James Laing MCI, WML

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James Laing MCI, WML

WML and MCI based in Ballachulish. Regular winter climber and member of Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team. Qualified WML and MCI trainee based in the West Highlands.

I have been winter hill walking and climbing since 2009 when I jumped on a winter skills course with Salford University Mountaineering Club. This course gave me an invaluable base from which I was able to head out with friends and by myself, and (hopefully) make good decisions in the winter mountain environment. But most of all, the five days opened my eyes to the sheer quality of the climbing and

mountaineering on offer throughout our hills. I now have the privilege of delivering these same skills to guests from all backgrounds and of all abilities. I have now been living in Scotland for over five years, and have been a member of Glencoe mountain rescue team for over three years. I also guide hill walks throughout the summer months - I am fluent in French, and have previously guided guests from across the channel on week-long mountain trips. My plans for the future are to work towards my MCI assessment in July 2024, and to eventually work as a WMCI in winter. I spend my free time enjoying ice and mixed climbs up to grade VII, summer trad climbs up to E2, playing Tuesday night football in Kinlochleven, and trying to learn guitar!

08/03/2025

Five-day advanced winter skills for on behalf of 🙂

Monday: best weather day, so a big journey taking in Cairngorm and the Sneachda-Lochan horseshoe with plenty of basic movement and cramponning.

Tuesday: mega winds up high, so a morning of ropework and belay building essentials by request on the slopes behind Aviemore youth hostel. Then up to Kingussie crag to put it all into context, where we also looked at trad gear placement, the setting up of top ropes and some simple escaping the system techniques.

Wednesay: more storm force winds forecast, so a couple of hours of BAA and avalanche awareness chat, before some navigation around the moors behind Ryvoan bothy. Spotted a cappercailie!

Thursday: journey over to a claggy Meagaidh for a smash-and-grab tick of Stob Poiste Coire Ardair, a bothy bag demo and ice axe arrests in the window. Nice chat with the avalanche forecaster and plenty of cornice debris spotted.

Friday: finishing on a high with a return to calm weather. Journey into Ciste Mhearad with a focus on movement on steep ground and emergency ropework. Possibly the only remaining cramponnable snow in Scotland that day?

Massive thanks again Amy, Ryan, Jake, Flick, James and Ollie for your enthusiasm and flexibility in such challenging conditions. Always great when a group has so much curiosity and gets as involved as these guys have with the planning.

25/02/2025

A few pics from work so far this winter season- lots of different groups and a nice mix of working for various employers and for myself. I've kept this page quiet this winter as I've been recovering from a gammy knee and have had to pace myself. But now back to full hill fitness (thanks to Ruth at Lochaber clinic and ibuprofen 😉).

I still have availability for the week of 10th March and winter is making a return over the next few days- please get in touch for all things winter skills, bespoke summits, or rock climbing should warmer weather prevail! Also looking to fill my summer season, more on that soon...

10/04/2024

We need your help!

Don't worry we are not asking you to put on a pair of boots and head up onto the Aonach Eagach in the middle of a stormy night to save some poor souls, we have that covered.

As you will have read in our posts over the last couple of years we have invested in technology such as drones and specialist vehicles allowing us to reach casualties quicker. You will also have seen that we have been busier than ever and are often conducting long and involved searches.

The result is we have outgrown our base, The Rescue Centre, in Glencoe Village and as such we need your help to extend it to meet our current and predicted future needs.

Please click below for more information and to find out how you can help.

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/glencoe-mountain-rescue-centre-extension

Thank you,
GMR

P.S. One last request please like and share this post to help us hit our target.

25/03/2024

Nice couple of days working for Elite Guides - Stob Coire nan Lochan yesterday with Charles, Scarlett and Fred for some winter skills. Toasty in the sun, was glad to have the sunglasses handy. Back to normal winter conditions on the Ben today with Ross and Chloe.
Winter will persist up high for a while yet, and full kit is still required - axe, crampons and the ability to navigate in poor visibility.

03/03/2024

Another two days of cracking weather! Back west this time delivering winter skills to Simon, Mike and the two Martins on behalf of Mountain Assurance . We headed up the wee Buachaille yesterday for general movement on steep ground and shelter building, then the Nid Ridge today for sliding, cramponning and a refresher on snow bollards.
I've genuinely lost count of the familiar faces I've bumped into over the past four days- can't blame you all for making the most of these dream cons! Makes the January honkers worth it... 😉

01/03/2024

Two action packed days in the Cairngorms working for Lake District Mountaineering - Mike, Tom, Nerys and Zane all got on like a house on fire, and picked up all of the skills really quickly. Take care and enjoy the second half of your course with Alex!

