ADVANCED ROCK CLIMBING for MOUNTAINEERING BEARS

Bear Lodge has arranged an advanced course for our most experienced #MountaineeringBears . Not only will they be trying harder multi-pitch rock climbs, they will be learning about advanced rope management, climbing anchors and self rescue. The course for group 1 took place in the cairngorm national park and group 2 climbed in Sutherland in North West Scotland.

The instructors for the course were, me Munro, Corbett and Bosun.

Big Ted Bear Lodge Principal wished the teams well for their lessons and had some useful advice! . I know you all, and I know the challenges of this course are within your capabilities so believe in yourselves, take your time, pay attention to details and safety and you will succeed.

The day in the Cairngorms started with some bouldering where the #MountaineeringBears practiced their climbing moves. They also learned how to spot for each other. If an unroped climber falls the fur spotting guides them to the ground so that they land safely.

In Sutherland the team of Mountaineering Bears started their day at Loch Tollaidh Slabs, where they practiced climbing skills, placing climbing protection and rope work.

LDBB attached to his anchor, belaying his pals up the climb.

Safely anchored to the rock LDBB knows he will be able to hold his pals on the belay even if they slip or fall.

Mountaineering Bears take pride in being self sufficient and being able to deal with whatever the mountains throw their way. Today they are learning some self rescue techniques.

If your climbing partner is stuck or hurt and there isn’t not enough rope to lower them to safety and you are holding them with both paws you can feel in a right pickle! But by using the right knots you can tie the rope around the belay device and your pal will be perfectly safe while you work out how to rescue them.

Arthur and Bernee learn how to set up a rescue pulley. Even very small bears can pull up Big Dogs with the help of a pulley.

The teams learn how to rescue a causality on a stretcher.

With the first part of their practice complete it is time for the teams to make their way to the main climb of the day.

Team one heading for The Loch Avon Basin.

Team 2 arrive in the car park for a climb on Quinag.

But wherever you are climbing just reaching the base of a climb often involves scrabbling and scrambling up steep vegetation and scree.

Climbing with double ropes is a useful skill, but for the belayer, working out which rope to let out and which to take whilst never letting go of either was quite a conundrum!

And preventing the ropes from becoming tangled on small belay stances was near impossible!

In fact sometimes there was just too many ropes altogether!

In places the rock was loose and crumbling. The Mountaineering Bears were careful to check that every hold and every gear placement was secure.

And up and up they went, and soon they were at the top of the climb!

When climbing high on the mountain and wondering where to put some climbing gear or how to make the next move the furs kept calm by imagining themselves in the middle of a golden circle. Everything they needed was within the circle and nothing outside of it mattered at all.

Hurrah for us! Perhaps The hardest climb climbed by Mountaineering Bears

In the North West Highlands team 2 were also in sight of completing their climb when

Loose rock started to tumble down the cliff.

A major rescue effort is underway.

Fearful that Bendor and Arthur had been seriously injured by the falling rocks the furs worked seamlessly together in a rescue effort.

Good News! No bear has been injured. Bendor and Arthur are fine. Just a very realistic practice.

Once again the Mountaineering Bears exceeded all the expectations of their instructors in their climbing and in their teamwork . At Bear Lodge we are just so proud of their achievements.

Some Autumn Poems

BLA BHEINN (part 2) Sgurr Nan Each

In Part 1 of the MountaineeringBears Bla Bheinn adventure the team successfully climbed Garbh Bheinn and have set up camp on a nearby bealach. We meet them here busy loading up with snacks and drinks as they prepare for next stage of the Bla Bheinn traverse. Garbh Bheinn to Sgurr Nan Each.

The day starts with a traverses below the summit of Garbh Bheinn. The path is narrow and loose with a steep drop! Take care Mountaineering Bears

The day seems much colder than forecast! The rocks on the exposed ridge are slippery! ‘We didn’t expect ice’ cried the Mountaineering Bears.

