The BMC organises a week-long annual international climbing meet, which alternates between a summer meet in North Wales and a winter meet in Scotland. This year’s winter meet, held during the first week of March, was one of the most successful yet.

The meet was based in Aviemore at Glenmore Lodge. 40 guests from 25 countries were hosted by 30 British climbers, and we managed to misplace only two of them for just a couple of days! Conditions in the west were good, but access to cliffs in the east was made difficult by deep snow. New routes were climbed on Ben Nevis, Creag Meagaidh, and Bidean nam Bian by the likes of Dave Hesleden, Bruno Sourzac (France), Simon Richardson, Kelly Cordes (USA), Sam Chinnery, and Steve House (USA). Many hard routes also saw repeats including Cornucopia VII, 9 (Ben Nevis), Blood, Sweat & Frozen Tears VIII,8 (Beinn Eighe), and Postern Direct VII, 8 (Shelterstone). Some of the classics also received plenty of attention, including Tower Ridge, Zero Gully, Orion Direct and Point Five.

Midway through the meet Dave Amos from Scotland and Marek Holecek from the Czech Republic decided to avoid the evening discussions and late night bar sessions by spending a couple of nights out on the hill. After completing a climb on the Shelterstone, they were forced to spend a night in a snow trench, and the following day, whilst meet attendees and rescue team members searched for them, they laboured through deep snow in high winds and poor visibility to reach a bothy, where they were picked up by helicopter the next morning a little tired but in good condition. Photo Gallery of the Meet

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