Cuillin ridge guides

[Yipyipcoyote]

Any recommendations on guides for the Cuillin ridge. Myself and 2 friends are keen to tackle it this June.

[malky_c]

'Skye Scrambles' by Noel Williams has just about everything you might want to know in it.

[Rudolph]

Do you mean books which can tell you - or people who can take you?

[malky_c]

Never occurred to me that this could also mean guiding .

I can't help there, but every time this subject comes up there are usually loads of recommendations.

[Sgurr]

If you mean people who can take you, I always reply Mike Lates of Skye Guides. If he can get me (then a 64 year old female feartie) up the In Pin, McCoinnich and Sgurr Alasdair on one day, and Bruach na Frithe, Am Basteir and Sgurr nan Gillean on another, he can help anyone.

[Alteknacker]

People: Mike Laing of Snowdonia climbing. Did a weekend in Snowdonia with him in preparation for the ridge last year, and he's really top notch. He does the ridge every ridge at least once with clients. We - my son and I - were very happy with his tuition, and I managed to do it - on the second attempt - in 12.75 hours on my own (excluding Naismith's Route).

Literature: actually the route is really pretty complicated and we lost our way a couple of time the first time I tried it last year - route finding in mist on the ridge is **** in however you look at it, because compasses don't work. And I'm not sure that any guide can really cover the complexities of the ridge. Also, I'd argue it would detract a bit from the adrenalin if you'd rehearsed every metre of the route. It';s so wonderful, I'd say: enjoy the challenge! However, if you want more detail, Steve Fallon's web site has a lot of real detail.

However, I used the Rockfax guide by Andy Hyslop, only cost a few quid, and is pretty detailed. Quite a few people I met en route had this guide, so I guess it's got a bit of ridge cred.

Just two points:
1. There's some quite heavy scrambling (Grade 3 at least) so you need to be OK with heights.
2. Don't leave it too late: the midges are ruthlessly carnivorous.....

Enjoy. It's one of life's GREAT experiences.

Alterknacker

[murwilson]

This is Gillian from Mike Lates Skye Guides http://skyeguides.co.uk/. All 5'4", size 6, of her. Absolutely top notch guide who got me and five other snivelling wretches up the Inn Pinn in the peeing rain a couple of weeks back. Highly recommended. When I asked how many times she'd done the Inn Pinn, 100's came the reply!

Mur

[gary.nimmo]

Nice to see a wee pic of Gillian who pushed on with the wife and I to knock off our remaining munros on the ridge on day one of our two day booking so that she could get us up over Clach Glas and onto Bla Bheinn and offer us a real sense of achievement!! One of our best days in the hills and Gillian was excellent.

Another vote for Mike Lates and his team as I always add to these threads.

Off to read the Kids on Munros thread to figure out when it will be acceptable to get our 11 month old onto them....really missing it!