Sgurr Alisdair from Sgurr nan Eag?

[Old Bill]

Hi all,

How doable is the bit between Sgurr Alisdair and Sgurr nan Eag in Cuillins? I was thinking of approaching Alisdair from west passing past (but missing out!) Sgurr Dobh Mor.
It looks fairly straightforward but not many people seemed to have done it. Is Alisdair best approached from the stone chute side?

I will not be carrying ropes, and will not be attempting extreme scambles!

Thanks,
OB

[LeithySuburbs]

I don't think it is straightforward but it is certainly possible. You would probably need to descend the stone chute as the down scramble back to Coire a' Ghrunnda from Alisdair is nasty.

From Eag, go along the ridge, round the castle, over Sgurr Dhu na da Bheinn, along the scree path beneath Thearlaich Dubh gap and scramble quite trickily up to summit of Alisdair.

[Old Bill]

Thanks Leithy. I was planning to head down the stone chute anyways, and had assumed that I'd be going up Alisdair via the same route no matter which way I approached - that's right isn't it? I was just checking that there's not any horrible hidden nasties above Loch Coir a' Ghrunnda and below dubh Mor

This was the route I was thinking of (roughly)



cheers!

[LeithySuburbs]

I was just checking that there's not any horrible hidden nasties above Loch Coir a' Ghrunnda and below dubh Mor

No, it's a cracking bit of the ridge for fun scrambling but without much exposure .

[Paul Webster]

You can't get direct to the Stone Chute from the Coire Ghrunnda side. The route would be as Leithy said in his first post, by taking the traverse path below Alasdair and then heading up the chimney to the right of the Mauvais Pas on the SW ridge up to the top Alasdair (fairly tricky scrambling but doable depending on your confidence / experience) and then down to the top of the stone chute.

If you don't use the traverse path but try to follow the ridge as you've marked, you'd be heading for the Thearlaich-Dubh gap - the hardest pitch on the entire ridge and definitely not a scramble (EDIT - it's a Severe in the latest climbing guide) - with usually an abseil thrown in as well.

[malky_c]

It would need to be more like this:

TD avoidance.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

I don't think the TD gap is an option. Most climbers I know who can climb quite a few grades harder than it (Hard Severe I think it is) have still had an uncomfortable time on it.

Paul's suggestion is the only way for scramblers. The chimney itself is fairly easy, but above that you are on straightforward, but exposed and loose territory.

[Kevin29035]

Agree about the SW Flank of Alasdair - definitely the way to go unless you've got a few climbing grades in hand. Someone posted up a topo from Steve Fallon's website in another thread - that's really good, especially because it points out the cave on Sgurr Sgumain

A topo I made after I went there:

[Kevin29035]

Also for the record - Alasdair SW Flank (from the cave thru the chimney to the summit) is a Grade 2 scramble - and I'd probably agree with this. It's certainly doesn't feel as bad as it looks!

[Old Bill]

Brilliant - thanks guys.

Paul / Malky - that would be the route I'd be taking. Not the TD Gap! My map was to roughly show my intended direction.

Kev - thanks for topo! Very useful. And I'm praying that your claim that the scramble up from the chimney to Alisdair isn't as bad as it looks!

Cheers all - I think this will form my plan if the weather and my legs are good, and I fancy a challenge one day.

[gaffr]

I guess that the hidden chimney is to the right of the direct way from Sgumain-Alasdair? where you have a wee steep pitch to get over before reaching the top of A. I have never been by the way of the hidden chimney and have always kind-of been drawn towards the Gap which is probably along with the Kings chimney to get to Mhic Choinnich and the Naismith route on the tooth the sections where the rope comes out.

[Kevin29035]

I guess that the hidden chimney is to the right of the direct way from Sgumain-Alasdair? where you have a wee steep pitch to get over before reaching the top of A.

Yes, it's to the right, and probably below (?) as it's down on the face a little.

I've never done Sgumain so would like to do the link to Alasdair, and the V Diff step.

[scoob999]

This might help

http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=34149

The scramble up the chimney on Alisdair is at about 4.37