Thick cloud covered the lower slopes but the team are above the clouds in bright sunshine. They marvel to see their reflections in the cloud encircled in a rainbow, a phenomenon called a Brocken Spectre.

The path ahead appears to drop off the edge of a cliff! LBB and Bosun are setting up rope anchors! I wonder what is happening!

The team abseil down the end of the ridge. Don’t forget to check your prusik’s and make a controlled descent reminds Munro.

Thats the easy part of the day done! From their new vantage point the team can see the challenge that lays ahead!

Oh no not scree again. Try not to dislodge stones on Mountaineering Bears below! Three steps up, slide back four. Will they ever reach the top!

The next part of the route was a spike of firm rock which made for some delightful scrambling after the scree. Lots of delicate little holds and intricate moves. Stay in balance mountaineering bears.

But as they made their way up the next slope the wind was getting up and it started snow. Lets put on some extra layers! We’ve got this Mountaineering Bears ( mutters expletives about weather forecasts!)

With the wind and the snow stinging their faces and ice clinging to their fur the Mountaineering Bears crossed the summit of Sgurr Nan Each without stopping.

At last they reach a flat col they can put up a shelter. A real group effort and every paw is needed to put up the tent in the wind.

With the tent providing shelter from the wind and snow team were able to snuggle up to and keep warm, while that sat out the storm. Part 3 of the adventure will have to wait for some better weather. .

INTRODUCTION TO ROCK CLIMBING (for mountaineering bears)

We have had lots of have had lots of happy mountaineering adventures with the mountaineering bears and that has included climbing but never before have we had a dedicated rock climbing course. We hope this course is going to be a lot of fun and as well providing the participants with lots of skills they will be able to use in future mountaineering expeditions.

All aboard the Adventure Wagon, for a trip to the Peak District where this brave collection of bears, stuffies and anipals / pets will start their climbing adventure.

The team are gathered on the moor, sharing their hopes and fears for the day ahead. But first some advice from Big Ted Bear Lodge principal.

Sitting in the back row are the course participants , Alfie, Tunstall, Bendor, Irwin, Ollie, Amy, Bear Macdui, Zoey, Ted and Bear. In front are the instructors, me , Munro, Corbett, Bosun, Nipper and Alfie. Addressing the group is Big Ted.

Welcome to The Introduction To Climbing Course. Have lots of fun, but remember it is the attention to detail that will keep you safe, and as you to climb you will be learning how to keep yourself and your climbing partner safe and how to rely upon and trust each other.

As the group make their way across the moor they love the feel of the rock beneath their paws and are so excited they do not even notice the heavy Weight of the ropes and climbing gear they are carrying.

The first tricky challenge! How on earth are you meant to get into a climbing harness!

Next they learn how to attach the climbing rope using a rethreaded figure of 8 knot. Before every climb they check their pals have their harnesses on correctly and their knots properly tied.

Climb when ready call the climbing Instructors! Ollie and Tunstall learn to smear on the easy angled slab with few paw holds! Trust your back paws! Irwin practises jamming his paws in a narrow crack with encouragement from Archie. But it is a bit painful and he leaves a smear of blood on the rough rock. Bear bridges his way up the corner. It feels nice and secure but a bit painful on the hips.

Alfie makes a power move on the over hanging rock. Ted manages to jam his back claws in a crack below. Zooey has her back pressed against the wall as she works her paws up the greasy chimney. Amy finds delicate her holds for tiny paws. But oh dear Bear Macdui is stuck in the exit crack!

Next comes a lesson on the different types of climbing gear, how to place them in the rock and attach a rope to the gear. They also learn how the second climber needs to remove them.

Perhaps the best part of the day is enjoying a picnic in the sun watching and calling out encouragement to your pals while you wait for your turn to climb.

Ollie is learning how to belay, (holding the rope), for his pal Bendor. With the rope threaded through the belay device he will be able to hold Bendors weight should he fall.

