Ring of Stiiill to be Done
Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2012 10:05 pmWe`d hummed and hawed about it for about a week or so before finally deciding, after the weather looked good, to try and do The Ring of Steall. All three weather forecasts were checked the BBC, the MetOffice and even MWIS. All 3 predicted cold but bright sunny weather for Fort William area and as the met also gives you individual mountain tops forecasts we were happy to pack our bags and head out to Glen Nevis on saturday afternoon to camp overnight to give us an early start. It all started so well as we arrived at the car park around 9ish and what light rain there had been all but disappeared, as predicted, and we found a nice spot in the dark to set our tent.
We woke up later than planned and by the time we had breakfast and packed up it was later than we hoped for, about twenty to nine, and began our march towards the Steall Gorge. I`ve recently bought some new gear including boots and this was their first real walk despite small walks around ma bit, and they had been rubbing against a football injury and giving me some pain, I didn`t know if this was going to flare up again. And Jim had his new jacket on for the first time.
Up and down the wet steps we went listening to the roar of the water rushing by below us until the view oppened up to reveal the Steall Falls and snow topped hills.
If we were to complete this walk there was sure to be a few exciting moments along the way and the Steall Bridge presented the first of the day. Even although you know you`ll be okay crossing it, there was always that wee doubt in my mind that you could slip and fall in and the rest of the day is a total washout. Jim went first and although he was fine crossing, it took him about a minute and a half to get across, thought it would be much quicker than that.
I followed with a wee knot in my stomach but the fear does keep you concentrating and it was a bit of a dawdle to be honest. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbbnxt3T1c0&feature=plcp
After that we made our boggy way around to the foot of the falls were i wished they had a bridge there. The water was fast moving, deep in places, and the rocks were as slippery as eels on greased floor. Jim crossed whilst i put on my gaiters so i didn`t see where or how he crossed. He tried to point me to some rocks he used and after thinking no way and checking other routes i just went for it splashing and stumbling my way across. Aye, my boots are waterproof right enough.
At this part of the walk before you get onto An Gearanach the ground is very boggy and we had to climb up into the rocks and through the trees to avoid sinking in. We then made our way up the path which was fine at first until we reached about 500/600m which was then beginning to disappear under the snow and we followed some prints upto the ridge from here on in. It also began to snow and as Jim was a few zigzags ahead of me i began to wonder if we were going to get very far considering the sky was pure white and didn`t look like it had any intention of clearing. in fact the snow got heavier and deeper as we made our way up. It was like we were in another world now. Our ice axes were to be brought out for the first time. This sure was a walk filled with new experiences.
As i climbed up through the snow which was sometimes knee deep i remember looking down behind me and thinking "jeezo, i probably wouldn`t have tackled such a sleep slope in the summer !" But the snow was holding firm and there wasn`t much of a wind so we felt safe to carry on up.
There didn`t seem to be much time for taking pictures and everything was white anyway so we trudged on up through the snow to the top. when we eventually got there we weren`t too sure of the real summit until we baegan to descend a bit and we knew well we had past the top. We now had no view at all except for the few feet in front of us and the snow building up on the ridges was beginning to get dangerous as we couldn`t tell what was snow or sky. We talked about how far we could go but every step now was getting precarious. We stopped just before the summit of An Garbanach for a rest and something to eat. We were basically sitting on some rocks with our feet dug into the snow to stop us sliding down from the ridge.
We were truly on an adventure beyond anything we had ever done. Again we spoke about the weather, time and the conditions and decided to have one more wee go ahead. Once we got across the sloping slabs and we couldn`t see anything, we called it a day. The sky was never going to clear and we had to determine a point of no return. We crossed back across the slabs which was dodgier than the first team as we kicked away more snow and all i cloud see was a white chute to death !
There was nothing to think about apart from getting across and hoping i wouldn`t have to try a self arrest as i didn`t know what lay below me after the ten or so feet i could see slanting away from me. On reflection i mentioned to Jim that having read some stories of people on Everest and the like, i thought for a moment how much danger we could have been in crossing that ridge but we really enjoyed the thrill of it. It was here we heard some voices coming towards us and another 3 walkers emerged from the cloud. We advised them that we thought it was too dangerous to go on but they had a good look for themselves and we met them at the bottom again as thankfully, they turned back at the same point as us. With all the doubt and danger taken away we were able to relax and posed for pictures at the cairn.
We continued our way down falling about in the snow and a had a good laugh at each other trying to get out.
