UKC

Have been chatting to a few MIC friends of late about which MTA award is the 'hardest'. Some interesting opinions so thought I'd float it out there to see what other people think.

Winter ML kept coming up as a contender, purely due to the amount of suffering involved. But others such as MIA and C obviously scored highly due to their technical nature.

All relative, of course, but made an interesting discussion....

Anyone want to contribute?

In reply to iamaclimber:

I would say WML.

But then things have changed quite a bit since I completed the MIC 21 years ago.

As you say, the technical elements of the MI scheme make those awards different from the ML awards.

In reply to iamaclimber:

I'd find it hard to describe the 'hardest' - they all had their challenges but were really enjoyable experiences generally! Busting a rib on day 1 of winter ML training practicing ice-axe arrest was a highlight as was being 'lost' over the back of Creag Meagaidh at night in a white-out. Seeing if it was possible to hold five 'clients' falling simultaneously on a short rope on MIC was also memorable (result? - it wasn't).

Allowing someone to cut the abseil rope I was hanging from on MIA assessment was quite difficult

(pedant point - 'MTA' is the Mountain Training Association - they don't administer qualifications)

In reply to iamaclimber:

Interesting responses. Anyone else?

In reply to iamaclimber:
In my experience, I would go along with the Winter ML as the "hardest" in terms of combined phsysical and mental effort (going out for three days and two nights, snowholing and night-time navigating in the winter is tough both mentally and physically)

MIC was "hard" in so far as it was an amalgamation of the three previous awards, put together, and more! I also found the self administered stress of it being the end of a metaphorical journey was "hard". Physically I found the MIC pretty easy as you get to have a nice hot shower at the end of the day, chill out, have some proper food and sleep in a proper bed for the whole course, plus it is only a four day assessment.

In reply to Andy Say:

Cut the rope!! How did that sit with the assessor?! That's very good of you, I think I'd have told them to do one!

In terms of physical effort, 100% the WML, but technically no it's not hard.

All the aspects of the MIA combined I think made it a tougher assessment, but physically it was easy...

I'd say an equal amount of satisfaction in passing both, just for different reasons.

In reply to Stu McInnes:
They (and I think I had better not name names) had the fact that we had been issued a trashed lead rope brought to their attention. So the scenario of an abseiler knocked unconscious whilst using a prusik backup seemed to appeal. I was that unconscious person!!!!

Solution was for the 'rescuer' to ab. down to me on a separate rope, come alongside, attach me to them and then cut my rope leaving me suspended from them and their ab. rope.

Oh we DID drop a long way on rope stretch.......