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Stob Binnein and Ben More (Not!!)

Stob Binnein and Ben More (Not!!)


Postby baggervance » Mon Jan 10, 2011 3:07 pm

Munros included on this walk: Stob Binnein

Date walked: 30/12/2010

Time taken: 6 hours

Distance: 10 km

Ascent: 1117m

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I had decided this was going to be my walk in the non-alcoholic period between Xmas & New Year (aye right!). I had been texting back and forward to another user of this site (David) and we planned to attack on the 30th, hoping to see a bit of snow. I had been sitting in an office for all of the previous week looking out at perfect winter conditions and beautiful blue sky so I knew the weather would be crap for our walk :lol: . When I got into the car in Lanarkshire, with the thaw truly taking a hold and temperatures a balmy 8C I didn't fancy our chances of getting the crampons and ice axe out. However I didn't realise I had an ace up my sleeve in the shape of David. He had said he had always been lucky with weather and I hoped his presence would appease the mountain weather Gods.

As we got closer to the start, the temperature started to drop and clouds began to disperse leaving a wonderful blue skied, perfect winter microclimate. Jeeez I thought ~ who have I got sitting next to me in the car - Beelzebub himself :o (only joking Dave, don't strike me with lighting :lol: )

We unpacked in brilliant icy conditions in the car park at the end of the Inverlochcraig road and looked up to an icing sugar coated Stob Invercraig. We both had chosen this way in as we had read and heard that the ridge walk up to Stob Binnein is an excellent walk. We shimmied and skidded across the car park and road on our feet and started the climb ~ boy is it steep! Half way up this section Dave could see I was struggling to get a grip whilst he was making good progress using a walking pole. He decided to stick on his crampons and handed me the pole ~ immediate improvement and I'm now a convert (2 purchased since this walk). I decided to wait until we made the more pronounced snow line at the top before attaching my claws. We eventually reached the top of Creag Atair to be presented with the wonderful sweeping ridge of Na Staidhrichean all the way up to Stob Coire an Lochain. The weather was first class and we were taking lots of photographs.

We cracked on to Stob C-a-L (originally we thought this was Stob B as we could see another mountain behind it which we thought was Ben More, the viewing angle screwed up our concept of height ~ at least that's our excuse and we are sticking to it :) We reached Stob C-a-L and then quickly realised that it was Stob B still in front of us and Ben More standing behind. After a quick chat with two other climbers who were making their way back down we charged forward on the final ascent.

We reached the top about 1.00pm (set off 9.15am). Much harder going in the snow than we anticipated and both of us were feeling it in the legs. Sat and had some food and I walked over to look at the possibility of carrying on to Ben More. Now I read a map reasonably well but I always believe you never get the real feeling of drop until you see it for yourself. I walked back to Dave to tell him it was serious undertaking to drop to the bealach and ascend BM especially as it would mean most of the return being done in dusk/dark.

Happy with what had been an excellent day we decided to leave BM for another day and started the walk back. Additional backpack weight and strain on the muscles was taking its toll on me and I started to get the cramps. Even although I had been munchin salt and vinegar peanuts all the way up!! This meant our descent was much slower than we would have expected. I have since gone out and bought a Platypus hydration pack to hopefully solve this. Dave helped the situation by turning mountain spring water into some kind of isotonic, muscle energy boosting, cramp calming, plasma for the final section. (I believe everyone should have a Beelzebub with them when they tackle a mountain :lol: :lol: )

Finally got back to the car park and spent the next half hour / hour trying to get the car out of the skating rink!! Thanks to the guy, his son and his son's girlfriend (perhaps, don't know) who we had met earlier on the hill for supplying grit from the boot of their car to get us out.

All in all a brilliant day with good company. Now ~ to get that brute called Ben More. Dave, fire up the witchcraft and set the weather for a date in the near future.

BV

ps. I will come back and attach more pics at a later date
Attachments
DSC01606.JPG
Cean na Baintighearna, River Larig and clouds moving South - Yeeha
DSC01612.JPG
Inverlochlarig ~ Mountain Rescue helicopter flying below us. Need to zoom ~ it is almost touching the first house you come to as you travel along the road left to right
DSC01615.JPG
Glen Sgionie ~ conditions improving all the time, Stob Breac (left) Stob a'Choin (right)
DSC01616.JPG
Stob Invercarnaig summit ~ walking into the weather Dave had ordered
DSC01617.JPG
First view of Cruach Ardrain with whispy cloud cover
DSC01619.JPG
Dave cracking on for Creag Artair, me giving the one fingered salute to the Mountain Weather God (only joking it's my ice axe shaft sticking out above my head)
DSC01620.JPG
The beautiful Na Staidhrichean ridge. Stob B peaking out in the background (highest point you can see) Stob C-a-L just to the right
DSC01622.JPG
We reckon this is the Lawers range
DSC01623.JPG
Look at that ~ getting excited now
DSC01624.JPG
Looking back to Creag Artair. Dave saying ~ Move your arse, I'm not waiting all day to take your picture
DSC01625.JPG
Dave fed up waiting ~ if only he would turn around
DSC01626.JPG
We think this is Ben Vorlich and Stuc a'Chroin
DSC01627.JPG
Here he comes
DSC01628.JPG
There he goes
DSC01630.JPG
Just about to parachute off the edge of the world!!
DSC01631.JPG
How good is this for conditions. Look to the little top on the right (Stob C-a-L) and you can see the 2 guys, we met moments later, sitting having lunch
DSC01632.JPG
Stob Coire an Lochain summit with Stob Binnein in the background. Dave with the inversion potion
DSC01633.JPG
WOW!! It works ~ inversion building
DSC01634.JPG
Looking back from whence we came
DSC01635.JPG
Dave and the view from the top
stobbinean 30-12-2010 040.jpg
Me at the top with the pre-ordered inversion moment building
DSC01636.JPG
Clouds coming in for some brief but worthwhile INVERSION TIME
DSC01637.JPG
More superb views
DSC01642.JPG
Almost back down and the setting sun showing some lovely colours on the hills

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

Last edited by baggervance on Tue Jan 11, 2011 2:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Stob Binnein and Ben More (Not!!)

