Sgurr a’Mhadaidh and Sgurr a’Ghreadaidh

[foggieclimber]

Hills: Sgurr a’Mhadaidh and Sgurr a’Ghreadaidh
Date: Sunday 1st June 2008
Company: Foggieclimber, Sultan, Snowpatch, Turracoo, Duncan
Time: 6hrs 50mins

Parked beside Glenbrittle Youth Hostel where there is room for around ten cars. Set off just after 08:00 with the sun shining strongly over the ridge.

Waterfall on path above Glenbrittle Youth Hostel:


After 90 minutes the serious work began with the ascent of the scree to An Dorus and onto the ridge proper.

Ascent of scree below An Dorus (The Door):


Sultan posing below An Dorus:


Once at ‘The Door’ a short 5m scramble led onto the slopes of Sgurr a’Mhadaidh.

Foggieclimber scrambling out of An Dorus onto Sgurr a’ Mhadaidh


The views Southwards opened up with most of the Southern Cuillin Munros visible.

Southern Cuillin from ascent of Sgurr a’Mhadaidh:


Sgurr a’Ghreadaidh from Sgurr a’Mhadaidh:


After 2hrs 50mins the summit of Sgurr a’Mhaidaidh was reached and an early lunch taken. A descent by reversing the outward route saw us back at An Dorus ready to scramble out the other side for the ascent of Sgurr a’Ghreadaidh.

At this point, as we watched in horror, a disaster almost occurred when an elderly gentleman taking an unusual route out of An Dorus towards Sgurr a’Ghreadaidh, peeled off the scramble and slid 10m down the scree towards the drop to Loch Coruisk.

With no more than cuts and bruises he got up and continued on up from An Dorus towards Sgurr a’Ghreadaidh. A little bit shaken by the experience we carried on up Sgurr a’Ghreadaidh and relieved ourselves of our rucksacks just after the Eag Dubh cleft.

Looking down the Eag Dubh cleft on Sgurr a’Ghreadaidh:


Snowpatch:


Sgurr a’Mhadaidh from Sgurr a’Ghreadaidh:


Loch Coruisk from Sgurr a’Ghreadaidh:


The summit was reached just after midday.

Busy summit of Sgurr a’Ghreadaidh:


Put the hat on and smile for the camera:


The elderly gentleman, who had the accident climbing up Sgurr a’Ghreadaidh from An Dorus, was unable to down-climb back to An Dorus. I therefore offered to lower him back down on a rope, which was gratefully accepted. This made the effort of carrying the rope up there worthwhile.

The descent thereafter was thankfully incident free.

Back on the level with An Dorus above the scree: