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Which is the easier, Forcan or RoS?

Which is the easier, Forcan or RoS?


Postby ScotFinn65 » Wed Apr 25, 2018 6:09 pm

Any opinions to help a novice? Which is technically the more difficult scramble ( in summer conditions), Forcan Ridge or Ring of Steall? 🤔Cheers 👍
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Re: Which is the easier, Forcan or RoS?

Postby cmarcol » Wed Apr 25, 2018 6:19 pm

Ring of Steall is longer but Forcan is more technically difficult. The bad step on FR can be bypassed but the material underfoot is quite loose so not quite hands in pocket territory. It’s a grade 2 but not sure Ring of Steall is graded? Someone may correct me. Both fantastic days out!
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Re: Which is the easier, Forcan or RoS?

Postby Sgurr » Wed Apr 25, 2018 6:23 pm

I found RoS easier, but maybe because it is the first time that someone stopped us to ask "Do you mind us asking how old you are?" So felt very puffed up and over confident....and in retrospect rather stupid.
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Re: Which is the easier, Forcan or RoS?

Postby Mal Grey » Wed Apr 25, 2018 6:25 pm

Forcan Ridge is probably technically harder, especially the down climb from the subsidiary peak itself. The rest of the ridge is pleasingly sustained and exposed, without any really hard bits.

R of S is mostly hands free, just a short scramble on the Devil's Ridge and some quite narrow and exposed but easy scrambling on An Garbhanach if I remember rightly. Its a longer day out though, so more tiring.
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Re: Which is the easier, Forcan or RoS?

Postby jmarkb » Wed Apr 25, 2018 7:16 pm

Dan Bailey's route cards over on UKH say (easy) Grade 1 for RoS and Grade 2 for FR, which seems about right to me. I'm fairly sure the SMC scrambling guides agree, will report back later if not!
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Re: Which is the easier, Forcan or RoS?

Postby prog99 » Thu Apr 26, 2018 7:35 am

Its actually graded Mod in the last definitive SMC guidebook. At the low end of the grade but maybe because of the down climb.
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Re: Which is the easier, Forcan or RoS?

Postby jmarkb » Thu Apr 26, 2018 8:23 am

prog99 wrote:Its actually graded Mod in the last definitive SMC guidebook. At the low end of the grade but maybe because of the down climb.


Guess that’s because the climber’s guides don’t use scrambling grades. It is Grade 2 in SMC Highland Scrambles North!
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Re: Which is the easier, Forcan or RoS?

Postby Robinho08 » Thu Apr 26, 2018 6:31 pm

Forcan Ridge is definitely more involved and exposed than the RoS.

The awkward down climb on the Forcan can be avoided by veering off to the south.
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Re: Which is the easier, Forcan or RoS?

Postby Magoo82 » Fri Apr 27, 2018 2:00 pm

Can't comment on the Forcan ridge as I've not done it.

The scrambling on the RoS barely qualifies as scrambling. There is one awkward move on the Devil's Ridge which can be bypassed by dropping down onto a faint path which skirts below the tricky bit. The difficulty of the RoS is the unrelenting ups and downs. There are no flat stretches where you can "rest on the move", you're either going up or coming down. And it's like that all day. If you're doing it clockwise then the descent off the fourth munro will have your knees crunching with each step. It's an absolute hoor of a day but in good conditions it's 100% worth the anguish.
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Re: Which is the easier, Forcan or RoS?

Postby ScotFinn65 » Sat Apr 28, 2018 3:48 pm

Thanks to everyone that took the time to reply. Your feedback is really valuable to a novice and much appreciated 👍
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