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Going up Liathach from north??

Going up Liathach from north??


Postby AlexisW » Mon Aug 28, 2017 5:07 pm

Hi all, I'm looking for user experiences from people or known routes that go up the Liathach ridge from the north.
(Camping in coire na caime, coming from Beinn Eighe, during 10 day trip in mid-september)
I've been looking on the net for a long time and reading every guide I own, but there are few accounts that I can find.

Key thing is I'd prefer to do the ridge east to west, so going up the ridge at Spidean a' Coire Leith is preferred.
Then the next step is getting down the west end, without a too long walk (bein dearg, alligin are on the menu the days after, so saving energy/time would be nice)

One Cicerone guide I have mentions going up Spidean a Choire Leith directly up (red line in my attached image), but that was a winter oriented route description.
The hill looks do-able also in summer, but loose rock and moss could be a world of difference, so would be great if anyone knows if this is a realistic route to take in summer.
Another route up I came across was taking the gully in Coire Dubh Mor, nicknamed 'Way Up'. (Purple line) But this was also a winter oriented description. Anyone have experience with that one?

The the way down: Taking Coireag Cham from Mullach an Rathain would be great (Blue line), but I assume that would mean downclimbing the Norther Pinnacles or not? (Not an option, since I'm traveling solo, plus I only read experienced people disadvising downclimbing these parts)
Then maybe the green line in my jpeg is a good option?


Would be awesome if anyone has good experience info on this or know of sites where there are traveler accounts/descriptions..

Liathach routes up and down.jpg
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Re: Going up Liathach from north??

Postby Mal Grey » Mon Aug 28, 2017 6:24 pm

Hi, I've never done any of these, so take this with a pinch of salt!

Firstly, you're right to discount dropping north off M n R.

I reckon your alternative descent would go, just be a bit steep.

As for the ascent, my experience of gullies is that they are horrible places in summer! The route up the "north ridge" of S a C L looks fine in the upper part, if steep, the limited photos I can find of it suggest some typical sandstone terraces lower down. Hopefully you can pick your way upwards through these, but you'd want to be confident on rough terrain with possible scrambling.
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Re: Going up Liathach from north??

Postby Ben Nachie » Mon Aug 28, 2017 7:20 pm

You can ascend Liathach fairly easily from the very eastern end. Sorry but I can't remember the precise line even though I've done it twice.

Your green descent line looks feasible, but the sandstone terraces can make descending quite tricky if you are 'off piste'. I'd be tempted to stick to the main ridge right to the western end.

Basically do a full east-west traverse.
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Re: Going up Liathach from north??

Postby AlexisW » Mon Aug 28, 2017 7:56 pm

Thanks for the input,
@ Ben, yeah i read about that ascend from several walker reports, probably is on one of the GPX's thats posted, will have a look at that.

@Mal, thats also what I'm guessing. maybe some traversing left and right if the stone terrasses look annoying. And why are gulies terrible in summer? I'm guessing lots of loose material mixed with water streams?
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Re: Going up Liathach from north??

Postby Mal Grey » Mon Aug 28, 2017 8:00 pm

AlexisW wrote:Thanks for the input,
@ Ben, yeah i read about that ascend from several walker reports, probably is on one of the GPX's thats posted, will have a look at that.

@Mal, thats also what I'm guessing. maybe some traversing left and right if the stone terrasses look annoying. And why are gulies terrible in summer? I'm guessing lots of loose material mixed with water streams?


Green, slimy, loose, steep... :lol:
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Re: Going up Liathach from north??

Postby Giant Stoneater » Mon Aug 28, 2017 8:38 pm

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Re: Going up Liathach from north??

Postby gaffr » Tue Aug 29, 2017 7:22 am

Hello,
The only experience that I have had with the North side of the hill was in '79 during the October holiday. Very fine weather spell at the time. I met a group of Award scheme folks at the eastern end of Ben Eighe who had walked in from Achnashellach station. Stayed at a distance when they traversed EIghe and descended into the fabulous coire much fiercer. Their overnight camp was nearer to the Path than is shown on your map
The third day of the trip was up your 'Red route'' onto Liathach for the traverse.
Their forth day was over Beinn Liath Mhor and Sgorr Ruadh.
I met them at the station after my little reward for the trip when I got to Moruisg and its neighbour for the first time.
Pupils were from Grantown Grammar School and were seasoned hill going lads and were well trained within the school system at the time.
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Re: Going up Liathach from north??

Postby AlexisW » Tue Aug 29, 2017 10:34 am

@ gaffr, Thats good to know. I just found another walker discription of that 'Red route', on Viewranger with GPS track. Seems like a tough and little used ascend but interesting. Great route also you described, last time I also camped at coire fhearchair, which was pretty impressive.. will revisit again in september.

@ Mal.. Yeah that sounds bad.. I'll skip the gully plans.. Thanks for the heads up.

@ Giant, I've seen that route yeah, looks interesting crossing the col there think I will decide there at the spot if I will try that route, depending on visibility. I think being able to really aim for the right place in the col is essential when coming from the west side.
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Re: Going up Liathach from north??

Postby jmarkb » Tue Aug 29, 2017 10:48 am

Your red route is in the SMC Highland Scrambles North guide book, Grade 1/2, but unavoidable difficulties seem to be confined to a couple of sandstone tiers.

You blue route is the Northern Pinnacles, a loose Moderate rock climb, probably best avoided unless you are super-confident descending that sort of terrain.

Your green route looks possible, but steep and covered in scree/boulders. It might be better to head further west along the main ridge and drop into the W side of Coireag Dhearg, or continue even further towards Sgorr a' Chadeil.
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Re: Going up Liathach from north??

Postby jmarkb » Tue Aug 29, 2017 11:44 am

jmarkb wrote: It might be better to head further west along the main ridge and drop into the W side of Coireag Dhearg,


Further searching online confirms that there is a straightforward descent on grass into Coireag Dhearg starting from NG905579.
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Re: Going up Liathach from north??

Postby AlexisW » Tue Aug 29, 2017 3:39 pm

Thats great info, red route direct up Spidean a Choire Leith it will be. Going to check for SMC guidebook text about that.
That drop from the west into Coireag Dearg will probably the easiest descents.

I'd love to climb the Northern Pinnacles, but downclimbing without belay would just be asking for trouble, like you said Rockclimbing will just have to wait for a climbing trip with some buddies. (Read about some accounts/routes in the Coire Mhic Fearchair, which just sound too great to not do some day.)
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Re: Going up Liathach from north??

Postby jmarkb » Wed Aug 30, 2017 11:00 am

AlexisW wrote:Read about some accounts/routes in the Coire Mhic Fearchair, which just sound too great to not do some day.


I can thoroughly recommend East Buttress: a great adventure at (the upper end of) Diff!
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Re: Going up Liathach from north??

Postby BatleyWalker » Sat Jun 12, 2021 11:30 am

Only just seen this. If you still have interest, a couple of weeks ago I did a traverse which descended off the North side. ascended the Western Munro up the usual path from the South then traversed as far as the end of the pinnacles where there is a gulley between the pinnacles and the Eastern Munro. Did a quick out and back to the Munro then down the gulley to the locahan. A lot of loose debris to negotiate at the start but after a couple of hundred feet became more grassy and manageable. Took me down from the ridge at 3000ft to the loch an at 1700 ft in only 45 mins. Am sure it could be done the other way around but it is steep

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