Maol Chean Dearg from Annat

[johnbythell]

We had a mid-week stay in a croft in Annat near Torridon to blow the cobwebs away after Christmas. Unfortunately gale force winds kept me off the mountains most of the time, but I managed to sneak in Maol Chean Dearg on the Wednesday between the storms. I decided on a frontal assault from the north, which was probably unwise carrying all the Christmas fat, but then took the 'normal' route down the SE ridge in descent, adding about 4 km, so it was probably about evens in terms of exertion, given the conditions of soft snow, with deeper drifts on the southern side.

Maol Chean Dearg 5 Jan 2022.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

On the stalkers path out of Annat, a late-ish 9am start after missing my alarm. Beinn Alligin and Loch Torridon in the background.

The stalkers path up into the corrie is excellent.

I met the snowline as I came up into the corrie, but the going on the stalkers path was still very good.

First good view of the mountain.

Did I say how good the stalkers path is? Looking back down the valley with the mighty Liathach in the background,

The first set of stepping stones, between the two smaller lochans, was a teetering, nervy affair with the capping of fresh snow.

The second set on Loch an Eoin were shorter and without the snow, so more straightforward.

View across Loch an Eoin. I decided to make a direct assault up the scree slope on the right and then what looked like a short scramble up onto the shoulder - which turned out to be about right - not too challenging, but about as brutal climbing as expected.

The scramble up from the top of the scree was straightforward and although steep and hard-going because of loose boulders and occasional snow drifts, the western flank was not technically difficult. View across to Beinn Damh.

View back towards Torridon and Beinn na h-Eaglaise. My rising traverse up the western flank was blocked by the summit crags (I'm sure there are easy scrambles up there in the dry), but I arrived at a ramp after a short steep boulder slope and traversed easily along it and around to gentler sloping ground on the south slope up to the summit.

Summit Cairn.

From the summit looking SW to Loch Kishorn. The ominous looking clouds calling for a no-nonsense descent.

Unfortunately there was deeper snow on the southern slopes so it was quite slow going. An Ruadh-Stac in the background. I looked for a short-cut down to the west, but none of it looked very appealing in the conditions and I ended up doing almost all of the southeast ridge descent before picking up the stalkers path again near the Loch Coire An Ruadh-Stac.

The stalkers path was still easily visible and going not too bad given the deeper snow on this side.

Still, it was a long tramp back to my starting spot and the sun was setting over Loch Kishorn and Skye by the time I got back to the Loch an Eoin. From my tracks I could see that I was the only one to have come up from Annat that way today.

Loch an Eoin looking beautiful in the evening light.

The lights were on in Torridon as I came out of the corrie and it was full dark by the time I got down to Annat. A pretty majestic day out in the Torridon hills,

[Colin1951]

Good report, I love to read the stories from folk who climb hills from directions different from the “usual” approaches.

[johnbythell]

Good report, I love to read the stories from folk who climb hills from directions different from the “usual” approaches.

Thanks Colin. I absolutely love making a route up the mountain off the path like this (so long as you can see it to judge it!). The bonus is you can't really get lost if you aren't on a path to start with.

[scottnairn]

Cool wee variation on the usual route from Coulags! When the time inevitably comes to climb Maol Chean-dearg again (a third time ), I must keep in mind your route! Nice report, looks like a lot of fun (provided the gales had worn off).

[Mal Grey]

Agreed, great to see an approach from a different angle. Love these hills.

[prog99]

Good report, I love to read the stories from folk who climb hills from directions different from the “usual” approaches.

Thanks Colin. I absolutely love making a route up the mountain off the path like this (so long as you can see it to judge it!). The bonus is you can't really get lost if you aren't on a path to start with.

Been up this way as well. Absolute slog up the scree in powder snow and then the expected path on the normal route was buried (no-one had been up the last few days)

[jmarkb]

Nice one!

That reminds me that I need to go back and have another go at the scramble on the north side (we opted out because it started raining).

[johnbythell]

Cool wee variation on the usual route from Coulags! When the time inevitably comes to climb Maol Chean-dearg again (a third time ), I must keep in mind your route! Nice report, looks like a lot of fun (provided the gales had worn off).

Yep - winds were pretty light on Wednesday bizarrely!

[johnbythell]

Nice one!

That reminds me that I need to go back and have another go at the scramble on the north side (we opted out because it started raining).

Has anyone gone up the gully on the west side? I didn't fancy it from above in the descent, but it looked ok from below (maybe without the fresh wet snow cover)..

[johnbythell]

Good report, I love to read the stories from folk who climb hills from directions different from the “usual” approaches.

Thanks Colin. I absolutely love making a route up the mountain off the path like this (so long as you can see it to judge it!). The bonus is you can't really get lost if you aren't on a path to start with.

Been up this way as well. Absolute slog up the scree in powder snow and then the expected path on the normal route was buried (no-one had been up the last few days)

Definitely a slog, but I'm not sure how much of that was due to operator fat - the normal route didn't look too easy (in the descent) either!

[jmarkb]

Has anyone gone up the gully on the west side? I didn't fancy it from above in the descent, but it looked ok from below (maybe without the fresh wet snow cover)..

Yes, in winter with good snow cover. Don't remember much about it (long time ago) but it must have been OK.

[Sunset tripper]

A fine route and great pics. Cheers