The last week or so has been somewhat frustrating from a winter climbing point of view with several climbing trips having to be cancelled due to the unseasonal warm temperatures leaving the crags black and reducing the snow cover.
It’s meant I’ve spent a couple of days in the Falkirk Community Trust Base doing things like sharpening axes and crampons, a strangely pleasing task and worth thinking about at this time of year if you haven’t done it already.
![Sharpening winter tools.](http://www.climbnow.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/IMG_20151216_102423-250x333.jpg)
Ivor and I resorted to an afternoon of skiing at the SnowFactor at Braehaed last week. It was the first time I’d skied there and well worth a visit.
![SnowFactor Braehead. Ivor is the speeding blurin black.](http://www.climbnow.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/IMG_20151217_145441-250x333.jpg)
Here’s hoping for some conditions more like this in the near future.
![Tower Ridge, Ben Nevis in blue sky conditions.](http://www.climbnow.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/CN1-250x333.jpg)