The Mamores – A Farewell to Winter

Stob Ban

The last trip of the winter season proved to be an eventful and challenging few days.  It certainly squeezed some more use out of the ice axe and crampons – and less than 3 weeks from May too!  Peter had originally asked for some summer mountain leader training below the snowline, but we ended up – inevitably – well above it most of the time in anything other than summer conditions!

The Eastern Mamores From Stob Ban

Stob Ban & Mullach nan Coirean

These 2 mountains, the westernmost peaks of the Mamore chain, couldn’t be more different.  Like most Stob Bans this one is a steep-sided conical peak, largely composed of grey quartzite, whose NE face is a shattered line of vertiginous cliffs.  The Mullach is a flat dome of pink granite protected on its N side by 2 huge sweeping corries.  The 2 peaks are connected by a classic Highland ridge that twists and turns for 3½Km above the SE corner of Glen Nevis. 

Coire a' Mhusgain & Lower Glen Nevis

We set off from Achriabhach and left the road at the Lower Falls on the Water of Nevis.  A good stalker’s path follows the E side of the Allt Coire a’ Mhusgain and we took this all the way to the skyline, pausing only to allow Peter to refresh his ML ropework skills.  We crossed the snowline soon after climbing the zig-zags that lead to the upper corrie and encountered ice patches soon after which precipitated the donning of crampons.

Stob Ban

A cold breeze greeted our arrival on the ridge crest but great views south to Glen Coe and beyond cushioned the blow.  Soft snow on the crest allowed us to remove our crampons but failed to slow our steady progress up the ever-steepening climb to the fine airy summit of Stob Ban (999m; white peak).  Here, the return of ice and steep slopes on the mountain’s northerly aspect saw the crampons out again until flatter ground was reached.  This part of the ridge had seen plenty of sun and the snow became more broken and patchy until we reached the grassy domed summit of Mullach nan Coirean (939m; summit of the corries).

Mullach nan Coirean

We descended the Mullach’s NE ridge, slowly at first on tricky snow patches, before the slope eased and the snow disappeared, both at the same time.  We followed the fence line down into Coire Riabhach before crossing the forest boundary via the new stile and taking the equally new path down through the partly felled plantation and back to Achriabhach.

    

The Glen Coe Hills From Mullach nan Coirean

The Ring of Steall

The Devil's Ridge

This classic mountain round of 4 Munros and another 4 intervening tops is a much more demanding day and involves a lot more up-and-down between peaks.  It is not for the faint-hearted and today we had full-on wintery conditions to add to the mix!  It is probably best tackled in a clockwise direction.  This positions a potentially difficult burn crossing below the Steall waterfall early in the day and avoids the long punishing climb up the unbroken slopes of Sgurr a’ Mhaim which you can well do without just after breakfast!

Peter on the Steall Bridge

We parked at the end of Glen Nevis and walked through the Nevis gorge strangely devoid of the roaring meltwater usually encountered at this time of year.  Evidence of winter beginning to release its icy grip on the mountains was apparent from Steall waterfall beginning to melt.  It had been frozen solid on my previous visit 2 weeks earlier.  The wire bridge gave Peter no problem and we were soon across the outflow of the waterfall and climbing up into the grassy corrie below An Gearanach’s northern flank. 

An Gearanach & Stob Coire a' Chairn

The grass increasingly gave way to snow above 700m and we donned crampons once established on the ridge.  They were to stay on for much of the day.  The huge bulk of Sgurr a’ Mhaim across the wide expanse of Coire a’ Mhail seemed a long way away (it was!) as we crested the summit ridge and came to the half-buried cairn atop An Gearanach (982m; the complainer).

An Gearanach & An Garbhanach

What should have been an entertaining airy scramble along the narrow ridge to An Garbhanach became a challenging alpine traverse in full-on winter conditions.  Much concentration was required as we picked our way across the ice-encrusted boulders of the delicate ridge and descended the steep southern face of An Garbhanach. We paused to take breath – and refuge – on the bealach below before climbing again, quite steeply, up to the 2nd Munro of the round: Stob Coire a’ Chairn (981m; peak of the corrie of the cairn).

An Garbhanach & Stob Coire a' Chairn

The going was easier now – for a while anyway – over gentler snow slopes along a broad ridge and over a minor top.  Things soon got difficult again though with a steep climb up exposed icy slopes that demanded great care and attention before we attained the hardest summit of the day: Am Bodach (1032m; the old man). 

Am Bodach From the Devil's Ridge

Our reward was 30 mins of easy ridge walking before a much more straightforward climb up to the flat top of Sgurr an Iubhair (1001m; peak of the yew), a former Munro demoted in the 1997 revision.  Then began our final challenge of this long tiring day – a winter traverse of the Devil’s Ridge.  This sharp, at times knife-edge, arête strikes out northwards from the main Mamore ridge and connects the latter with the dominating peak of the round: Sgurr a’ Mhaim.

The Devil's Ridge

Taking a quick compass bearing (the only one of the day) to locate the start of the ridge in near white-out conditions, we descended what proved to be our last steep ice slope of the day  and picked up the sought-after bealach.  The cloud lifted just in time to ensure wide, if murky, views left and right across the entire Mamore range.  Ahead, rose the ever-narrowing ridge that led us over the intermediate top of Stob Choire a’ Mhail and along to two tricky steps that proved to be even more awkward in the wintery conditions.  Safely across, a straightforward climb led us to the fine quartzite summit of Sgurr a’ Mhaim (1099m; peak of the large rounded hill).

Sgurr a' Mhaim

All that remained was the long, long descent down the mountain’s NW ridge back to Glen Nevis.  The crampons came off (at last) half-way down and the snow eventually disappeared soon after.  One final surprise lay in wait when we encountered scorched earth over much of the lower slopes – something we had not noticed the previous day whilst walking up the glen to Stob Ban.  It later transpired that persons unknown had indeed started a fire in the glen that had soon spread over the tinder-dry slopes.  Had the fire been started 24hrs later, we could only ponder how interesting it would have made our descent of Sgurr a’ Mhaim...

Ben Nevis From Sgurr a' Mhaim

We did find some time for that mountain leader training in and around the 2 big hill days.  Fortunately, Peter didn’t seem to need much of it which was just as well.  Nothing else we did was going to compare with our days on the high tops and that last determined tussle with the long, long winter of 2012/13!

Check out my plans for the coming season at: http://www.hillways.co.uk/summer/summer.htm

Killin – Easter 2013

Ben Challum From Glen Lochay

Jennifer’s quest for Munro heaven continues and she duly gave up her Easter holiday, together with Matt, to tackle a few of the Glen Lochay hills near Killin in the southern Highlands.

The Tarmachan Ridge From Killin

Despite continuing low temperatures and that familiar biting easterly wind, the sun shone a good deal of the time and all the summits remained clear.  The snow line averaged about 600m and crampons proved to be useful, if not vital, above 800m where large ice sheets prevailed!  These grassy, largely corrie-free hills can appear rather dull to some, but they certainly looked their best this time around in full winter raiment!

Sgiath Chùil

Summit Ridge of Sgiath Chùil

This multi-topped hill arranges itself into a gently-sloped ridge running S from Glen Lochay over 3 almost identical height bumps before ending abruptly above much steeper slopes that glower like a ship’s prow over Glen Dochart.  We started from the new car park 1½ Km before the end of the public road in Glen Lochay, near Kenknock farm.  A hydro access leads left over the river and up through a young plantation to a hydro pipeline pumping house at 380m.

What's Not to Like...?

Once over the deer fence, we were on the open hillside with plenty of pretty, if tiring, soft snow to trudge through before gaining higher ground.  What we did have to ease progress, however, were stunning views along Glen Lochay together with some welcome sunshine and blue sky!  It didn’t last though and the sun grew intermittent and the wind stronger as the day progressed.

Creag Mhor in Upper Glen Lochay From Sgiath Chùil

Despite an abundance of animal tracks in the snow (hare, fox & deer), we saw nothing and no-one all day.  The final climb up to the N end of the summit ridge at Meall a’Churain proved easy in crampons and we soon traversed the short kilometre over the 3 bumps to the half-buried summit cairn of Sgiath Chùil (921m; back wing (sheltering spot)). 

A Frozen Webmeister on the Summit!

Despite the grand views all around, it was not a place to linger when this cold and we headed down the way we had come, Jennifer experimenting with different ways (and depths) of sinking into the soft snow!  It was a good first day.

Ben Challum

Ben Challum From Meall Glas

The long approach from Glen Lochay, coupled with a lack of bikes, determined that we tackle Ben Challum from the S and the most common route of ascent from Strath Fillan.  This starts from a convenient lay-by on the busy A82 opposite the private access road to Kirkton Farm near the ruins of St Fillan’s Priory.

Ben Lui Across Strath Fillan

Today was sunnier and slightly warmer than yesterday and a relatively crowded hillside reminded us it was a bank holiday Saturday!  The route from Kirkton is straightforward with easy-angled grassy slopes climbing steadily over and around assorted hummocks.  The snow covered any semblance of a path but you don’t really need one.  Just follow the wide ridge upwards and don’t feel compelled to follow the remnants of every fence you come to – if you read the folds in the land you can take a much more direct, but no less gentle, route.  

