Canford Winter Mountain Skills 2022

Post Exercise Report

EXERCISE CANFORD SCOTTISH WINTER SKILLS

18 – 24 Feb 2022

General

1. Canford CCF conducted a L3 Adventurous Training expedition to the Cairngorms, training Cadet NCOs in the necessary skills to benefit from the challenges and rewards of the Scottish mountains in winter.  This PXR summarises the expedition and gives key recommendations for future iterations and similar expeditions in the future.  It also acknowledges the considerable support (practical and grant funding) given by HQ RC Cadets, HQ RN/RM CFF and not least The Ulysses Trust.

Aim

2. The expedition aim was to deliver challenging AT to more senior cadets (Yr 12, 16-17) at a formative time in their lives:
   1. Enhance participants’ personal development via challenging activity (confidence, resilience, organisation etc)
   2. Raise the profile and awareness of the opportunities available within the cadet organisation and the wider Armed Forces – both for recruiting and wider awareness/ understanding
   3. Establishing this trip as an annual event, thereby training a cadre of winter mountain enthusiasts who may go on to adventures of their own and to pursue further experience and qualifications.

3. In sum, the aims were comprehensively achieved. For example, and corresponding to the sub aims above:
   1. Cadet feedback shows the impact on cadets. Parental feedback from the following day “J did not stop talking about it all the way home, but I can already see how he has grown as a young person”.
   2. Instagram was used heavily to promote the expedition, and achieved a wide following during and after the event, including internal (school) audiences and external – for example by linking with Ulysses Trust media feeds
   3. The event will take place in 2023: the plan needs refining rather than changing; instructors are in place; there is considerable demand from the incoming Cadet NCOs to take part, and staff are all too keen to repeat the experience, even the 13 hour minibus journey!

Executive summary

4. Key points and recommendations:

• The expedition comfortably achieved its aims and will be run in a similar format next year, with minor refinements.
• MOD Cadet support (financial, equipment, assurance, advice) was critical to its success.
• The use of instructors with specific interests and experience in young people made a significant difference to cadets.
• Activity in Scotland in February will be inherently challenging to execute but there are sufficient options for meaningful activity.
• Ulysses Trust and publicly funded grant money offset costs considerably and made cadet costs much more accessible.
• The scaling of the expedition (2 staff, 2 instrs, 10 cadets, 1 minibus) worked well – efficient and manageable.
• Allocating specific responsibilities to cadets (eg transport, feeding, media) gave cadets a worthwhile sense of engagement and responsibility as expedition members (rather than trip passengers), and eased the execution of the expedition.

Authorisation

5. The expedition was approved iaw AC 78149 Army Cadet Adventurous Training Handbook via the submission of an ACE ATFA to HQRC Cadets Branch AT Assurance Officer.  This was the first time this format had been used, but it is already clear that it is an efficient and worthwhile process.  Advice and support arising from early dialogue established with the HQ RC AT team was invaluable.  HQ RN/RM recognise the Army Cadet AT assurance process, saving duplicate authorisations.

Summary of activity

6. The table below summarises the execution phase of the expedition.  The planning phase followed standard guidelines in terms of ACE ATFA submission (3 months prior); Loan Pool Stores request (min 2 months but more desirable), grant applications (2 months but will apply earlier in future to give more financial planning certainty).

Ser	Time (Feb 2022)	Event	Location	Remarks
1	w/c 31 Jan	Pre exped briefing, meet instructors, Q&A	Canford	Teams link to instructor; discussion and allocation of responsibilities
2	w/c 14 Feb	Kit issue	COEC, Canford
3	Fri 18 pm	Assemble, load stores,	COEC, Canford	Departure delayed due to amber weather warnings
4	Sat 19 all day	Travel to Cairngorms	Transit to Loch Insh	Necessarily long day
5	Sun 20	Kit preparation and packing Winter Skills familiarisation Lecture – Greenland Exped	In centre From Cairngorm ski centre Centre	Use of crampons, shake out
6	Mon 21	Mountain Day – ascent of A’ Chailleach (930m)	From W of Newtonmore	Rain – snow – sunshine as front passed Snowshoes used under IML supervision
7	Tue 22	Mountain Day – Coire na Ciste & Cairn Gorm (1245) Lecture – N Face of Eiger	From Coire na Ciste car park Centre	Ice axe fall arrests, further skills, then ascent of Cairn Gorm in adverse wx!
8	Wed 23	Lowland day – visit to Fort George	E of Inverness	Weather unsuitable – 70mph winds, heavy snowfall, high avalanche risk
	Thu 24 Feb	Return journey	Kingussie – Stoke – Canford	Drop off borrowed winter mountain stores then return to Canford.

