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Days like these.........now with video.

Days like these.........now with video.


Postby jonny616 » Fri Nov 28, 2014 8:22 pm

Route description: Ben Nevis by the Càrn Mòr Dearg Arête

Munros included on this walk: Ben Nevis, Càrn Mòr Dearg

Date walked: 25/11/2014

Time taken: 10 hours

Distance: 17.5 km

Ascent: 1520m

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...............are what we all dream of 8)

For the first time in a while I was off on a MWSP trip.

Much chat about who and where came down to Campbell, Derek and I heading for a traverse of the CMD arête with a possible rendezvous with Cameron at the top of the Ben.

The weather forecast looked ok at first with 50% cloud free and then it change to 70% cloud free :clap:

We left at 03:45 due to someone who shall be nameless sleeping in and headed for Torlundy. Starting in the dark to give us as much light as possible for the descent.

The route is well documented on here and the initial path good. Once out of the trees the view of a clear North face of the Ben was breathtaking.

We left the nice constructed path that eventually takes you to the CIC hut for the squelchy muddy thing that starts the ascent of Carn Mor Dearg, although in the scheme of things its not too bad.

It’s fair to say at this point that Derek's and I's thoughts were of the menace of things to come. An unspoken nervousness of sharp edges and big drops. So when I had an unwelcome slip on an icy rock this low down I was less than impressed and my nerves went up a notch or two.

As we gained height and the sun came up it was clear that, if the weather held, we were in for a stunner of a day. Inversion behind us was almost obscuring signs of Fort William. The frosted ground soon gave way to a frozen dusting of snow which made the path slippery and the views opening up even more. :)

Campbell scooted up to grab a top, but Derek and I ended up there too with the Aonachs to the side and the sharp point of CMD ahead with the back drop of the Ben in all its North Face glory.

Once we gained the summit of CMD the elation of the views was momentarily lost as Derek expressed in words my thoughts on what lay ahead as the Arête stretched out before us. Narrow, no obvious path and covered in enough snow to be slippery looking, but not enough for the crampons we were carrying.

Summit pics taken and off we go. Me first (how did that happen :roll: ) then Derek with Campbell at the back doing a great job of reassuring us all was ok combined with some not so subtle distraction tecqunics (so Derek how is your daughters swimming coming on) :lol:

On we went mostly fine with one or two moments when Campbell’s experience was called into play again and he did well.

Once at the cairn we had a very quick bite to eat and then started the slog up the snow covered boulder field, which I found fairly taxing after the exertions of the arête.

Then it flattened out. The top of the Ben in all its glory, just us a crow and another wee bird. Almost unheard of these days to have the summit to ourselves. An unexpected bonus and one I particularly enjoyed after my previous experience of football chants and huge charity gatherings (each to their own).

Scotland at its finest for 360 degrees, inversions, sunshine, snow and Brocken spectres all over the shop.

Started down on the mountain track until the path splits of at the halfway lochan, just making it to the point where we needed to cut across the pathless heather to gain our outgoing path. Not too bad a descent and the river crossing dispatched with relative ease followed by a yomp back to the car.

Stunning day with great company. Some fears conquered and some views I may never see again but will live long in the memory.
cmd1.jpg
First sight, still in the trees
cmd2.jpg
cmd3.jpg
Meagy Group
cmd4.jpg
cmd5.jpg
Light dazzles The Ben
cmd6.jpg
Looking back on the way up CMD
cmd7.jpg
Carn Beag Dearg
cmd8.jpg
Carn Mor Dearg & The Ben
cmd9.jpg
oft
cmd11.jpg
Summit CMD
cmd10.jpg
cmd12.jpg
Eastern Mamores
cmd13.jpg
On the Arete
cmd14.jpg
Keep up Campbell! lol
cmd15.jpg
Peeps free Ben
cmd16.jpg
cmd17.jpg
cmd18.jpg
cmd19.jpg
cmd20.jpg
cmd21.jpg
cmd22.jpg
cmd23.jpg
looking back as we near the path
cmd24.jpg
Dispatched with ease
Last edited by jonny616 on Mon Dec 08, 2014 10:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Days like these.........

Postby gammy leg walker » Fri Nov 28, 2014 8:46 pm

Your pictures are stunning mate. :clap: :clap:
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Re: Days like these.........

Postby kev_russ » Fri Nov 28, 2014 9:00 pm

ooft indeed. Superb :clap:
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Re: Days like these.........

Postby SAVAGEALICE » Fri Nov 28, 2014 9:14 pm

Buteo! :D
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Re: Days like these.........

Postby Meatball » Fri Nov 28, 2014 9:17 pm

Was a grand day out!
Glad you both had fun....
May pop back there in early spring.
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Re: Days like these.........

Postby litljortindan » Fri Nov 28, 2014 9:46 pm

Amazing pictures and instructive to read about the winter nerves!
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Re: Days like these.........

Postby tomyboy73 » Fri Nov 28, 2014 10:07 pm

ooft what a day you had stunnig inversions and that pic of the arete with the sun blinding is amazing
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Re: Days like these.........

Postby Jock McJock » Fri Nov 28, 2014 10:15 pm

Stunning Jonny, simply stunning! These are the days we all dream of on somewhere like that. Hope I'm as lucky as you when it's my turn!! :D Love the pics!
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Re: Days like these.........

Postby Del246 » Fri Nov 28, 2014 10:31 pm

What a day indeed. That whole day was unbelievable and will never be forgotten :clap:
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Re: Days like these.........

Postby wilkiemurray » Sat Nov 29, 2014 2:06 am

love it - amazing place and you report stirred fond memories for me :)

Cracking :clap:
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Re: Days like these.........

Postby quoman » Sat Nov 29, 2014 12:30 pm

That's what its all about,makes up for all the crap days we have on the hills :clap:
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Re: Days like these.........

Postby Huff_n_Puff » Sat Nov 29, 2014 7:17 pm

Great photos - stunning trip :clap: :clap:
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Re: Days like these.........

Postby Collaciotach » Sun Nov 30, 2014 4:04 pm

Glé mhath :clap: :clap: :clap:
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Re: Days like these.........

Postby jonny616 » Tue Dec 02, 2014 2:09 pm

Cheers folks. Lets hope we all have more of these 8)
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Re: Days like these.........

Postby Sarah86 » Tue Dec 02, 2014 2:33 pm

Amazing :clap:
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