Page 30 - 2018 AMA Winter

EXPEDITIONNEWS
water stop and the last chance to fill bottles for the day ahead; at least three litres is recommended. Gaining the ridge involves a steep ascent on a reasonable scree path, with views becoming ever more-rewarding. With the prospect of a two-hour, out-and-back journey to Gars- bheinn, it is tempting to quickly grab the munro of Sgurr nan Eag, before making the about-turn. The magnificence of the ridge that presents itself, snaking out to Gars-bheinn, dropping steeply away on either side, culminating in a majestic perch high above Loch Coruisk must simply be done. Thankfully it can be enjoyed without rucksacks, which can be cached on the ridge at the intersection with the Coir a’Ghrunnda path.
It was hard to understand where time had gone, looking back as we prepared to abseil into the TD Gap. The route onto Sgurr Dubh Mor had been convoluted and confusing, traversing scree-runs underneath impassable sections of rock. We still seemed frustratingly close to the initial point where we had gained the ridge, but we had to be confident that we werestillmakingguidebooktime. This was a useful early lesson, as there were several stages where it was impossible to make any sort of time appreciation. After surmounting the TD Gap, Sgurr Alasdair, Sgurr Thearlaich were quickly dispensed with. King’s Chimney provided another fantastic rock climbing pitch, perched in a fantastic position high above Coire Lagan.
From the summit of Sgurr Mhic Choinnich, there is some relief in seeing the ridge ahead, the straightforward, scrambly ascent of An Stac and then the infamous Inn Pinn. The Inn Pinn is a curious obstacle, simple enough to avoid in a couple of minutes but a ‘must-do’ for all parties. The comb of rock is dubiously perched on a slab and is a jumble of loose ‘jenga’ blocks, which demand some care,
albeit thankfully the climbing is none too demanding. The abseil off and a short walk down from Sgurr Dearg, marked the end of a fantastic day. We met with the other team who were completing the ridge north-south at the bivvy in Coire na Banachdich and shared stories.
The bivvy was spacious enough for numerous teams and once the water was found, we all managed to refuel our depleted bodies, replacing the litres of water that had been lost over the scorching day. The midges had the decency to hold-off until we were in our sleeping bags and once suitably cocooned, they caused no more problems.
‘Most of the time, for this section, it was a case
of following your nose and staying on the most interestingrockysectionsof the ridge’
The following day, with no sight of the other south-north team, we parted company with those travelling south, looking forward to the day ahead. The route promised to travel more directly north, with less walking and this seemed comforting although the thought of Naismith’s Route at the end of the day still posed something of a concern.
The terrain between Sgurr na Banachdich and Bruach na Frithe was exceptionally complex. At times it was easy to convince yourself that you were further along the ridge than you were, as everything seemed to fit the numerous snippets of guidebook descriptions. There were a few obvious markers provided by distinctive rock features here and there, that provided some level of route-finding certainty. Most of the time, for this section, it was
a case of following your nose and staying on the most interesting rocky sections of the ridge. Largely speaking, as long as you didn’t drop off the main ridge at the intersections with other ridges, then there was no real issue. We did find a few sections where we arrived at ‘dead-ends’, albeit equipped with abseil tat, where it was simply quicker to back-track and find the walking route round to keep things moving. In poor visibility, these sections would be extremely awkward and provide the source of some real time delays.
Am Bhasteir and the Bhasteir Tooth are magnificent obstacles, but again they proved to be slightly different from my pre-conceived mental picture, being two very separate summits rather than one. Naismith’s route is sensational, given the position and there were no shortage of fresh-faced, ‘day-trippers’, spectating from the Bealach nan Lice. Given the traversing nature, it takes a steady leader to run the ropes appropriately and confidently negotiate some of the loose blocks on the initial entry into the shallow corner. By comparison with the TDGap,theclimbingseemsmore‘con- ventional’ than ‘traditional’. If sufficient composure is maintained, then the holds and moves can be pieced together to provide a satisfying series of movement, culminating in a final mantel that delivers you onto an awe-inspiring perch.
Sgurr nan Gillean is the icing on the cake. The west ridge is fantastic, approaching up a dramatic open chimney, which offers exposed climbing, but consistently on good holds and a magnificent alpine-style ridge leading to the summit. At this stage, it is ‘in the bag’ and the ascent is best enjoyed as fluid, un-roped movement, safe in the knowledge that you are in-tune with the ridge, given the hours that you have spent on it.
The Cuillin vista
Cuillin off!
30 / ARMY MOUNTAINEER