The Dreaded Liathach (Well it is to me anyway!)

[mountain coward]

Questions on Liathach which I suppose I'll have to do sometime (I know y'all love it):

Did I see in someone's recent post that there's now a path to the awful-steep East end? If so, does it go right up to the ridgeline? Is it obvious to find? Is there still a split in the slight corrie near the top where another route goes left and misses those 2 humps before the Munro out? Anyone done that one and is it easier or worse? (looks better to me in photos).

Is it definitely not possible to get onto the east end of the ridge from the path between that and Beinn Eighe - straight up the very end of the ridge? I thought I saw potential routes but couldn't see the top as it was lowish cloud. I was looking literally up the east end from slightly behind and thought you could just skirt round the various bits of crags and ascend it on grass.

Also, when I do the more western Munro, I was going to go up over Sgorr a Chadail from 'the back' as it were and descend the same way (I'm certain I can't do the Am Fasarinen and don't fancy the traverse either as I've seen pics of it and it looks truly awful). Anyone gone that way instead of the steep scree descent down the front people keep mentioning?

Pictures would be of great help, especially of: the top bit of the eastern routes, anything on the Sgorr a Chadail route, anything of the traverse path. I've seen enough pics of the Am Fasarinen and the ridge though thanks...

[benno]

have you seen the Northern Pinnacles?

[monarchming]

Hey mountain coward it's not as bad as you think.If you want a good description of the route you should read "The Munros" by Cameron Mcneish.I climbed this 7 years ago and went over the Am Fasarinen Pinnacles which I don't think are technically hard but maybe a wee bit exposed.Why don't you go with a friend who is more experienced or even done Liathach in the past.Also Munro Magic is a fine site for routes,information and pictures on all the Munros.I am heading back to Torridon in just over 2 weeks and I am spoilt for choice in what to climb again but Liathach is certainly one for contention.Hope this is some help to you.

[canisp]

Is it definitely not possible to get onto the east end of the ridge from the path between that and Beinn Eighe - straight up the very end of the ridge?

It is possible, i did the route a few years ago. About 20/30 minutes after leaving the car park i left the path and headed for and crossed some obvious sandstone slabs, next i followed the route shown on the photo’s below to get above the vertical crags, once on the ridge a vague intermittent path was followed without difficulty to the summit. I’ve also done the normal route but this one was better, but i would think that as i prefer ridges to corries. The two photos were taken from about GR 957578. Good luck on the day

The east end of Liathach

The east end of Liathach

[kinley]

pm'ed you M C

[mountain coward]

Thanks for the replies so far (and the PMs). Canisp, that was one of the traditional routes before the paved way up into the corrie and I believe lots of people fell off it down that crag in the photo!! I was thinking more around the back of that where it's grassier and fewer crags - they all looked avoidable as far up as I could see.

I will definitely have to take someone experienced with me as my usual walking partner, Richard, has far less experience than me. I think that's often why I lack confidence as I'm the 'walk leader' as such when we're out and, if it's a scary hill, that doesn't really help me! I do have a climbing friend Yvonne who may come with me if I bribe, beg and plead!

Still looking for photos of the scary 'goat track' - I have one from Trail mag so far and it looks horrendous (the path, not Trail mag;-) Keep 'em coming...

[mountain coward]

have you seen the Northern Pinnacles?

If you mean the ones from Mullach an Rathain down the ridge at the back of the mountain and not the Am Fasarinen, I don't have to do those anyway so will just be looking and waving at them and passing straight by!

[Paul Webster]

Best pic I've seen of the Fasarinen bypass path (presuming this is what you are asking about) is here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicklandells/3713156932/

I gave up on the pinnacles and took this path myself. Extremely airy and makes you feel light-headed; underfoot it is walking not scrambling but obviously in a very dramatic situation. I found the eroded bits ok but was releived to arrive back on the ridge at the far end.

[mountain coward]

That is definitely one of the worst things I've ever seen! It really needs an alpine 'via ferrata' style handrail on bits like that. I think that's pretty settled them for me - up the east end, down the east end. Then up the west end, down the west end!! I am getting a bit tempted by Canisp's shot after studying it a bit more so I may go up that and down the 'paved' path. Thanks for the pics and advice everyone - the ridge is definitely a no-no for me I think.

[Mrs T]

That is definitely one of the worst things I've ever seen! It really needs an alpine 'via ferrata' style handrail on bits like that. ... the ridge is definitely a no-no for me I think.

I had nightmares about Liathach for months before our trip and I was convinced I'd never get back alive. The idea of doing the Munros separately was not even discussed as (unfortunately) the other half is very keen on scrambling so was really looking forward to the Am Fasarinen. Besides, he kept reminding me that if I even wanted to do the Cuillin Munros then this would be good practise. The night before I didn't sleep at all, my legs were jelly and going up was really hard work as I was dreading what was to come... But have to say, it was not nearly as bad as I had thought! Saying I enjoyed it would be too much, but it was pefectly doable. The bypass path looked absolutely frightening, so didn't even consider that. There are also sections of path higher up, so you don't actually have to do all bits. There was one place where you had to back down (about 5 steps) which was a bit scary, but with the other half standing below and guiding my feet to right places it was ok. The fact that it was quite misty all day, so you couldn't see all the way down, greatly helped.

[mountain coward]

Superb atmospheric photo! Thanks for the encouragement... I'm sure my (also scrambling-loving) friend Richard will be coming with me and he will definitely do the ridge (we're quite happy to separate and go our separate ways on a mountain). If I can get someone much more experienced than me (Richard is much less so), I will probably have a look at the pinnacles and then make a decision from there. I'm almost sure I won't do them though from the pics I've seen of them - they look just like rock climbing to me and I never set out to be a climber! Even someone with a rope won't help as I only trust my 2 hands and feet and nothing artificial so my via ferrata thing was half-joking (although I'm sure it would be of help to some).

Mist definitely would make me worse as then my fertile imagination kicks in!

[goth_angel]

Best pic I've seen of the Fasarinen bypass path (presuming this is what you are asking about) is here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicklandells/3713156932/

I gave up on the pinnacles and took this path myself. Extremely airy and makes you feel light-headed; underfoot it is walking not scrambling but obviously in a very dramatic situation. I found the eroded bits ok but was releived to arrive back on the ridge at the far end.

That looks absolutely terrifying! I've seen a couple of pics of that path before but nothing quite as dramatic as that. I think if I ever get round to doing this one I will need to do the 2 separately (or get a lot better at scrambling)

[Mrs T]

Actually very far from climbing, otherwise I wouldn't have made it either. I can't remember wishing we had a rope at any point, either. I have tried "proper" scrambling 2 times. Once got stuck after about 2 metres, couldn't move up or down or to the sides, wobbly legs, panick, some tears and had to be helped down (all the 2 metres). Once I managed the whole route (very short) with lot of engouragement and a few less friendly comments... Am happy to walk solo, and now can't think why it didn't even occur to me to do Liathach munros separately on my own. Although, have to say the descent from the latter one was rather awful so would really not fancy going up that way!

[mountain coward]

If you mean the western-most Munro, Mullach an Rathain, I know people take some awful route down the front of it but I'm going to do the very end of the ridge - the Sgorr a Chadail route up and back - or I may try the awful route up the front on the way up (I'm fine going up things) but come down the Sgorr a Chadail ridge end.

[kinley]

Out of interest the NTS is building/repairing a path up Mullach an Rathain - not sure how far they've got but they were reporting good progress in the last newsletter.

There are better ways off Mullach than the boring descent to the glen though