A climber been killed after being swept up in an avalanche in Torridon. His body was found after his partner reached search and rescue teams on foot following the accident in Coireag Dubh Mor, one of the corries behind Liathach. The Torridon Mountain Rescue Team – assisted by the Coastguard Helicopter – were called out after the two men had failed to return from their climb on Friday. The Police said the search had taken place in poor weather conditions. Both men were from Suffolk, and were well equipped and experienced winter climbers.

Legendary backpacker, writer and photographer Chris Townsend will be re-living the adventure of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail at an event in Inverness later this month. Chris completed the 2,600 mile long hike in the 1980s, walking through desert, forest and mountain wildernesses. Out of the many hikers who started that year, only eleven completed the trail. Come and hear firsthand about his experience, the trials and tribulations on this epic, six-month walk. This illustrated talk will be held at Eden Court in Inverness. It starts at 7pm and costs £7 (£6 concessions). There will be time for a Q&A…

They can be some of nature’s most beautiful winter creations and they can also be killers. With snow now firmly established in Scotland’s mountains, those who venture among them are being warned about the dangers of cornices. Cornices are ledges of snow which form on the edges of cliffs and steep ground furthest from the wind. From the side or below they can be beautiful curls of snow and ice and might extend for several metres over thin air. But for people walking on the top of the mountain there can be little or no sign that they are there,…

Geoff Monk from the Mountain Weather Information Service will be giving an evening talk in Inverness on Wednesday 21 January. The theme of the evening talk, organised by the Royal Meteological Society will be “Weather forecasting – how good have we got?”. The event is free and starts at 7pm in Room G20, University of the Highlands and Islands, 3 Longman Road, Inverness IV1 1SA. Prior to the 1990’s weather forecasts were routinely produced using a scarcity of data, and forecasts beyond a few days were little more than (sometimes inspired) guesswork. This situation has since changed dramatically with vast…

There are still a few places yet to be taken for the popular winter safety evenings to be held at the Mountain Cafe, Aviemore in February. The evenings are organised by the Mountaineering Council of Scotland and are usually an entertaining mix of information, first-hand stories, and quality food. Wednesday 11th February 2015 Di Gilbert Di Gilbert is a full time Mountaineering Instructor based in the Cairngorm National Park. During the winter months, Di feels like she spends a lot of time looking at weather forecasts and deciphering synoptic charts trying to ensure that she is in the right place…