospitality and the coldest showers one is ever likely to shiver under! It also acts as the base for Pico de Aneto.

Aneto, sometimes named Nethou in France, is the highest mountain in the Pyrenees and one of the best known peaks of Aragon, together with Monte Perdido and Vignemale. Aneto is located in Macizo de la Maladeta (Montes Malditos from mythology). The largest glacier in the Pyrenees formed by a circus of 132 Ha / 326 acres in surface and 50 m / 164 ft in thickness, lies at its base and which like all glaciers is in regression; the ice moves 35 meters / 115 ft each year on the average. This glacier must be crossed to reach the top from the Renclusa

At this stage, due ironically to safety considerations because of the large amount of snow on the mountains, we decided that the full group would attempt Aneto on Sunday. A crampon/ice axe fitting fest ensued and the abiding memory of the evening is of Concierge Gallagher heading for his bunk resplendent in head torch, crampons and ice axes – all however failed miserably in preventing McHale from snoring!

Morning call was at 4.15 am and shortly after 5.30 am the group departed for Aneto. Lest we miss the mountain in the dark we detoured to take in the hillock behind the hut – the other 88 Spanish climbers took the direct route! The climbing was easy and we quickly reached the snow-line. We, of course, made the mistake of going 200 m too far before putting on crampons – by then we had the steepest slope of the day behind us! Another brief detour in the direction of Maldeta (wrong peak) ensued, before a Brigadoon-like vision opened up and we spotted the Portillion Superior or main access on the ridge down to the glacier. Progress across the glacier was very safe and easy for the first hour or so. The slope then steepened inexorably, the weather closed in and the temperature plummeted – in short Aneto exacted her summit dowry! All reached the top with O’Shea Pat stripped almost ‘Kavanagh-like’ to the waist at this stage and O’Shea Ruth insisting on carrying any slings or extraneous gear she could find.  Five of the hardier souls scrambled across the gloriously exposed and icy 30 m. knife-edge to the summit cross and then kicked for home in hot pursuit of the initial group. Along the way, we decided to map previously unexplored parts of the Aneto glacier, try out all of Jim’s gear, which he had now re-activated, put as many holes in the deep snow as possible and generally avoid any part of the mountain previously trodden upon! Despite PK’s spectacular effort we did reach the Renclusa before dark and to cold showers as Lorraine had forgotten to switch on the emersion heater in the hut! We had climbed ca. 1,300 m. and the day took ca. 10 hours. A celebratory dinner was hosted by Hugh that evening – two Spaniards upon enquiring where we were from commented they did not think we were English because we were far too loud and far too happy! That came perhaps closest to capturing a perfect day.

The walk back out of the mountains took us by an alternative route back to Hospice de France and was quite magnificent (well done Hugh) despite the weather conspiring against us. It led by a different mountain pass along a baron rocky ridge down a long and meandering path to the valley. Snow gave way to rock, to vegetation, later to swards of Wordsworth’s daffodils and finally to a magnificent misty forest before we emerged in the car park 7 hours later. It’s a walk worth a re-visit.
A cultural evening ensued kicking-off (sic) in the Sports Bar adjoining the hotel and adjourning later to a local restaurant. Highlights included fly swatting, sock fitting and an O’Shea cookery demonstration. Much later again, McMahon A insisted on attending a German bikers’ party - despite our best efforts & her best leathers they refused to take her with them.
The final leg of the journey home on Tuesday passed off without incident…!
PK
June 2007


The Cast...

 

 

---

A view up the Mer de Glace towards Aig. du Tacul(centre) and the Grandes Jorasses(back)

---

The Aig. du Passon from close to the Albert 1'er hut

---

A solitary figure on the Glacier du Tour

---

---

---

A hasty retreat - from the Aiguille du Midi

---

Evening light over the Grandes Jorasses

---

 

The Goal Team, about this time last year. Nick says "Only 3 of us are still in Afghanistan."

---

Nick, hard at work.

---

Overlooking Kabul.

