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Got to the ski centre car park about 9:45 and realised I'd left map & compass at home
Weather was fine and there were plenty of skiers around so thought I'd risk it - directions I could remember were: staight up ski lift, right at hut, head up ridge, then another ridge to Creise. Couldn't remember which way to go for summit of Creise though, so did both.
The path is slightly left of chair lift pillars, grass & rock with streams running down which had frozen into thick ice so was a bit tricky up & down.
Before the hut there's a sign pointing right towards the ridge up Meall a'Bhuiridh:
Ridge rising to the left with Creise in background, there are ski lifts going up the direct route and skiers coming down that way, so probably not a good idea to take a short cut:
Snow was thick but powdery, couldn't make a snowball
Some rocky/icy sections though.
There are warning signs for skiers near the edge of ridge and on rocky sections so this is best for walkers. Second snafu of day - camera battery gave up after this shot, but warming up in glove did the trick for about 5 shots at a time.
Bit of a slog uphill in the snow, but there's a dramatic view at the top:
Cairn just to the right of this with ridge to Creise. Lens misted due to breathing on battery:
Then it was off down the ridge, looks worse than it is even in snow. Great views on the way:
Clearer shot of ridge:
Was quite steep at Creise end of ridge so put crampons on for extra grip. There's a cairn at the top of the ridge so it's easy to find on way back.
Stopped here for lunch & views. Saw a couple heading along ridge towards me, and a group of 8 or so at summit of Meall a'Bhuridh, they didn't come across ridge though.
Couldn't remember which cairn marked summit, so went to Clach Leathad first, bit of cornice so kept away from edge:
Great views all round so kept performing CPR on camera battery:
Steepish bit to top:
More hills:
Cairn & view:
Then it was back to other end of Creise ridge. I spotted the couple still heading up the ridge, looked like they had skis on their backs.
Buachaille Etive Mor:
Met 3 guys at cairn, they had come straight up Creise North side. Asked what this was like - 'interesting'. Wisely decided to go back the way I came.
Bumped into the couple on skis on my way back to ridge, they had spotted me in front of them on the ridge and thought they had caught me up a bit. Didn't tell them I'd also been to Clach Leathad as their patience appeared to be wearing thin with all the skis off/crampons on & vice versa routine. Meall a'Bhuiridh:
Back on ridge, crampons back off about halfway along as it was rockier underfoot. Got to Meall a'Bhuiridh again:
Last photo before battery finally gave up:
Got walking poles out for descent but couldn't lock them with twist grip - I had packed them in car overnight to save time in the morning and reckon they'd frozen as they worked fine at home later.
Straightforward back to car park, final section along chairlift was pretty icy & treacherous though.
