I’ve just finished working on a second Winter Mountaineering course for Moran Mountain, and whilst the term ‘winter’ is in brackets, three of the five days were spent on snow and ice, and the higher corries and gullies are still holding out, just. So there is winter to be found, it just requires a) knowing where, and b)long approaches.
Sunday was, without a doubt, the best day of the week, with great conditions riding off the back of a very stormy Saturday, during which snow had fallen down to sea level. Tim, Lloyd and I headed up to Sgorr Ruadh to make the most of the one guaranteed wintery day, and ventured into the mountain’s north-east facing corrie. With the ground being so saturated by the previous week’s rain, the turf was well frozen, and there were some sizeable smears of ice on the buttresses. We made our way up mixed ground to the right of Easy Gully, taking in two pitches of a short grade IIish gully, before making swift progress up open grade I snow slopes, and finishing up a broad gully to gain the summit plateau of Sgorr Ruadh, minutes away from the summit of the Munro. This route up proved great, with continual interest throughout, and was thoroughly enjoyed by both Tim and Lloyd. We bagged the Munro, Lloyd’s first (of many I’m sure), and made our descent. By which point, the freezing levels had clearly risen substantially!
Fuar Tholl in the morning light
Lloyd and Tim enjoying the climbing
Views to Liathach from Sgorr Ruadh
Our route on Sgorr Ruadh, marked in red
By Monday, things had somewhat changed. I’m still amazed at how quickly the weather can deteriorate, so with strong westerly winds and heavy rainfall the toll on the freshly fallen snow was quickly taken, sending it all down towards the sea. Chris, Tim, Lloyd and I made the most of the short yet steep approach to the sheltered SE corrie of Fuar Tholl, where we were able to focus on snowcraft and avalanche awareness, without being buffeted by the ferocious gusts overhead.
With a similar forecast for Tuesday, Lloyd and I made an ascent of Way-Up, in Coire Dubh Mor, on the back of Liathach. The route was only just complete, and on gaining the main ridge we made our way to the summit of Spidean a Choire Leith without the need for crampons. Munro number two in the bag for Lloyd.
Wednesday and Thursday took us north with a focus on micro navigation, to Shenavall Bothy, nestled beneath the mass of An Teallach. Plan A was to traverse the Pinnacles of An Teallach, plan B was to ascend the two Munros of An Teallach, plan C was to spend time looking at snow anchors and ropework associated with ascending snow filled gullies, but with high winds and heavy rain taking it’s toll on the budding mountaineers, we resorted to plan D, a walk out, and an afternoon spent indoors, looking at ropework and various belaying techniques, all within the more conducive learning environment of Culags Lodge. Some of the easier gullies from Toll an Lochain were still complete and climbable.
The team outside Shenavall Bothy
The effect of the wind!
Coire Toll an Lochain, An Teallach
So overall, a wild, yet varied week. I’d love to be optimistic about the forthcoming week, but despite a cooling down today and tomorrow, the forecast for this coming week is for a continuation of mild temperatures and strong winds. There is a glimmer of hope for the long term forecasts, with the beginning of March looking more wintery.
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