Page 29 - 2018 AMA Winter

EX NORTHERN CUILLIN ASSAULT
28 MAY – 01 JUN 18
By Chris Wright
Do not underestimate Skye
The fusion of chaotic volcanism and the maelstrom of asteroid strikes 60 million years ago created a truly magical landscape. The mountains are not high, but they are self-assured, jagged and intricate. They are highlighted against the sea and complemented by a fascinating coastline of impressive headlands, sea stacks and sandy bays. Every step along the ridge reveals an insight into the creation of this landscape, as the climbing alternates between ascents on juggy, incut holds and descents on velcro slabs, interrupted from time-to-time by mineral veins, basalt columns and dykes. They are as impressive as any mountains in the world. Reaching every summit requires you to get hands on and after two days on the traverse, the relationship with the place feels intimate. It is only on the second day, that the tenderness of your fingers becomes apparent from the gabbro abrasion.
The traverse of the Cuillin Ridge is rightfully on the list of many mountaineers. 12km long, 3000m of ascent, 11 Munros (peaks over 914m or 3000ft), over 30 summits and technical rock climbing up to Very Difficult (if the easiest line is taken) makes the Cuillin ridge traverse the most
challenging mountaineering journey in the United Kingdom. It should not be taken as a test of your mountaineering ability. Go somewhere else and see if you are up for it, then go to Skye when you know you can do it. Go there and enjoy it. It is alpinism in the UK, no altitude considera- tions, just total immersion in the all-con- suming pleasure of moving over involving ground for hour after hour. Whilst this experience must be savored, it must not be dwelt upon and the need to keep pressing on is ever-present.
The traditional time for a Cuillin traverse is the Whitsun weekend, confirmed by the volume of traffic heading south as we sped north for Balmacara House on the Bank Holiday Monday. We were blessed with the weather, but whilst navigational concerns diminished, they were replaced with the worries of getting our hands on water. Given the incredible winter, there were still occasional snow patches here and there, although the more usual springs took some finding.
Having met up at Warcop, we had spent a brief training session at Snail Shell Buttress, an esoteric little venue on the edge of Carrock Fell on the northern edge
of the Lake District. We concentrated on the rope techniques required for the ridge, whilst sampling something of the delights of gabbro.
Sleep deprivation seemed to be the theme for the week. After all if you don’t have enough time in the day, just use the night as well! Having arrived at Balmacara House at 10pm, after a brief chat with the Scottish contingent, alarms were set for 4am, leaving at 5am! It is still an hour to Glenbrittle from Kyle of Lochalsh, so it was 6am before any of the groups got underway. We had a rope of three moving from north to south and two ropes of three heading south to north.
For a south to north traverse, the approach to the ridge from Glenbrittle involves a handrail around the base of the mountains, overlooking the sea, which provides a gentle welcome into the jaws of Coir Ghrunnda. The cliffs rise on either side, the path steepens as you commit and numerous little off-shoots serve to sharpen the senses about the need for concentration on route-finding; at this stage you can’t go too far wrong but you can waste time and precious effort. Lochan Ghrunnda offers a welcome
Looking out to the northern section of the ridge
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