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The secret recipe for the Aonach Eagach

The secret recipe for the Aonach Eagach


Postby Mountainlove » Sun Sep 04, 2011 6:59 pm

Route description: Aonach Eagach

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

Date walked: 03/06/2011

Time taken: 7 hours

Distance: 10 km

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There are a few mountains which cling onto a fearful reputation and the Aonach Eagach is one of them. For years I have simply looked up in awe and was far to afraid to ever attempt that ride walk. Well until the day I found the secret recipe…

The Aonach Eagach

Ingredients:
100g of courage
100g of madness
1-6 glasses of wine
1 chicken
1 pair of trousers (chopped in summer)
1 top
1 pair of walking boots
1 rucksack
3 litres of water
Food to taste


Preperations:
Whisk the courage and madness together in a small bowl, stir for 5 min. Add the red wine and let it simmer until the mix is dissolved. Take the chicken and cut its wings (you don’t want a case of chicken out)
Take the trousers, top and walking boots and put them on in a warm place, toss the water and food in the rucksack and drive to Glen Coe.

Directions:
Park close to Allt-na-reigh,take the mix and make your way up to the Chancellor, time taken 1.5h. Chill. Now walk the ridge ….if you haven’t stirred the courage and madness together long enough, there might be the chance of some ‘brown pant syndrome’ but that should pass after the final crazy pinnacle. Now take it easy walk down the ridge and celebrate with a pint –or a few.

Nutritional Information:
Calories burned due to fear: ~1000
Water lost in Sweat: 1-2 l

Video with pictures of the Aonach Eagach:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epSIeS3p4tU[/youtube]

DSCF4869.jpg
Half way up looking towards Binneam

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The Chancellor

DSCF4893.jpg
The Ridge towards the North

DSCF4900.jpg
Getting down that rock face (see the person in the blue top) was the most scary part, as it was wet and slimy and pretty hard going...(for myself anyway)

DSCF4922.jpg
The Ridge looking towards the South

DSCF4910.jpg
Me after the worst was over...looking rather dirty from clinging to the wet rock for dear life ;-)
Last edited by Mountainlove on Tue Sep 06, 2011 9:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The secret recipe for the Aonach Eagach

Postby gammy leg walker » Sun Sep 04, 2011 7:50 pm

Cracking video mountainlove,you sure had a fine day for this,would you go and do it again
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Re: The secret recipe for the Aonach Eagach

Postby Del246 » Sun Sep 04, 2011 8:03 pm

great pics !
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Re: The secret recipe for the Aonach Eagach

Postby spiderman » Sun Sep 04, 2011 8:37 pm

Brilliant photos and excellent detail on video pics, the best I have seen on the Aonach Eagach. How did you manage to get up the rock face to the Chancellor it must have been really hairy. I really enjoyed your report and I am in awe of your ascent route. After that ascent the Aonach Eagach must have been a breeze. Thanks for sharing these pictures
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Re: The secret recipe for the Aonach Eagach

Postby Yipyipcoyote » Sun Sep 04, 2011 9:21 pm

Great pics. A very clear day. I've done it twice and that wet downward climb scared the life out of me each time.
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Re: The secret recipe for the Aonach Eagach

Postby lomondwalkers » Mon Sep 05, 2011 9:08 am

Cracking video!!! My time for this is definitely getting nearer! :D Just better make sure I get the ingredients right :lol:
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Re: The secret recipe for the Aonach Eagach

Postby jwramsay » Mon Sep 05, 2011 10:45 am

Great report, thanks for sharing.

I haven't done AE yet but after doing the Curved Ridge across the road at The Bookle, fancy giving it a try.

That photo with the guy in Blue, what is he descending exactly, not the rock in front of him surely?
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Re: The secret recipe for the Aonach Eagach

Postby Mountainlove » Mon Sep 05, 2011 2:29 pm

Yes thats what he is doing...there were 2 guys who looked at the bit I had to decend and when I told them it is pretty bad, they opted for that part...lol I was crapping myself at that bit-specially when you look down and think...if I fall thats it. Supposingly you can walk over the top and that is better...not sure but it would not stop me from doing it again :-D
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Re: The secret recipe for the Aonach Eagach

Postby Bonzo » Mon Sep 05, 2011 2:37 pm

Having done the ridge on three occasions it looks like the guy in blue is seriously off-route there.

Did you ascend next to the Chancellor or by the normal route which reaches the ridge to the east of Am Bodach?
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Re: The secret recipe for the Aonach Eagach

Postby Mountainlove » Mon Sep 05, 2011 7:03 pm

My ascend was up the normal route I guess (as usual had no map ;-) )... the bit where the guy in blue is, is at the crazy pinnacles. In the picture about an inch to the right was the point I climbed down...it did looked like a path and 2 people climbed down before me (looking terryfied in the process) It was defenetely the worst part and if there is another one I will defenetely try to find it the next time around!!!
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Re: The secret recipe for the Aonach Eagach

Postby spiderman » Mon Sep 05, 2011 9:22 pm

There is no way anyone doing the Aonach Eagach should be anywhere near where that person in the blue jacket is. That is really dangerous territory and is what the warning notice about not leaving the ridge until you have completed it is all about. I misunderstod the photos and thought you had ascended to the ridge by the Chancellor, a route I did not know existed. I now take it that you went down to the Chancellor from the main ridge. If you do the Aonach Eagach again I would definately avoid being where the person in the blue jacket is.
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Re: The secret recipe for the Aonach Eagach

Postby Bonzo » Tue Sep 06, 2011 10:12 am

Mountainlove wrote:My ascend was up the normal route I guess (as usual had no map ;-) )... the bit where the guy in blue is, is at the crazy pinnacles. In the picture about an inch to the right was the point I climbed down...it did looked like a path and 2 people climbed down before me (looking terryfied in the process) It was defenetely the worst part and if there is another one I will defenetely try to find it the next time around!!!



Ah! - I think I know exactly where you mean now.

I spotted what I believe is the same path after struggling to get over first of the crazy pinnacles thanks to it being incredibly greasy. The path ended at the edge of an abyss so I retraced my steps and attempted the first pinnacle once again.

No joy - too greasy. I walked down the path again and decided to have a go at climbing the steep grass\rock\heather to a point between the first two pinnacles. This was probably the worst experience of my walking life and after rejoining the ridge between the two pinnacles I rested for a few minutes as my arms and legs were shaking like mad.

On the other two visits I'd flown either around or over the pinnacles with ease but on this one occasion I couldn't get any decent hand or footholds. It was almost as if someone had covered the pinnacles in Swarfega.

Maybe this path is the result of countless folk baulking at the sight of the pinnacles, or struggling to get over them, and wearing an explorative route around the side?

In retrospect I should have retraced my steps and abandoned the route but stupid does as stupid does. :?
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Re: The secret recipe for the Aonach Eagach

Postby steven671 » Wed Sep 07, 2011 6:31 pm

admit it ! it was easy was`nt it ?.good picture`s great climber go up the curved ridge that`s pea easy as well
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Re: The secret recipe for the Aonach Eagach

Postby Mountainlove » Wed Sep 07, 2011 9:02 pm

@ Bonzo....shaking arms and legs....felt exactly the same after that one part!!! Nice to know I wasnt the only one :D
@ Steven...It was all pretty easy apart from that bit ;-)
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Re: The secret recipe for the Aonach Eagach

Postby stevemillar » Wed Sep 07, 2011 9:11 pm

I'm due to do this in 10 days time. Thanks for the recipe, but I reckon a double dose of Imodium is the only thing that will see me through. :( Great report and pics.
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