Meall Nan Tarmachan - Conditions?

[Tenbob]

Hi All,

Just wondering if anyone has been around the Lawers region in the last day or two. Am planning to bag MnT on saturday (will leave the ridge for better weather). So, just planing to go to top and back. I don't have or use crampons/axe, would this even be necessary at this time? I have ascended through snow before but just don't want to waste my saturday if it would be pointless for me to attempt this ascent without crampons.

Cheers

[malky_c]

I imagine the snowline will be down below the carpark at the moment, but it will be fresh stuff and unlikely to cause you much bother.

However higher up, there are still patches of old snow around, and at the moment, these are pretty solid. From what I saw across the glen last week, there isn't much old snow left at that level, but there could some some awkward patches at the final steep east-facing ascent to the summit.

[Tenbob]

Thanks Malky, yeah kind of thought snow may be at car park given it's around 700m. That final ascent is the part which concerns me most I suppose. I only get one weekend off a month so I am really tempted to go, perhaps head further west where there may be less chance of snow?

[jmarkb]

We did the whole ridge last Saturday - there's only a few patches of old snow, though these were quite hard frozen and needed a bit of care, especially one just E of the top Meall Garbh. On the final part of the main path to the summit, though, the old snow was almost entirely avoidable and not a problem. We were forced onto some steep grass on the steepest section, though, which might be trickier with fresh snow on it.

[basscadet]

Yes, looked pretty clear from Killin on Sunday. If I was going up I wouldn't of bothered taking hardware..

[Tenbob]

What, not even for possible ice at final steep ascent?

[basscadet]

Naw, from what I saw there would of been a way.. Consequences of falling far enough to do any real harm practically zero anyway.

[laconic surf]

Hi, I did the ridge last Sunday. The only tricky bit was a large ice patch covering the path in the gully after the 923 spot height on the final pull up to the ridge. The guy I was with was very nervous and I kicked large steps for him so he had a good grip. Crampons would have helped but it's over so quickly it's not worth the extra weight. We met one guy who had done the reverse route and had come down the way through the gully and said it was rather "exhilarating" but had managed fine. The snow patches up by Meall Garbh past the Lochan are fine, if you slipped it would be your pride hurting rather than any bones

[laconic surf]

This photo shows the snow lying over the path

Snow over the path

The route from the Munro summit across to Meall Garbh

Tarmachan to Meall Garbh

Hope this helps

[jmarkb]

This photo shows the snow lying over the path

It was easy enough to avoid the snow via the steep grass just to the right (looking up).

[Tenbob]

...if you slipped it would be your pride hurting rather than any bones

Consequences of falling far enough to do any real harm practically zero anyway.

Lol, that's it decided then, MnT is ON! Will decide when up there if I want to continue to do ridge. Bit worried about scramble on Meall Garbh considering slippy ice, prob just use the steep grass to avoid it.

[jmarkb]

Bit worried about scramble on Meall Garbh considering slippy ice, prob just use the steep grass to avoid it.

There's now a straightforward and well-worn bypass path on the N side of this (to your right in descent).

[Tenbob]

There's now a straightforward and well-worn bypass path on the N side of this (to your right in descent).

That's obviously happened since my guidebook was written. Nice one!

[jmarkb]

That's obviously happened since my guidebook was written. Nice one!

Yes, I'd say it's become a lot more evident over the last 10 years or so.

[Dave Hewitt]

Be careful in terms of what's meant by the scramble on the Tarmachans - there are two parts of the Meall Garbh ridge that people sometimes describe as a scramble. The bit jmarkb means is what is (or used to be) more commonly known as the Bad Step, the horrible slabby/gravelly gully on the descent towards the Beinn nan Eachan col if heading west. That's the place you can avoid on the right/north by a zigzaggy path down a grassy slope. But there's also the narrow and slightly scrambly bit immediately west of Meall Garbh summit - this is short and easy but there's no sensible way to avoid it, certainly not on the right/north side if heading west as that's very steep ground and will still probably have a snowy headwall anyway.

Oh, and the NTS car park certainly isn't anything like 700m - it would be a very easy Munro if so; it's at about 430m.