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
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.