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New to winter walking

New to winter walking


Postby Euanmack » Thu Apr 07, 2022 11:02 pm

Sorry if this is not posted correctly (i'm new to this site and just finding my way about).
I am away to walk Schieallion on Wednesday 13th. done a few Munros and Corbetts but all in the summer.
Obviously I'll be wearing the right gear and will check the weather before setting off. Is Schieallion fairly straightforward mid April, is the path usually clear to see?
Sorry if these are daft questions
Mack
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Re: New to winter walking

Postby Caberfeidh » Sat Apr 09, 2022 6:35 am

Euanmack wrote:Sorry if this is not posted correctly (i'm new to this site and just finding my way about).
I am away to walk Schieallion on Wednesday 13th. done a few Munros and Corbetts but all in the summer.
Obviously I'll be wearing the right gear and will check the weather before setting off. Is Schieallion fairly straightforward mid April, is the path usually clear to see?
Sorry if these are daft questions
Mack


The only daft question is the one left unasked. There could well be full winter conditions up Schiehallion, which is a big brute of a hill. Just because there are daffodils and birds singing at the foot of it doesn't mean it wont be topped with ice and snow and bitter cold winds. From memory the path gets lost amongst boulders up high, and that's without snow. Are you going to take an ice axe and crampons and helmet? April is still winter.
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OK this was March, but that's nearly April...
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Re: New to winter walking

Postby jmarkb » Sat Apr 09, 2022 3:44 pm

Having just driven past, I can confirm that Schiehallion has snow down to about 700m - some old patches and a thin covering of fresh. This probably won’t change much by Wednesday.

In clear weather the route finding is straightforward. Higher up there is a lot of stony terrain and it is possible to stray off route in poor visibility, regardless of any snow cover. Having map and compass and knowing what to do with them is, as ever, a good idea.
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