Approaching the South Top

The ridge levels out for a short stretch before climbing more steeply up to the south top of the mountain from where the summit finally springs into view.  Be careful here in mist.  A landslip has displaced the summit ridge a few metres west from the south top so you need to descend a short way to the W and locate the on-going ridge before proceeding on to the summit.

Ben Challum From the South Top

Unsurprisingly, the summit was a busy place today, but nothing spoilt the spectacular all-round view, the warm sunshine and ‘specialness’ of this particular summit at this particular hour on this particular day.  Sometimes it just feels right!  Ben Challum (1025m; Callum’s Hill).

Glen Lochay From Ben Challum

It was pity to leave and we did so reluctantly, past the S top, past the crampon-less walkers slithering on the ice and past the numerous lumps and bumps we’d negotiated on the way up.  

The Crianlarich Hills From Ben Challum

Great views up and down Strath Fillan to Ben More, Stob Binnein and the Crianlarich hills in the E and graceful Ben Lui to the W enhanced the easy descent and before we knew it, we were back at Kirkton Farm and heading home for fishcakes by the fire!

Meall Glas

Meall Glas

In contrast to the previous day’s uplifting saunter up and down Ben Challum, this proved to be a sunless and tiring trudge over rough and windy country!  Most hillwalking guides suggest Meall Glas can be combined with Sgiath Chùil, but I’ve never considered it an attractive proposition and certainly not in winter.  There’s just too much rough ground and a steep climb too far for my liking!  That said, I accept my reluctance is more psychological than substantive - the heights and distances involved being relatively modest.

The summit is more or less equidistant from Glen Lochay to the N or Glen Dochart to the S and there’s little difference in either route.  We elected to start from Auchessan Farm in Glen Dochart, as I have done in previous ascents, as the S side of the hill might have offered more sun and less soft snow. 

Creag Mhor From Meall Glas

In the event, we saw little of the sun today and the mountain never seemed to get any closer as we wound our weary way up grassy slopes, through tiring snowdrifts and along windswept open ground towards the final summit slopes.  Meall Glas is fairly well protected on nearly every side by steep slopes, so beware of the avalanche risk if you’re planning to climb it in winter!  Today, the windslab was well-bonded and stable but we still stuck to the well-anchored parts of the snow slopes.  A strong and bitterly cold easterly wind was sweeping over the ice-encrusted summit and it was one hostile place to be this Easter Sunday!  Meall Glas (959m; greenish-grey hill).

Matt Conquers Meall Glas!

Surprisingly, the descent went well and we seemed to get back to the car in a fraction of the time it took to walk in.  We even managed to find a sheltered spot beside the Allt Essan just above the farm where Jennifer and Matt enjoyed their daily fix of lemon & ginger infusion beside the tumbling waters.  Very nice! 

Meall Ghaordaidh

Meall Ghaoraidh From Sgiath Chùil

Given their long drive home on this, our last day, the guys were quite happy with my suggestion of a straightforward hill with no long walk-in or complications.  Meall Ghaoraidh fitted the bill perfectly, rising as it does in uniform slopes straight from the roadside a little way up Glen Lochay.

Ben Lawers From Meall Ghaoraidh

A new metal sign (the biggest hill sign you’ll ever see) proudly points the way from the road just past Duncroisk and a good track winds up through fields alongside the Allt Dhùin Croisg to some ruined shielings.  Leave the track by a conspicuous metal post on the left and strike out across the open slopes.  There’s not much of a path, but the grass and heather is short and the route obvious.  There’s a slight levelling-out in gradient at about 700m and this is where we once again encountered snow.  

The Summit

We donned crampons at 800m in (correct) anticipation of ice on the steep summit slopes and fought our way to the summit trig point in a sudden blast of bitterly cold easterly wind!  The trig point is encircled by a stone wall and both were encrusted in deep shards of rime ice.  The view down into upper Glen Lyon was spectacular though and well worth enduring the arctic conditions for a minute or two!  Meall Ghaoraidh (1039m; hill of the shoulder).

Upper Glen Lyon From Meall Ghaoraidh

We descended the way we came up – there isn’t a lot of choice on this hill - and were back at the car in just over 3½ hrs.  The snow and the conditions had made a dull hill (if there is such a thing) interesting and it proved to be a fitting end to a cracking Easter.  Four days and 4 Munros, in generally stunning winter conditions.  The fishcakes were quite good too…..

 Check out my plans for the coming season at: http://www.hillways.co.uk/summer/summer.htm