Mullach Fraoch-choire In Winter

[chris182]

Hi All
Planning to bag A'Chralaig and Mullach Fraoch-choire next weekend but finding it hard to assess the difficulty of climbing (and descending) the pinnacles just below the summit of Mullach Fraoch-choire. The SMC book says 'a traverse of a narrow ridge with several rocky towers leading without difficulty to the summit’. But that's not winter conditions. I would discount attempting if the wind is blasting away.

Has anyone been up in winter and if so how did you find them and could you suggest any comparisons?

Thanks.

[jmarkb]

I have done it, but a long time ago in fairly benign spring snow conditions when bypassing the crest was possible: in fresh snow you would likely need to stick to the crest, which is harder. There is a good pic here: https://www.ukhillwalking.com/articles/page.php?id=5305

I think Dan Bailey gives it Grade I for winter conditions in his Ridges book: so comparable to Ring of Steall, or the Horns of Alligin, and harder than the CMD arete.

[Ben Nachie]

I did it when it was covered in fairly old firm snow. Stuck to the crest, it was narrow but not difficult. It was a calm day though. Very enjoyable.

[gman]

Dan Bailey gives it grade I, though he adds that it's straightforward with firm snow and the 'hardest grade I ever' with soft unconsolidated snow. He suggests continuing to the 983 point and descending from there rather than returning over the pinnacles. It was a bit soft when I did it and I remember it feeling like a step up from hillwalking. Excellent route.

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=27703

[Boris_the_Bold]

I had the hairiest day I have ever had on Scottish hills on that ridge after a big dump of new snow fell on old snow in early May a few years ago. We were tackling the ridge from South to North and were planning to spend the night in Alltbeithe/Glen Affric YH, so had big overnight packs, which didn't help.

My walking companion and I got as far as the 'bad step about half-way between the two Munros, but didn't fancy the down-climb under new snow (with big packs), nor the bypass path on the east, which was buried under the snow and looked extremely unappealing (v steep snowfield), so we tried backtracking and bypassing on the west side and ended up doing some very hairy clambering about in some horribly steep and loose gullies trying to get back up to the ridge, before giving up and doing some more very hairy down-climbing through loose rock and snow to get down into the glen to the west.

Can't remember whether we had ice axes or not, but it wouldn't have mattered, as none of the difficulties we encountered would not have been solved by having an ice axe and we needed both hands free for a lot of the clinging to loose rocks once we left the main ridge Crampons would also not have helped much.

If you get good firm snow, it would be a wonderful traverse (with crampons), but if you get new snow on top of an old base it could be extremely unpleasant, so BE CAREFUL!

BtB

[Ranger]

I was surprised and a little freaked out by this wee ridge that's little more than a footnote in the guides. Handle with care.

My log for the day, in benign spring conditions read:

"I started along the ridge northwards to the summit of Mullach Fraoch Choire (reached at 12.25pm), the narrowness and exposure of which took me by surprise, and an aborted attempt at topping one of the rocky pinnacles shook my scrambling confidence acquired on An Teallach to the foundations, resulting in me taking no chances whilst crawling on my bum along the traverse path"

[EmilyD]

We bailed off it in spring a couple years ago because the bypass path on the right was banked out, with the remnants of unstable cornices for added fun, while the scramble on the left had unavoidable patches of slippy wet spring snow. Braver scramblers might have attempted it, but we chickened out, reversed back towards a'Chralaig, and came down a wee path on the col and picked up the Allt Beith track. Still have to do that mountain.

[BlackPanther]

This is how it looked last Sunday:

Loads of fresh snow in Glen Shiel. We were on the neighbouring Sgurr nan Conbhairean, and even higher up, the snow was very soft and deep, hard going, so I can imagine, it will be similar conditions on the pinnacles. Unless weather takes a turn for spring.

We did this traverse in summer and then it was easy, but in winter conditions it's a different cup of tea. Just like the others have said already, handle with care

[chris182]

Thank you all for your comments and links, much appreciated and taken on board..

I think the overriding message is to take care, check conditions once at the pinnacles (if not sooner) and be prepared to leave it for another day.

Ps Cannot wait until next Friday!!

[Boris_the_Bold]

Hi Chris, how did you get on?