27/02/2024

Ed and I found all four seasons on the Ben today, fortunately the morning gale force winds had died down by the time we hit the top of the zigzags. Most of the fresh snow from a few days ago has now been redistributed onto the NE face, leaving a mix of hard névé (winner!) and drifts with a melt crust (tough going) on the plateau. Great to get to know you Ed, and thanks to Scott at Elite Guides for the work.

25/02/2024

Bluebird weekend delivering winter skills to EUHWC-Edinburgh University Hillwalking Club alongside . Our journeys along the Nid Ridge and up Meall a' Bhuiridh took us through a variety of fresh powder, old névé, windslab, rocky steps, frozen turf, unfrozen turf and hard water ice. And of course all the relevant skills to deal with each type of terrain.
Really great to see everyone out enjoying the slopes at Nevis Range and Glencoe Mountain Resort after what has been a pretty grim and rainy couple of weeks.

Thanks for having me again this season folks, for being brilliant learners and for always bringing lush weather. Could you come up every week please? 😉

23/02/2024

Ben Nevis today with Parry and Siobhan - the guys were keen to learn some nav along the way, and the whiteout conditions above 900m sure didn't disappoint! The plateau now has an ankle-deep layer of fresh snow on top of the old névé, so our crampons stayed in our packs. Working for Elite Guides

12/02/2024

I've just had a fantastic weekend in the Glencoe hills with EUHWC-Edinburgh University Hillwalking Club- heaps of learning and journeying in the winter environment with a top team. Absolute joy to work alongside Hayley at Hayley Webb Mountain Adventures, and to learn new ways of imparting knowledge and skills. Best of luck on your IML winter assessment!

09/02/2024

Playtime so far this season - some great early season mixed climbing in the Northern Corries, a couple of good ice routes during the cold snap in January, and of course a few recces and retreats.
I may not have the ticket to take you winter climbing just yet- that's two or three seasons away. What I can do as a WML is help you plan a safe route to and from a climbing venue, and give you the technical skills to deal with steep ground that's typical of the approach to a winter climb.
Still plenty of availability in March! 🙂🏔️

07/02/2024

Some awesome weather at last! Delivering a winter skills course for Lochaber Guides - Meall a' Bhuiridh yesterday for movement and safety skills, Stob Bàn today for a big mountain journey. Massive thanks to Dan, Gaz, James, Dylan and Harry for being an absolute riot and for some hilarious craic!

04/02/2024

Nice to work alongside Simon Brocklebank for Elite Guides this weekend - we welcomed Dublin University Mountaineering Club to the west highlands. Coire na Ciste on the Ben for movement skills and Stob Coire nan Lochan today for nav, sliding and a look at shelters. Great to have a fun crowd full of curiosity for all things winter, and just the right level of madness to match the adverse cons!

01/02/2024

Some pics from the hill from the past three days working for Lochaber Guides (my guest prefers not to have photos of him shared online). We enjoyed three very different days, with different weather conditions and on different terrain. He now hopes to return with us in the future, and to get into mountaineering. Thanks for the great company and chat, and safe journey back south!

28/01/2024

Over on the East coast this weekend delivering a winter skills course for Cairngorm Adventure Guides. On Saturday we took a journey around Coire Laogh Mòr and Coire na Ciste, making use of some helpful snow. Today's forecast of gusts in excess of 100 mph saw us spend the morning in the Carrington bothy at Tiso looking at all things BAA, forecasts and planning. Then out for an afternoon of navigation and husky/reindeer spotting! Thanks for being a top team and for the great company, and look forward to hearing about your future adventures.

26/01/2024

Better weather than expected today on Stob Bàn working for Lochaber Guides. Great to have Phil, Seth and the two Andys back with us and also nice to have a bit of fresh snow. Some journeying on steep ground, use of the map and a look at snow bollards as requested by the lads. Enjoy your mountaineering day tomorrow!

25/01/2024

3 day winter skills course for Ulster University mountaineering club in the Cairngorms. Some challenging conditions including storm force winds and heavy rainfall. Fortunately my guys brought plenty of Irish grit for the Scottish gnarr! Lots of skills covered, and plenty of snowball fights. We also spotted ptarmigan, a pair of golden eagles and a mountain hare. Cheers again guys for having me for another season!

21/01/2024

Yesterday's forecast meant we scaled back our plans for Ben Nevis- half the deer in Glencoe had the same idea as us and sheltered from the gale force winds in Coire an Lochan. Wet porridge from 600m up, but still some ice on the paths to watch out for. Hats off to my three guys for being flexible and for being great sports in challenging conditions. Plenty of skills covered to set the lads up for future adventures! Working for Elite Guides

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