A personal mountaineering day for us today. We did Sron na Lairig, a classic Glencoe ridge, accessed from the Lairig Eilde near the top of the Glen. Its a stunning ridge, with lots of choice low down, and a fine arete to finish.
Snow conditions were soft, and distinctly mushy low down but better higher up. Ice was generally cruddy, but there is lots of rock on this ridge and all felt generally solid.
When we topped out, the views were absolutely stupendous.
Mild winds and a temperature inversion have brought a thaw to the West Coast of Scotland that is quickly stripping lower routes and turning higher routes to mush. After trying to second guess the conditions we admitted defeat and picked a route that will go in any weather.
Schoolhouse Ridge is a fun line of rocky steps above the school house in Ballachulish. Today it had a snowy side and a bare side. We climbed the crest with our right feet in the snow and our left on bare rock and turf. The crampons stayed in the bag and at times it was more of a snowed up scramble than a winter route.
Even so, it was fun, and the views towards Glencoe were magnificent.
With more mild weather in the forecast. Will anything of winter survive?
A personal mountaineering day for us yesterday, on the East Ridge of Carn Dearg Mheadonach. Its a stunning ridge, on the north side (facing Aonach Mor) of the horseshoe that includes in the Carn mor Dearg Arete and the summit of Ben nevis. The route was not in great condition. In fact, thanks to the recent mild weather and only a cosmetic covering of snow, it was a tottering pile and a great deal of care required! A thaw is due tomorrow, and then hopefully a return to more wintery conditions. Fingers crossed for a bit of consolidation up high. The mountains (and those that love them) need it!