Postby David.Ferguson » Mon Jan 10, 2011 4:24 pm

Hi Jason

It was indeed a terrific day.That section from Inverlochcraig up to Creag Atair was indeed a steep little warm up. :?
Started working on the weather for the next one already. :lol:

David.


stobbinean 30-12-2010 028.jpg
Baggervance forging ahead.


stobbinean 30-12-2010 030.jpg
My favorite of the day.Back along the ridge towards Inverlochcraig.
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Re: Stob Binnein and Ben More (Not!!)

Postby blanchie » Mon Jan 10, 2011 5:25 pm

Looks like a belter of a day. Well done.

I'm starting to drop my anticipated walking speed down by about a third in snow.

Have you tried the microspikes for ice or ice and thin snow? Coming off the hill at Coire na Ba (Kinlochleven) the other day in deep snow, I switched from crampons to microspikes once I'd hit the icy path and shot back down. Amazing difference and far easier to walk in than crampons. I bought my wife some for Xmas (Pogu's I think) and she has not looked back.
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Re: Stob Binnein and Ben More (Not!!)

Postby Alastair S » Mon Jan 10, 2011 5:52 pm

Look forward to the rest of the photos - looks like a crackin' day.

Probably a wise decision to leave Ben More for another day - I found the the ascent from the Stob Binnein bealach a real struggle when I did this is similar conditions in Feb last here (report over here).
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Re: Stob Binnein and Ben More (Not!!)

Postby kevsbald » Mon Jan 10, 2011 6:09 pm

Well done chaps. Cracking photos.
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Re: Stob Binnein and Ben More (Not!!)

Postby rockhopper » Tue Jan 11, 2011 1:00 am

Interesting route and different to the usual way of approaching this hill - looks like you had a tough time but well worth it given your photos (will look out for the rest) - well done :D
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Re: Stob Binnein and Ben More (Not!!)

Postby baggervance » Tue Jan 11, 2011 2:18 pm

More pictures added

BV
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Re: Stob Binnein and Ben More (Not!!)

Postby Alastair S » Tue Jan 11, 2011 2:42 pm

Fantastic set of photos there BV - thanks for sharing :D
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Re: Stob Binnein and Ben More (Not!!)

Postby baggervance » Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:41 pm

Thanks Alistair

Your earlier walk report was one of the reasons Dave and I decided to do it from this side. The 2 in summer would be possible but it is a sizeable physical challenge in the winter when deep soft snow is lying

cheers BV
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Re: Stob Binnein and Ben More (Not!!)

Postby kinley » Tue Jan 11, 2011 7:59 pm

Ah - a great way of tackling Stob Binnein - and a cracking winter's day too 8) :D
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Re: Stob Binnein and Ben More (Not!!)

Postby baggervance » Wed Jan 12, 2011 10:15 am

kinley wrote:Ah - a great way of tackling Stob Binnein - and a cracking winter's day too 8) :D



Dave and I did remark it was a Kinleyesque day 8) :lol:
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Re: Stob Binnein and Ben More (Not!!)

Postby John44 » Mon Jan 17, 2011 9:58 pm

Hello, this is my first posting as just signed up.
I took this same route a few months ago in terrible visbibility and heavy rain. Like you, I also mistook the first peak for Stob Binnean summit, thinking Stob Binean was in fact Ben More which was still a good hour's hard walking away!
Your photos are superb and have inspired me to tackle Stob Binean again preferably in similar conditions that you encountered - fairly straightforward ascent I would imagine even in the snow?
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Re: Stob Binnein and Ben More (Not!!)

Postby baggervance » Tue Jan 18, 2011 1:23 pm

John44 wrote:Hello, this is my first posting as just signed up.
I took this same route a few months ago in terrible visbibility and heavy rain. Like you, I also mistook the first peak for Stob Binnean summit, thinking Stob Binean was in fact Ben More which was still a good hour's hard walking away!
Your photos are superb and have inspired me to tackle Stob Binean again preferably in similar conditions that you encountered - fairly straightforward ascent I would imagine even in the snow?


Hi John44

Thanks for the comments and welcome to the site, you will find it very useful for getting info and planning walks.

It is on days like the one we had that makes this whole hill walking malarky worthwhile. It is a great walk in the snow and a lovely long sweeping (easy) ridge. The only challenge is physical strength in the legs. Having to lift your legs in and out of knee deep snow is hard even if someone has already made a bit of a track.

Dave and I would have ideally liked to get across to Ben M but we were aware of the time and the effort required to drop and regain about 1000ft. I reckon it would be easily do-able in non-snow conditions but then again perhaps you are fitter than me :lol:

Best of luck with the weather on your next visit to Stob B

cheers

BV
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Re: Stob Binnein and Ben More (Not!!)

Postby Merry-walker » Tue Jan 18, 2011 2:18 pm

Excellent!

where can I get a Beelzebub? :lol:
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Re: Stob Binnein and Ben More (Not!!)

Postby baggervance » Tue Jan 18, 2011 6:02 pm

Merry-walker wrote:Excellent!

where can I get a Beelzebub? :lol:


Check Comparethemarket.com :lol: :lol:

My Beelzebub (Dave) will be under pressure this weekend to deliver good weather for Beinn Tulaichean / Cruach Ardrain :lol: I'm guessin he has the eye of newt and leg of toad in the pestle just now :shock:
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