---

Koshtepa Valley. Nick says "This is a very interesting photo. These are Kuchi, semi nomadic tribe, originally from Kandahar area. They are Pashtun, same tribe as the Taliban. At the moment they are being persecuted. I will be commencing some water projects in this area shortly. Goal has given them the means to make their own tents. Some of them hardly even have a tent.

---

Koshtepa Kanda. Nick tells us "A Kanda is a manmade water reservoir, usually excavated in rock. They fill up when it rains/snows and they are usually excavated into the side of a hill. Very common in this area.

---

Faizabad. Nick "A Well, source of water for most people. They are hand dug sometimes to a depth of 50m. In this province (Jawzjan) many wells are saline.

---

Shulukto. Tell us more Nick "Traditional plough, probably at an auction, any takers?"

---

Winterscape. "Typical of Afghanistan in winter."

---

Blue Mosque. Nick describes "This is the Mosque in Mazar-I Sharif. It is at the centre of the city and it looks as though Mazar was built around it. I'm not sure but I think it is the 4th holiest site in Islam. It is amazing a complete contrast to Mazar. The Mosque is always very well kept, unlike the rest of Mazar."

---

 

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs:- Scottish Winter Mountaineering March 2003-04-20

Pat, Martin and I drove to Dublin on the Saturday morning, getting the Ryanair flight to Edinburgh. The flight was on time, and we left wet Dublin. We arrived in Edinburgh and like clockwork got to the train station, where we took time out to have a coffee, before realising we were so early we could catch an early train to Aviemore, so after racing about the train station for 10 minutes we jumped on the Inverness service, and two and a half hours later arrived in the dark in Aviemore.

My initial feeling was that this felt like an alpine village. We followed the sketchy directions we had for the B and B through a tunnel, but found it ok. Everything was looking up and there was even some snow that night. On the Sunday, we made ourway into the valley to Glenmore lodge. On the way having leek and Tattie soup (tatties are spuds). We collected gear that evening, I got Scarpa Alpha boots, and Grivel G12 crampons, and a straight shaft 55 cm Charlet Moser curved axe and a Wildcountry Syncro harness.

On the Monday morning, we met Gavin, Malcolm, Ian, Shane, Kathy to make our group of eight and Kirk and Pete, our two instructors for the week. As we introduced ourselves, there was an immediate feeling this was going to be a good week. The group was later christened Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. After the introductions, we practiced basic snow and ice skills in Corie Cas ? mainly ice axe arrest. We then practiced rope work in the evening, and later had a lecture on Avalanche awareness.

On Tuesday, we headed into Corie Leigh Mor, practiced more techniques including snow anchor points, abseil techniques, and also practiced what we learnt about examining for signs of avalanche risk. As it was a wet day, we returned back to the centre mid afternoon and practiced further rope techniques, In the evening Peter Cliff gave a talk on his Mt. McKinly experience. On the third day we walked into Corie an t-Sneachda, and went up Point 5 Slope, practicing multi pitch and belaying from snow buckets. Practiced crampon technique on an icy patch. In the evening there was a lecture on climbing in Alaska from a mountaineering group in the centre.

On Thursday we went up the west ridge of Corrie an Sneachda, scrambling on rock and ice, eventually climbing a 50 degree slope, approaching Grade 1 at the top. And exited west overlooking Corrie an Locharn, and descended north. We had a very interesting lecture on Winter climbing on the Dru in the evening. At the end of the week, on Friday, we practiced some navigation techniques, and attempted to reach the top of the Cairngorms, but it was so windy, we could not reach the top, so instead we played in the snow, making snow tunnels. We had a nice walk out to the lodge, before having a hot shower, cup of tea and cake at the debrief before getting the mini bus to Aviemore.

We stayed in Aviemore that night, having a few drinks. The Scottish beer tasted better after the second. Kathy made her way to Inverness. Gavin and Shane had got the boat back to Northern Ireland, and Ian and Gavin did not have far to travel back to their homes in Scotland. We got the first train back to Edinburgh in the morning, and managed to see Ireland beat France in the rugby at the airport. I would recommend the course to anybody who wants to build on existing skills. The staff are very professional. The Glenmore lodge is second to none, with excellent accommodation and food. By the end we were talking about our next visit to try the ice climbing.