Multiple Munros
Matt’s Report
I have been out with Robert and Malcolm for three days out of the last four and we have been up Gillean, Am Basteir, Mhic Chonnich, Mhadaidh, Ghreadaidh, Banachdich and the In Pinn. It has been an excellent few days of Munro bagging, good weather and good company. It was also great to see the guys confidence and scrambling ability improve through the course. They went from slight concern at the prospect of the Tourist Route on Gillean to total self-confidence on the knife edge section between the north and south tops of Ghreadaidh.
Testing the frictional properties of the Gluteus Maximus!
Mal enjoying the exposure
Nearly at the top of Mhadaidh
Robert looking relaxed on the way down
Great view into Coriusk
Rob seeing the funny side while Mal climbs.
The crest is best!
Sunshine and Snow on Bla Bheinn
Matt took Beth up Bla Bheinn today. We had a footwork coaching session at the bottom of South Buttress before ascending Great Gully. There was no scree showing and the snow was reasonably firm despite the sun beating down on us. The top three hundred feet was excellent neve which bodes well for conditions on the higher crags such as the Bhasteir face of Sgurr na Gillean.
Looking down the Great Gully
At the top we popped our heads over to see the entire Cuillin Ridge spread out before us. The air quality was excellent and it felt like you could reach out and touch the mountains; it also made the drops look enormous.
The northern end of the Cuillin Ridge lying the far side of Glen Sligachan
We visited the North top first and then enjoyed the exposed col and the short crest leading to the South top.
Poise and elegance above the precipice! The awkward step is behind Beth.
Climbing the awkward step from the col to the South top. This can look intimidating from below but the difficulties are very short-lived.
Creag Meagaidh Ice
Matt met up with Gillian early on Friday morning at Spean Bridge. We had our sights set on climbing The Pumpkin (300m, Grade V,4). The ten vehicles already at the car-park convinced us to set a fast pace on the walk in and we managed to catch a few teams on the way through.
Gillian near the top of the first pitch.
There was a team just starting on The Pumpkin as we arrived at the bottom but their fast pace persuaded us to set off behind them. The ice was in fantastic condition giving great protection and providing good axe placements from every swing.
Gillian leading the second pitch
After five enjoyable pitches of climbing we topped out at about 2.30pm. We needed a swift bout of navigation to get off the summit plateau and then had an enjoyable walk back through The Window and down the Glen.
Looking back at the Post Face of Creag Meagaidh
Birthday Groove, 11th January
Matt was out with Simon and Tony again today. We went with expectations for amazing weather, great views and quality climbing and weren’t disappointed. The South Buttress of Bla Bheinn had caught our attention yestrerday.
South Buttress
Birthday Groove (IV,5) is the left hand of the two corner lines in the centre of the buttress. The initial pitches were great fun and provided a mix of chimneys and chock-stones covered by a liberal layer of powder snow that, when cleared, revealed some good neve and frozen turf.
High in pitch 2
The views just got better as we got higher; here looking out to Kintail
As darkness approached we got closer to the top of our route and the climbing got steadily steeper and harder.
Pitch 4
Finally we were only eight feet from easier ground when a heavily verglassed chimney put paid to our ascent. We made the difficult decision to retreat back down the route in three long abseils. It was gut-wrenching to get so close to the top and be able to see the easier ground. However we’d had a wonderful adventure on a quality route in a dramatic setting and there were plenty of smiles during our trip down the mountain!
Matt with wide-eyes!
Alpine Adventure on the Cuillin Ridge
Matt set out with Simon and Tony early on Saturday morning to see if (my!) rumours of incredible neve on the ridge were true! We experienced a certain amount of trepidation when we saw that the snow line was 500 metres lower than two days ago. However we decided to have faith and press on to the South-East ridge of Sgurr Nan Gillean, where we were rewarded with a view of the entire Cuillin ridge.
Sadly the rumours of quality neve on the crest of the ridge turned out to be just that. Fortunately the amazing situation, incredible views, sunshine and enjoyment of the climbing more than made up for this.
The ridge seemed truly Alpine in appearance and appropriately an alpine approach of moving together provided maximum enjoyment in continuous but safe progress. Am Bhasteir had a massive covering of snow that made progress easier than in summer conditions. There was even a soft landing below the bad step!
We made good progress along the ridge despite the occasional bout of wading and arrived at the An Caisteal cave just as dark fell. There was a lot more snow than we expected in the cave so we decided to make our way past Bidean Druim nan Ramh to another bivouac site at Bealach na Glaic Moire. The 10ft deep drifts on the Bealach put paid to this plan so we found an alternative site to eat and lay our heads down at.
Sunday morning found us picking our way down the slopes of Coir a Mhadaidh and admiring the amazing views all along the ridge. There is an amazing amount of snow on the Cuillin and all the gullies seem complete (even Waterpipe Gully) and while it is mainly powder just now the mixed climbing should be in good condition and gullies should hopefully respond well to the upcoming melt-freeze cycle…
Skye Winter Conditions, January 2nd
I (Matt) went into Coir’ a’ Mhadaidh with Francis today. We had managed to convince each other that conditions were going to be thin but positive so burdened ourselves with huge amounts of rope and assorted spiky bits of metal. We started our walk in the dark but as dawn arrived it became clear that the recent thaw had stripped more snow and ice than we’d hoped. We went to the foot of South Gully but it was incomplete and running with water.
Glaic Moire face; North and South Gully lead to either end of the horizontal bealach. Descent is by the continuous snow-line left again.
All the snow that we crossed was very firm and there are still extensive patches on the slopes and in the easier angled gullies. Hopefully the next week will bring some more snow and a good melt-freeze cycle to improve the situation…
The Smear (V) living up to its name. It has probably never had a second ascent.
Doug Scott before the first ascent in 1979 (photo Ginger Cain)
Ice Climbing: Coire a’ Bhasteir, 31st Dec
Today Matt went for a day out with Paul to find some ice climbing. It was warm at the Sligachan Hotel but we kept the faith and set off. On reaching the snow-line we were glad to find that some of it was firm. The most solid looking line of ice was situated in a gully directly below Pinnacle Ridge. There was a large amount of avalanche debris below the ice-fall, possibly 3/4 feet deep, that had come from 4/5 gully.
The climbing, though short, turned out to be very pleasureable with the ice inhaling front-points and picks.
We managed another two lines of ice further round the coire but had to beat a retreat after receiving a thorough soaking from the last one. The upcoming freeze should come soon enough to provide good climbing conditions.
