How Many More Times

[OpenC]

Which hills have taken the largest number of attempts for you before you finally got up them?

I tried Buachaille Etive Mor (Stob Dearg via Coire na Tulaich) twice last year and turned around initimidated by low cloud in the corrie and no real idea of what was to come. Tried it again yesterday and was going fine until my mate got a bit gripped on the scramble out of the corrie (and about two minutes after turning around, the sole started flapping off the bottom of his boot, so it was obviously the right call). Will be back but it's going to take at least four goes to get up this one. Blaven took three.

Which ones have demanded repeat visits from you, and why?

[Sgurr]

Maol Cheann Dearg. Husband climbed it long ago, and we went with three friends for me to climb it. We found a cairn in the clag and thought we had got to the summit. Husband said "Last time I was here I think the cairn was larger." Friends said "You can't possibly know what a cairn looks like if you climbed the hill 25 years ago. It goes down all the way round, it must be the summit." Looked across from Sgurr Ruadh the next day and saw a whopping cairn-like object on the summit. Friends said "It's three men standing together," but it didn't move. N.B. This was before the days of satnavs, so it would have been bagged first time had we possessed one.
Second attempt in rain and high wind, we had walked round from the Torridon side for a change (same three friends) and when we got to the bealcah between it and An Ruadh Stac if we stood up, we got blown towards the crags. They stared crawling up the hill, but I said "I'm going home," at which point they said "Good idea, " and came too. Bagged it with husband on a blazing hot day together with An Ruadh Stac, since he refused to come again unless I did that too. Whacked.

The cairn is rather memorable
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/230008

[simon-b]

A' Bhuidheanach Bheag and Carn na Caim: On reaching the plateau between the Munros during the first attempt, I experienced a white out, so turned back without reaching either summit. Next day was clear and sunny, so I went back and climbed them then.

Beinn Sgulaird: At the first attempt, on a day with rain lower down and snow higher up, I got into one of those gales you can't move forward in. So I made a retreat. A month later, I came back on a calm, sunny day and climbed it.

[kmai1961]

I laughed out loud when I read this post; I have a bit of a habit (and reputation) for leaving instances of classic rounds unfinished, or requiring multiple attempts for singletons. There are too many to list them all, but here are some of my favourites:

• Beinn Chabhair: 3x
• Ben Lawers 5: 3x
• Monadhliath 3: 2x so far, with Carn Sgulain left to do (the one in the middle, the one that the WH description says “has little to detain you”). Who DOES that??
• A'Bhuidheanach Bheag (you know, half of one of the very-high-start Drumochter routes): 3x
• My favourite, and the one I’m most perversely proud of: Creag Meagaidh/Roughburn 5 (a route that many do in a one-r): 7, yes, SEVEN separate trips!

My reasons for so having many “recces” are wide and varied: poor weather/visibility, too much wind, physical discomfort of one sort or another, time constraints, or just not feelin’ the love (i.e., couldn’t be a**sed on the day). If I ever compleat, it’ll probably have taken more than 300 trips.

I've used this signoff before,
kmai "it's probably going to take me at least seven trips to do the SGSR" 1961

[basscadet]

The Loch Lochy ones and Beinn nan Aighenan both took me 4 attempts.. sometimes things just dont pan out the way you hope - we have successful trips all the time, but it is the fails that you laugh about and often remember the most fondly

[Caberfeidh]

Ben Nevis. First attempt mid winter 1986. Blizzards, heavy snow cover, lack of equipment, lack of experience. Returned many times since, climbed in Corrie Leis, been on the lower slopes, up past the C.I.C. hut, round the "back" from Glen Nevis, but never summited yet. One day I'll get the weather, the opportunity, the inclination, the lack of hangover, etc...

[IanEzzi]

Cairn Toul, Sgor an Lochan Uaine and Braeriach, mostly because I've always attempted them as part of longer trips which have proven two difficult, or have wanted to combine them with exploratative scrambles and have been rained off.

This year will be my third attempt (via the Fiacail Buttress and the NE ridge of Sgor an Lochan Uaine) so I might have to suck it up and get on with it come rain or shine!

