walkhighlands

Share your personal walking route experiences in Scotland, and comment on other peoples' reports.
Warning Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. Summer routes may not be viable or appropriate in winter. See winter information on our skills and safety pages for more information.

Poor Planning on Aonach Eagach.

Poor Planning on Aonach Eagach.


by SteveeMac » Tue Dec 07, 2021 2:49 am

Route description: Aonach Eagach

Munros included on this walk: Meall Dearg (Aonach Eagach), Sgòrr nam Fiannaidh (Aonach Eagach)

Date walked: 29/09/2021

Time taken: 10 hours

Distance: 12 km

Ascent: 1300m

Click to mark this as a great report. Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).


Re: Poor Planning on Aonach Eagach.

Postby SteveeMac » Thu Dec 09, 2021 12:30 am

weaselmaster wrote:Thanks for posting your cautionary account. You make a lot of good points in hindsight. There were a couple of things that I thought about after reading your report.
One is the variability of what is “easy” or “hard” to other people. I think the Aonach is quite hard, and mostly that’s because -as you found out - once you start it there’s no real option but to continue whatever has happened to the weather or your physical state. The first time we went over it the rain started about halfway, which freaked me out a little. I have it to do again for my third round and am not especially looking forward to it. But other people will find it an easy romp - I used to work with a guy who loved to climb it on winter nights under a full moon. I agree with your comments about getting more experience- I thought the MS scrambling course was good and we did it (on Skye) before doing the Aonach. Not sure about bouldering etc- I guess it may improve your physical strength for scrambling and give you options of moves on rock, but just getting experience in a graded way out on the hills is probably the best. As for Skye for your 50th - if you’re using a guide, there will be no problem.
The second matter was the fact that you were out with your son. That - for me at any rate- would make the whole thing much more anxiety provoking as it’s not only your own life at risk, but that of someone extremely precious. I haven’t done anything particularly challenging with my own son - Bla Bheinn has been about the most “extreme” and I would have hated to be in your predicament on the Aonach with my own boy.
Again, thanks for putting it out there


Hi weaselmaster, it's good to know even compleators get scared :shock:
you're dead right it's no easy stroll. I feel a confidence rope was definitely needed that day, for me anyway, it would have eased the fear of slipping off!
Hope you enjoy more days on the hills with your son
Atb, Steve.
SteveeMac
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 30
Munros:50   Corbetts:3
Fionas:3   
Sub 2000:7   
Joined: Dec 27, 2020
Location: Angus
Walk wish-list

Re: Poor Planning on Aonach Eagach.

Postby SteveeMac » Thu Dec 09, 2021 12:36 am

dogplodder wrote:My stomach was in knots reading that and only reassured by knowing if you were writing a report on it you must have survived! I came to these hills quite late in life so decided rather than terrify myself I would do the Munros at either end on separate days. That way I got a wee taste of the ridge by looking along it but didn't have to do anything I might not manage. 8)


Smart move dogplodder :lol: yes thankfully the only fatality that day was my sons trousers which failed to withstand some sharp rocks adding a bit of a bloody gash to his leg! :? :lol:
SteveeMac
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 30
Munros:50   Corbetts:3
Fionas:3   
Sub 2000:7   
Joined: Dec 27, 2020
Location: Angus
Walk wish-list

Re: Poor Planning on Aonach Eagach.

Postby SteveeMac » Thu Dec 09, 2021 1:02 am

Mal Grey wrote:This is such a great post, almost everybody has had some experience in the hills where they made a poor decision or two and we don't always talk about it as often as we should.

The fact you've thought about your mistakes in detail is a great start.

The "being responsible for somebody else" thing is very real. I've occasionally taken other people's kids into the hills, including mild scrambles, and it makes me quite nervous about my own physical ability for some reason, whereas they're always fine! Once I realised that I should either be "just group leader/navigator" or "person walking with the kid(s)" and we shared it out amongst a couple of adults, I was much happier.

The cramp thing I've had on days when we've pushed on a bit too long in tough conditions, and consequently not eaten and drank enough either.

It takes quite a bit to turn around when you think there's still a good chance of making it to the top. As I get older, I find I'm less driven to achieve, and more just happy to be out, so the decision to turn back is a bit easier. And maybe even happens TOO often when I just can't be bothered with clag!


Thanks Mal for your understanding haha maybe see you up the hills one day like the Pied Piper leading all the kids along a ridge 😎 unless it's claggy of course!
Atb, Steve.
SteveeMac
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 30
Munros:50   Corbetts:3
Fionas:3   
Sub 2000:7   
Joined: Dec 27, 2020
Location: Angus
Walk wish-list

Re: Poor Planning on Aonach Eagach.

