Winter Meet report no.4. Monday 6 Feb
No surprises really that when everyone else had returned home the weather really turned beautiful. Susan & I managed to clean & clear the hut by 8-30am and headed round to Sligachan after clearing ice off the windscreens.
Obligatory Cuillin morning glory!
We still needed to head high and the Bhasteir Face (5th pinnacle) of Gillean was my best option. Early sun and no wind soon had us down to t-shirts on the approach and crampons were donned just above the Bhasteir gorge.
Pinnacle Ridge from the Bhasteir gorge
Beautiful conditions made the stomp feel pretty pain-free and soon we were studying our options.
Most attractive was Flutings Climb which has probably only had a single winter ascent. Back in 1997 Martin Moran gave it IV,6 & described it as high in the grade. To me this means technically hard moves and well protected but the initial section through a basalt band was obviously gearless. The build-up wasn’t perfect but there was some ice underlying the refrozen snow. Susan, I suspected, was a great deal more comfortable dealing with thin ice than me and so it proved.
Susan starts the first of the 2 steep steps
The first 2 steps were deceptively steep & on only marginal placements with a big long icy tumble in prospect. Whereas Susan didn’t seem to have hesitated I felt I might pop off at any second.
Me wondering “Just how did you justify leading that?”
Susan had doubts about continuing in these “Ben in Spring” conditions with a move of 6 still to come. Luckily this eejit, having got that scary exposed pitch out of the way, really quite liked the look of the enclosed chimney above.
Nearing the top of pitch 2.
Not only did the ice improve considerably but the 50m pitch was a real beauty, well protected and probably only grade III. Overall I’d suggest Flutings may be more like grade V,5; more serious, less technical but defintely needs good ice in the lowest 15m.
A lone photographer roamed the crest of Sgurr a Bhasteir opposite, undoubtedly spoilt for choice as thin veils of mist and linear clouds above picked up the beautiful light bouncing off the snows.
Spot the person!
Susan whooped true yank style at the perfect placements as she exited and then shot up the finishing snow gully.
Great conditions
The rewarding views (Susan felt more at home once she’d spotted Big Bad Ben out east) topped the meet off in real style.
Hebridean delight; great end to the winter meet.
An easy descent of the West Ridge and abseil back to our sacks saw us down before dark despite the late start.