The team learn to belay the lead climber from the bottom of the cliff. Letting out the rope as their partner climbs and taking in the slack if it gets to loose.

And from the top of the cliff where they are anchored in place to bring up the second (climber).

It is most important to look after the ropes and not to let them get tangled as they can be tricky things to mange.

What goes up must come down! Abseiling the most dangerous part of a climb, when you are totally dependent on how securely you have set the rope and anchors.

It’s time for the final climb, the team will need all their skills to overcome the obstacles before them. There is more than one shaky paw.

It is high and exposed, but there are places to rest before tackling the next section.

Exposed ledges and comforting corners.

The final pull, the top of the crag is in sight.

And they have made it! Just look at all those smiling furry faces as they haul themselves over the top and onto level ground.

Our furry chests are just bursting with pride at the bravery and fortitude of these pals completing the first #MountaineeringBears rock climbing course.

Nb. This is an article written for fun and is not intended to teach humans rock climbing. All the background photos in this post were taken by the author, amended with a digital arts app and combined with photo’s taken by the course participants to create the illustrations. AI has not been used in the production of the illustrations or the text.

Banana Split

Hanging out in a big green bunch,

Musing about raspberry sauce and ginger crunch;

A healthy option or lush dessert;

Ice cream, clotted cream, custard, yogurt!

Then came that sweet, sweet, sickly odour,

My dreaming days are almost over.

Someone’s off and it’s contagious,

I am barely yellow! This is outrageous!

With mush seeping through my split brown skin,

I think of all I might have been.

Instead, I’m consigned to cake, or worse, the bin,

Thanks for nothing Ethylene.

Bla Bheinn and Garbh Bheinn (part 1)

Welcome to Bear Lodge It is so wonderful to see so many Mountaineering Bears ready for the autumn adventure. Excitement is running high as the team catch up with old furriends and introduce themselves to new pals.

Big Ted wishes the team good luck. He adds his advice ‘prepare to be challenged but when the going gets tough remember you are surrounded by an amazing and supportive team!

All aboard the adventure bus as Mountaineering Bears head for the Isle of Skye. This autumn we will be climbing Bla Bheinn and surrounding mountains, starting with Gharb Bhein.

Oh just look at all those Mountaineering Bears climbing up the ridge. Hope everyfur has been keeping fit and well fed. Not too much puffing and panting yet.

Crossing the top of a beautiful gorge and waterfall! If you rock hop across you can keep your paws dry, but be careful not to slip, the force of the water is quite fierce and you don’t want to be swept over the edge.

Munro with help from Arthur teaches the new Mountaineering Bears how to read an ordnance survey map and use a compass bearing for navigation. An essential skill, for all mountaineers, so you won’t get lost when your phone battery goes flat or the gps system lets you down.

The rest of team are using their maps to identify all the summits along the Cuillin Ridge.

Excitement runs high as the ridge gets narrower and the terrain rockier! The experienced Mountaineering. Bears can’t wait to get their paws of rock. The first time Mountaineering Bears wonder if it is actually possible to climb the slopes ahead.

The first pinnacle and everyfur finds their own preferred style to climb over it! Remember 3 paw points of contact and be wary of loose rock and paw holds.

Irwin, Dinker and Florence are relieved when Munro ties them onto the safety rope and Arthur points out useful paw holds.

Some of the climbing is awkward rather than technical, some interesting and challenging positions nonetheless the less.

No matter which way you tackle this bit, there is a gap that has to be jumped.

The exposure is awesome but teamwork will see every-fur safely across this narrow, steep arete.

Beinnenia shares some scrambling tips and Irwin and Dinker are developing their climbing skills

The summit is in sight!

Raising the Mountaineering Bears flag on the summit of Gharbh Bheinn! Hoorah for us shout the Mountaineering Bears!

Stay focused team! It is not over until every fur is safely down

Slipping sliding, cursing and hollering all the way down the screen slope!