Postby gman » Thu Dec 09, 2021 12:40 pm

Sounds like you got yourself through a bit of an epic, well done!

SteveeMac wrote:We've taken up Bouldering and Top roping working up to Lead Climbing to learn basic rope techniques for the hills.


Good decision, wish I'd done that sooner. I always thought climbing and hillwalking were separate activities, but now I think climbing is just another mountaineering skill you can (should?) develop like navigation, planning etc. Also, there are loads of easy 4 star routes in Scotland to go for, and if you start off seconding you don't have to buy all the gear :D
User avatar
gman
 
Posts: 827
Munros:250   Corbetts:4
Sub 2000:1   
Joined: Sep 12, 2011

Re: Poor Planning on Aonach Eagach.

Postby SteveeMac » Thu Dec 09, 2021 8:38 pm

gman wrote:Sounds like you got yourself through a bit of an epic, well done!
I always thought climbing and hillwalking were separate activities, but now I think climbing is just another mountaineering skill you can (should?) develop like navigation, planning etc.


Gman 🖐 thanks for your kind support :D
It's only our 2nd hillwalking season and I'm still learning new things everyday especially from people like yourself with more experience.
It is what you make of it, that's the beauty of it!

Stay Safe ✌
Steve.
SteveeMac
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 30
Munros:50   Corbetts:3
Fionas:3   
Sub 2000:7   
Joined: Dec 27, 2020
Location: Angus
Walk wish-list

Re: Poor Planning on Aonach Eagach.

Postby Colin1951 » Sun Dec 12, 2021 9:40 pm

Ouch well, your experience is the sum of your near misses, so well done.

Only thing I’d say is my (multiple) experiences of the Aonach Eagach, in all conditions, is the the rock is pretty good and not greasy so I wonder if yo need to review your footwear? You don’t mention what you wee wearing but some boots have hard compound soles which just don’t grip the same.
Colin1951
Stravaiging
 
Posts: 163
Munros:226   Corbetts:20
Fionas:5   Donalds:10
Sub 2000:2   
Islands:12
Joined: Nov 9, 2010
Walk wish-list

Re: Poor Planning on Aonach Eagach.

Postby SteveeMac » Mon Dec 13, 2021 10:02 pm

Colin1951 wrote:Ouch well, your experience is the sum of your near misses, so well done.

Only thing I’d say is my (multiple) experiences of the Aonach Eagach, in all conditions, is the the rock is pretty good and not greasy so I wonder if yo need to review your footwear? You don’t mention what you wee wearing but some boots have hard compound soles which just don’t grip the same.


Hi Colin,

I had on a pair of Keen Targhee boots, probably not the best for that day for me but they are usually a very comfy 3 season boot 👍😎
SteveeMac
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 30
Munros:50   Corbetts:3
Fionas:3   
Sub 2000:7   
Joined: Dec 27, 2020
Location: Angus
Walk wish-list

Re: Poor Planning on Aonach Eagach.

Postby prog99 » Tue Dec 14, 2021 12:27 am

Out of interest, what was the weather forecast? As I think it was a weekend I'll not have been out myself.
User avatar
prog99
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 2022
Fionas:130   
Joined: Aug 14, 2013
Location: Highlands

Re: Poor Planning on Aonach Eagach.

Postby Bonzo » Tue Dec 14, 2021 11:05 am

Colin1951 wrote:Ouch well, your experience is the sum of your near misses, so well done.

Only thing I’d say is my (multiple) experiences of the Aonach Eagach, in all conditions, is the the rock is pretty good and not greasy so I wonder if yo need to review your footwear? You don’t mention what you wee wearing but some boots have hard compound soles which just don’t grip the same.


Not sure I agree with that. I've done the ridge on three occasions with the rock being dry and superb on two occasions but on one traverse a shower appeared from nowhere which resulted in me struggling to find any grip around the crazy pinnacles area. It may have been the result of a rare combination of temperature\rainfall\whatever but I don't believe you can say that the rock isn't greasy (or never greasy).
User avatar
Bonzo
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 285
Munros:40   Corbetts:1
Hewitts:96
Wainwrights:147   
Joined: Oct 12, 2010

Re: Poor Planning on Aonach Eagach.