[AlisonFox66]

Ben Vorlich - The Lochearnhead one . I took three attempts . Yeah , I know a real easy hill

[jupe1407]

I've been quite lucky in this respect (so far). The only ones that spring to my mind are:

Sgor nam Fiannaidh - Attempted in March 2013 from the Pap Path, beaten back by ridiculous gale force winds about 100 yards from the summit. Summited it second time around as part of the AE traverse

A'Bhudenheach Bheag - Intended to do it in Feb this year after Carn na Caim, but after 4 hours of trail breaking and featureless snowy terrain, I got back to the bealach, took a cursory glance at the bleakness of the route to the next one, the dropping cloud, muttered "**** that" and walked down.

[Phil the Hill]

Took me 3 attempts to bag Sgurr na Ceannaichean, and then it was promptly demoted from Munro status. At least it's still a Corbett.

Made 2 abortive attempts on Ben Alder so far, plus 2 times I had intended to do it but did something else instead (due to weather or tiredness).

[Jaxter]

This is excellent

Beinn a' Chroin was third time lucky for me - the first time I attempted Beinn Chabhair as well as An Caisteal and Beinn a' Chroin. The weather was awful so nav was difficult and I was running out of time - made the ridge but decided I didn't have enough time as I still had to cycle back to Crianlarich and it was getting dark so went back over An Caisteal only.

The second attempt was very early this January in even worse weather (clag, snow and mega winds) - got to about 850m on An Caisteal and realised I valued my life

Third time was a gorgeous winter day in February where I finally got to try out the crampons...worth waiting for


My other nemesis, Stuc a' Chroin was because I didn't have any winter gear at the time and it was coated in snow. Climbed it via Beinn Each a few weeks ago, wonderful walk

[Senja]

Schiehallion when I had no car. Four goes to get a lift in while hitching.

[kaye.cantlay]

It's not a Munro.....

But one of the first hills I tried to climb - maybe 15 years ago now - was Helvellyn.
I was taken up to Swirral Edge by my OH, but got to the start of it and refused to believe it was an actual route.
Even the group of pensioners descending it could not convince me to go any further, and I actually cried.
I was SO petrified of exposure and heights....
I chose to wait at the bottom of the scramble whilst OH went to the summit and back.
We returned several times to no avail, and finally after several YEARS we got me to the summit via the benign pony track route...

Since discovering the Munros I have simply HAD to get over these fears and I've come a long way.
I've done several Skye Munros, Aonach Eagach, Curved ridge and the Ledge route on BN (Ok - I whimpered a bit on most of these...)
Finally conquering Swirral edge as part of the Helvellyn triathlon was one of my biggest triumphs

[goth_angel]

Liking this thread. I think a lot of people have failed attempts but don't always admit it for various reasons.

My bogey hill was Ben Vorlich (Loch Earn). First failed attempt was a mix of hung over and clag and basically decided it wasn't worth the effort. 2nd time got beaten back in high winds and zero viz about 100m of ascent off the top. We then arranged to do it with a friend but my OH pulled a muscle in his leg so we bailed. One other time we drove to the start at which point the heavens opened so we didn't even get out the car.. Finally did it on a glorious November day.

I have a bad habit of doing hills usually done as a pair as singles leaving an annoying repeat visit to mop up the straggler - this is often due to time constraints to catch a flight or something or simply starting out too late (not an early morning person!)

[Sunny Speyside]

'Meall nan Tarmachan is one of the easier Munros to reach thanks to a high level start point'

Really?

3 times I have driven from Speyside to do this hill on days when the forecasts were looking OK. On the 1st attempt I got to around 900m before being beaten back by the wind and deep snow. On the 2nd visit I sat in my car in the Lawers carpark, had a cup of tea and hoped the un-forecast rain would soon go off, it didn't so I left it for another day...maybe third time lucky Not a chance, 3rd visit we drove along the A827 and with headlights and wipers on full throttle, a silent glare from my son ensured I didn't even make it to the carpark that time.
This hill is now firmly on my ' I probably won't bother with that one' list!
Cheers