The first part of the Bla Bheinn adventure comes to a close as the mountaineering bear set up camp in the mountains and prepare to sleep beneath the stars.

Ice Climbing Expedition

Bear Lodge has arranged for an Ice Climbing expedition in the Southern Highlands of Scotland. The Bear Lodge instructors have identified an undocumented ice climbing line on the face Beinn Dorainn which looked perfect for the #MountaineeringBears to expand their ice climbing skills.

A team, comprising of some of the most experienced #MountaineeringBears and some new but very talented climbers spent the night in the Bear Lodge bothy and early the next day were ready for the challenge ahead

The team:- Emma, Likkle Bear, Bloo Squid, The Swiss Piper Bears, Sebastian, LBB, Bosun, Jerry, Bernee, Wolfie and me Munro.

Our wise principal Big Ted has some words of advice for the eager furs as he wishes them well on their adventure. Remember, when Ice Climbing, it is not all about brute strength but it is your technique, focus and balance, and your ability to work as a team that will lead to success.

The team set out from the Bothy, across the mountains towards Beinn Dorain.

Shielding their eyes from the bright winter sunshine, and wearing snowshoes to traverse the deep snow Jerry leads the way, navigating across the glacial landscape

The terrain was complex and extensive. The team’s advanced map reading skills were put to the test in identifying the route to their climb.

After much up and down, they reached the base of Ben Dorain and could identify the climbing line they planned to take.

Lost in private thought as they contemplated the challenge ahead the furs were all secretly wondering if they had the stamina and skills for such a daring endeavour!

The approach slope was steep and long, they needed to use their ice axe and crampon for the ascent.

A small stream and refrozen snow melt had turned easy rocky slabs into a slippery icy challenge. Let the climbing begin they cried!

Bernee Little Piper Bear and Jerry volunteer to lead the first pitch whilst their pals belay them.

Above the easy slabs the mountaineering bears identify the line they were seeking. The beginning seems to be rock covered in a fine layer of ice, with more snow and ice patches above. The climbing becomes technical, but the whole team is excited as the volunteers lead the first pitch

New to winter climbing sebastian, Likkle Bear and Bloo Squid get to grips with the verglas covering the rough slabs.

The three newer climbers receive plenty of advice and encouragement as they seek secure placements for the their axes and paws .

Scotland is known for its mixed climbing and one minute the team are kicking their crampons into thick hard snow ice and the next they are delicately trying to find purchase on slippery rocks.

7 A frozen gully offers the opportunity for Wolfie and Bosun to try out some nice bridging moves.

The gully is also excellent for placing the new speedy ice screws and trying out the terrier ice anchor.

I felt most anxious when LBB and LPB decided to try out figure of 4 climbing moves on steep ice. I think they did too!

We climbed steadily higher and higher. I lost count of how many pitches we had climbed

Kick thrust, kick thrust ! Keep the rhythm going up and up and up we go.

This is the last pitch every fur! You’ve reached the top, one final effort and you’ve made it!

Hurrah! We have reached the summit by a new climbing route, I wonder what we should call it? fancy paw! 🤔

While the team have been climbing the Bear Lodge Instructors were spied carrying some big packs up the side of the mountain!

And the summit feast was perhaps the biggest picnic Ben Dorain had ever seen! And bear were we hungry!

But the expedition is not a success until everyfur is safely down and we have one last adventure in store! Kite Jumping!

Mountaineers in the Southern Highlands stopped and stared as the MountaineeringBears went sailing by!

Congratulations to the team on a successful mission and thank you to all our pals for climbing with Bear Lodge, The Mountaineering School for Bears, run by Bears.

Mountaineering Polar Bear Style.

Beariac is a Polar Bear from the Artic who heard about the beauty of the Scottish Highlands and wanted to visit Scotland. Word reached him that Bear Lodge, a Mountaineering School for Bears, run by Bears, deep in the Cairngorm Mountains was looking for an instructor to specialise in snow and ice survival and mountaineering skills. He decided to apply for the position.