Postby Colin1951 » Tue Dec 14, 2021 4:15 pm

I’m not a footwear expert but I’ve learnt from experience you can have hard wearing or grippy but rarely both. And the time it makes the difference is when the rock is damp. My best ever scrambling footwear was a pair of Innov8’s but they wore down quickly. They also weren’t a substitute for taking extra care in the wet, they were however a lot more manageable.
Colin1951
Stravaiging
 
Posts: 163
Munros:226   Corbetts:20
Fionas:5   Donalds:10
Sub 2000:2   
Islands:12
Joined: Nov 9, 2010
Walk wish-list

Re: Poor Planning on Aonach Eagach.

Postby SteveeMac » Tue Dec 14, 2021 6:34 pm

prog99 wrote:Out of interest, what was the weather forecast? As I think it was a weekend I'll not have been out myself.


Hi Prog from what I remember it was a bit sketchy, 50% chance of rain but of course that increased to snow on the higher tops followed by the clag. (29th September) Summer was definitely over by then :lol:
SteveeMac
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 30
Munros:50   Corbetts:3
Fionas:3   
Sub 2000:7   
Joined: Dec 27, 2020
Location: Angus
Walk wish-list

Re: Poor Planning on Aonach Eagach.

Postby SteveeMac » Tue Dec 14, 2021 6:35 pm

Colin1951 wrote:I’m not a footwear expert but I’ve learnt from experience you can have hard wearing or grippy but rarely both. And the time it makes the difference is when the rock is damp. My best ever scrambling footwear was a pair of Innov8’s but they wore down quickly. They also weren’t a substitute for taking extra care in the wet, they were however a lot more manageable.


Hi Colin, can you maybe post a link to those Innov8s so I can check them out?
Cheers,

Steve.
SteveeMac
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 30
Munros:50   Corbetts:3
Fionas:3   
Sub 2000:7   
Joined: Dec 27, 2020
Location: Angus
Walk wish-list

Re: Poor Planning on Aonach Eagach.

Postby Colin1951 » Wed Dec 15, 2021 11:11 am

Hi Steve, I bought my Innov8’s when they were a very young company and my actual shoes have long gone from the range. Also, their website is down for maintenance as I write. But these are a much jazzier version (I think) of mine. For scrambling the composition of the rubber is crucial and 5.10 shoes/boots are also very good, unfortunately my 5.10 Guides are lethal on wet grass so I still prefer my Innov8’s. I believe they’ve also started doing a mid-height one too, good for ankle protection.

https://www.sportsshoes.com/product/ino1231/inov8-mudclaw-300-classic-trail-running-shoes/?_cur=1&utm_campaign=uk-unpaid-shopping&utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_content=Mudclaw+300+Classic+Trail+Running+Shoes&utm_term=URLrefresh&gclid=Cj0KCQiAweaNBhDEARIsAJ5hwbdiuiFuez9HRGuylk74Z4tTVu-hun1MjwzSYYXxVQBugNpYuOzu29YaArFHEALw_wcB#sku-ino1231

And no, I don’t work for Innov8!😄
Colin1951
Stravaiging
 
Posts: 163
Munros:226   Corbetts:20
Fionas:5   Donalds:10
Sub 2000:2   
Islands:12
Joined: Nov 9, 2010
Walk wish-list

Re: Poor Planning on Aonach Eagach.

Postby Colin1951 » Wed Dec 15, 2021 5:28 pm

Innov8’s site now back up, I think this is more like my old shoes:

https://www.inov-8.com/roclite-g-315-gtx-mens-graphene-running-shoe

Maybe Santa will be good to you😆
Colin1951
Stravaiging
 
Posts: 163
Munros:226   Corbetts:20
Fionas:5   Donalds:10
Sub 2000:2   
Islands:12
Joined: Nov 9, 2010
Walk wish-list

Re: Poor Planning on Aonach Eagach.

Postby SteveeMac » Wed Dec 15, 2021 9:20 pm

Colin1951 wrote:Innov8’s site now back up, I think this is more like my old shoes:

https://www.inov-8.com/roclite-g-315-gtx-mens-graphene-running-shoe

Maybe Santa will be good to you😆


I agree those other ones were a bit jazzy for me too. Someone else also recommended an approach shoe/trainer for scrambling, not quite a climbing shoe but similar in the sole you mentioned.
Santa's poor this Christmas but I'll need to check them out in the New Year 👍
Thanks for your help, have a good one Colin
SteveeMac
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 30
Munros:50   Corbetts:3
Fionas:3   
Sub 2000:7   
Joined: Dec 27, 2020
Location: Angus
Walk wish-list

29 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).

PreviousNext



Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to Walk reports - Scotland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: BeinnStob, FraserHughes, Jaywizz, PathfinderPaul, prog99 and 69 guests