Training Providers and Facilities

7. Dynamis Adventures are an AALA licensed (no L14943) and CCF(RN/RM) approved third party provider (TPP) who delivered the activity lead under Mr Andrew Wilkinson as chief instructor.  Their AALA licence and well-established safeguarding and working procedures with young people made the assurance processes (HQ RC, school, TPP) much smoother.

8. Land clearances / TOPL was not required (AC71849 p35 refers).  The approved itinerary allowed for alternative venues in Scotland to be used in light of prevailing weather and snow conditions. This flexibility and understanding from SO2 AT Assurance officer is hugely welcome and supports wise decision making on a day by day basis.

9. Catered accommodation was provided by Insh Hall Outdoor Centre, Kincraig, from Sat 19 Feb until Thu 24 Feb.  Well-located for the likely areas for winter mountain activity, the rooms, communal space and facilities (including drying room) were very satisfactory, and the food and service superb! Catered accommodation is highly desirable (if not essential) for a small expedition with a headcount below the 20 minimum required for a short-term catering contract.

Staff and cadets

10. Key appointments are as follows: (A full nominal roll containing participating cadet details is at Annex A)

Exercise position	Rank	Name	Remarks
Planning Officer and Expedition Leader	Maj	R A Hoey	Expedition Leader
Second school staff member	–	S Hogan	Staff member
Chief Instructor	civ	A M Wilkinson	Winter Mountain Leader
Second Instructor	civ	S Love	Winter Mountain Leader, IML

11. Ten cadet NCOs (aged 16-17) took part. With cadet staff factored into the 1:6 ratios, this required two instructors. The expedition has 14 pax in total – a manageable number that fitted well with accommodation and transport practicalities.  Any more would require upscaling transport and instructor numbers and would be more expensive per head.

Transport

12. There is no straightforward way to move 12 people and kit from Poole to the Cairngorms in winter in a flexible and cost-effective manner.  School minibus was deemed the ‘least worst’ option and proved to be manageable in terms of drivers hours and space for cadets and equipment.  In future the following should be considered:
    1. All weather tyres due to likelihood of snow and ice at that time of year. Standard tyres were marginal.
    2. Temporary removal of 62mph speed limiter to allow 70mph travel on motorways as legally permitted. On balance, the reduction in journey time (c10%) and hence driver fatigue may well prove to be a safer option.

Finance

13. Grants were applied for from HQ RC Cadets (£1500), Ulysses Trust (£2334) and HQ RN/RM CCF (£500), all of which significantly and helpfully reduced the personal contribution for cadets to c£500.  CILOR (at c£6pppd) was claimed for the expedition activity phase only.

14. It would be possible to reduce costs further by using self-catering accommodation (eg Rothiemurchus Lodge) and trawling for military instructors. However, for reasons outlined above, this would and could have added considerable friction to the execution of the expedition, and it was felt that investing in decent catered accommodation and assured professional instructors familiar with young people was the right move and not a luxury – these aspects are central to such an exped.

Equipment

15. The majority of the equipment was sourced from Loan Pool Stores and was very fit for purpose. The level of flexibility in the ordering process was not clear but it emerged that once the bid was approved, there was a window to amend numbers (but not natures) of the kit ordered.  This is very helpful for correct sizing, especially when nominal rolls inevitably change closer to the event.

16. HQ RC AT have a pool of winter mountain kit (crampons, ice axes, shovels, transceivers and probes) from which the expedition was kindly loaned. Pick up and drop off took place en route from Newcastle-under-Lyme Army Reserve Centre.

17. The importance of headwear, goggles and several pairs of quality gloves / mitts cannot be understated for Scottish winter conditions. The ability to completely cover all exposed skin was appreciated on numerous occasions.

18. Snowshoes were used on one of the mountain days in order to enable easier, quicker and hence safer progress through deep snow.  This was a gamechanger and is strongly recommended as an option to use as an aid to walking (rather than as an activity in itself).  They can be rented locally in Aviemore at £40 for 4 days.

19. Recommendation is to maximise use of Loan Pool Stores kit – not only is the kit of good quality but is visually uniform and avoids issues of cadets using and damaging their own kit. The system is straightforward and gives a reasonable degree of flexibility.

Conclusion

20. When summitting Cairn Gorm the visibility was very poor with no views at all due to driving snow and high winds. However, the benefit gained from going up to the top was far more significant than the end goal and made me realise the journey is far more important than the result.
21. Now, when learning a new skill, I will be conscious to build foundational skills before tackling harder aspects of the skill.  
22. One of the things I learnt through the expedition was to stay determined throughout, no matter how I’m feeling at the time. 
23. It made me realise how beneficial doing something outside of your comfort zone can be…  …I want to apply this lesson when I get home and try to push myself more as I believe it will help me achieve more than I expect.