The Bears at Bear Lodge were thrilled to have Beariach join their team. Together with Big Ted, Bear Lodge principal and Munro the senior instructor he devised a winter mountaineering course based on the natural attributes of bears and the knowledge of polar bears

Some of Bear Lodges most loyal furriends and experienced adventurers were keen to sign up for The Mountaineering Polar Bear Style course.

The course members gathered at the foot of the mountains. Front row, left to right LBB, Scrambles, Emma, Arthur, Nanook, Sb, Bosun. Row steggo, Kitty, Jerry and Rexy.

As the group set out in the deep snow their paws keep sinking and sliding around. They were missing their snowshoes and crampons. Hmm! They thought, This natural stuff is going to be hard work.

But Beariach has been watching their struggles. Polar Bears have paws as large as dinner plates which, like snowshoes, stop them sinking in the snow. He shows all the team how they can spread out their own paws to give a bigger surface area and use the raised areas on their paw pads called papillae to provide friction on the snow and ice to stop them slipping around.

Paws are amazing. Beariach teaches the team how they can use their paws and claws in the place of ice axes and to crampons to climb snow and ice, to arrest an unintended slip and to enjoy a controlled slide down the slopes.

When travelling across fragile ice polar bears move spread eagled to distribute their weight and use their short claws and sticky paws to propel themselves. He led the expedition across a frozen loch practicing this technique. They soon got the hang of it but it was bit cold on the tummy!

Sometime when travelling through the mountains in winters Bears have to jump a ravine or crevasse which can be dangerous if the snow on the other side is fragile. Beariach explained how a spreadeagled landing can make this much safer

Polar Bears find their mates and their prey by smell. All bears and anipals have an excellent sense of smell. Beariach encourages the team to learn each other’s smell so they will all be always able to find each other easily and stay safe.

As well as smell, polar bears use the sun, the stars and even the pull of magnetic north to navigate thousands of miles across frozen landscapes. The MountaineeringBears were eager to learn these skills, here they are concentrating on sensing magnetic north then orienting themselves in the direction they want to travel.

When a storm blew in, bringing white out conditions the MountaineeringBears kept sniffing the air to make sure they were all together, and stayed attuned to magnetic north to keep travel in the right direction.

As the weather deteriorated further Beariach led the team to the lee side of the slope, where the snow was deepest and demonstrated how to use paws and claws to dig snow cave where they could shelter from the blizzard

They tunnelled out an amazing den had lots of fun exploring below the snow!

The storm cleared and it was safe to leave the den. But not everyfur emerged. Where was the rest of the team.

When LBB, Arthur, Emma and Rexy came out of the cave the landscape had changed and there were no other furs around. Their instincts told them they had come out on the other side of the mountain! They could smell their furriends, but the scent was faint, and the pull of the mountain summit felt closer. They decided the safest plan was to head for the summit and hopefully meet the rest of the team on top.

The smell of pals heading towards the mountain summit was drifting on the air, so Beariach and the rest of the team began climbing. The steep gully was a good test of their new skills.

Dig your claws into the firm snow #MountaineeringBears not much further to go now.

And on the other side of the mountain LBB and furriends were using all the skills they have been taught to scale the icey slabs.

Hurrah! all the MountaineeringBears meet up on the top of Braeriach! Pleased and relieved that the team was together again and proud of their new found skills there was much hugging and sniffing and cheering. No fur was more pleased, relieved and proud than Beariach! But he also knew that the expedition was not over until everyfur was safely down.

Fortunately the descent went smoothly and Beariach had one last lesson for the team as he led them through the notorious chalamain gap pass in the dark. Polar Bears have developed excellent night vision for surviving in the long artic winter nights, but without artificial lights all the team’s night vision was much improved. Using all their amazing bear and animal skills the team navigate safely back home.

Beariach and Bear Lodge would like to thanks all our pals on Bluesky for coming on this adventure with us and making it such good fun.