Reflections on 2016 (yes that's not a typo), a photo summary

I know it is October 2017, but finally here is a photo summary of 2016!!!  If anything writing it now has provided much food for thought on just how incredible 2016 was despite its ups and downs.

January

As usual I split my time between the Alps and Snowdonia in January.  At the end of the month I went on the Eagle Ski Club Leader's Training week, where I learnt loads and got more psyched to go ski touring.

Skinning along the summer path in tricky conditions in the Monte Rosa ski area

February

This year I spent most of February teaching skiing, training in the mountains and preparing for my IML winter assessment.

A snowy Crib Goch - I got the first set of tracks on it in super conditions (ok, this was in January but I don't have any good photos from February!)

March

Becoming an International Mountain Leader was the highlight of the month.  But this was followed closely by some of the best ski touring I've had with powder skiing every day in the Queyras.

Never ending powder in the Queyras

April

My first April in Snowdonia in years, all alpine ski touring was sacrificed for some quality home time, work, mountaineering instructor practice and R+R before expedition time in May.

Having far too much fun scrambling in the rain on an Mountaineering Instructor workshop

May

Most of May was spent on a ski mountaineering expedition to Mount Logan, the highest mountain in Canada.

Above the icefall on Mount Logan, Canada

June

A month of work in the outdoors, but squeezing in enough time to complete my first ultra marathon, the V3K Ultra (including the Welsh 3000ers).

A foggy selfie while running across Crib Goch, at least I'm concentrating on my footwork rather than my smile!

July

Lots more work including an incredible week remotely supervising a D of E group traversing the Cairngorm National Park in Scotland.

A beautiful view at around 4am when I got up to bag a munro and get some phone signal

August

Most of August was spent preparing for my impending Mountaineering Instructor Award assessment in October.

Scrambling in the Glyderau with Tim and Tom

September

A month split between work and stressful preparations for my MIA assessment.

Time out from assessment preparations as we heading to Scotland on holiday, climbing was banned!

October

The highlight of the month was without doubt passing my MIA.  Four years of dedicated effort 

My new professional profile photo!?

November

Mostly a month of resting, and planning for next year.  I also joined the mountain and trekking panel on the RGS Explore weekend.

And I squeezed in a ski in the Carneddau

December

Rather than spending December in the Alps I had Christmas at home, put cancelled ski seasons behind me and thought about what the future held for me having just accepted a job at Plas Y Brenin.

Enjoying time in the mountains of Snowdonia.