We headed back down the hill , not at all disappointed as we felt we gained a lot from the day. Bagged one Munro, new boots worked well, ice axes came in handy in the deep snow when we fell, gained some experience in the snow, crossed the Steall bridge twice, took important decisions, and did i mention Jim`s new jacket ?
Jim`s everytrail link with route and more pics
http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=1865150
- Making Hot Chocolate
We woke up later than planned and by the time we had breakfast and packed up it was later than we hoped for, about twenty to nine, and began our march towards the Steall Gorge. I`ve recently bought some new gear including boots and this was their first real walk despite small walks around ma bit, and they had been rubbing against a football injury and giving me some pain, I didn`t know if this was going to flare up again. And Jim had his new jacket on for the first time.
- View from our tent to Ben Nevis
Up and down the wet steps we went listening to the roar of the water rushing by below us until the view oppened up to reveal the Steall Falls and snow topped hills.
- Steall Falls
If we were to complete this walk there was sure to be a few exciting moments along the way and the Steall Bridge presented the first of the day. Even although you know you`ll be okay crossing it, there was always that wee doubt in my mind that you could slip and fall in and the rest of the day is a total washout. Jim went first and although he was fine crossing, it took him about a minute and a half to get across, thought it would be much quicker than that.
I followed with a wee knot in my stomach but the fear does keep you concentrating and it was a bit of a dawdle to be honest. - Jim on bridge.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbbnxt3T1c0&feature=plcp
After that we made our boggy way around to the foot of the falls were i wished they had a bridge there. The water was fast moving, deep in places, and the rocks were as slippery as eels on greased floor. Jim crossed whilst i put on my gaiters so i didn`t see where or how he crossed. He tried to point me to some rocks he used and after thinking no way and checking other routes i just went for it splashing and stumbling my way across. Aye, my boots are waterproof right enough.
- Steall Falls, close up
At this part of the walk before you get onto An Gearanach the ground is very boggy and we had to climb up into the rocks and through the trees to avoid sinking in. We then made our way up the path which was fine at first until we reached about 500/600m which was then beginning to disappear under the snow and we followed some prints upto the ridge from here on in. It also began to snow and as Jim was a few zigzags ahead of me i began to wonder if we were going to get very far considering the sky was pure white and didn`t look like it had any intention of clearing. in fact the snow got heavier and deeper as we made our way up. It was like we were in another world now. Our ice axes were to be brought out for the first time. This sure was a walk filled with new experiences.
- Jim looking down on me as i climb up the steep slope
As i climbed up through the snow which was sometimes knee deep i remember looking down behind me and thinking "jeezo, i probably wouldn`t have tackled such a sleep slope in the summer !" But the snow was holding firm and there wasn`t much of a wind so we felt safe to carry on up.
There didn`t seem to be much time for taking pictures and everything was white anyway so we trudged on up through the snow to the top. when we eventually got there we weren`t too sure of the real summit until we baegan to descend a bit and we knew well we had past the top. We now had no view at all except for the few feet in front of us and the snow building up on the ridges was beginning to get dangerous as we couldn`t tell what was snow or sky. We talked about how far we could go but every step now was getting precarious. We stopped just before the summit of An Garbanach for a rest and something to eat. We were basically sitting on some rocks with our feet dug into the snow to stop us sliding down from the ridge.
- Jim with his ice tea on our ridge top rest
We were truly on an adventure beyond anything we had ever done. Again we spoke about the weather, time and the conditions and decided to have one more wee go ahead. Once we got across the sloping slabs and we couldn`t see anything, we called it a day. The sky was never going to clear and we had to determine a point of no return. We crossed back across the slabs which was dodgier than the first team as we kicked away more snow and all i cloud see was a white chute to death !
There was nothing to think about apart from getting across and hoping i wouldn`t have to try a self arrest as i didn`t know what lay below me after the ten or so feet i could see slanting away from me. On reflection i mentioned to Jim that having read some stories of people on Everest and the like, i thought for a moment how much danger we could have been in crossing that ridge but we really enjoyed the thrill of it. It was here we heard some voices coming towards us and another 3 walkers emerged from the cloud. We advised them that we thought it was too dangerous to go on but they had a good look for themselves and we met them at the bottom again as thankfully, they turned back at the same point as us. With all the doubt and danger taken away we were able to relax and posed for pictures at the cairn.- An Gearanach summit
We continued our way down falling about in the snow and a had a good laugh at each other trying to get out.
- Jim, stuck
- Me testing the snow for flavour
- Rock
We headed back down the hill , not at all disappointed as we felt we gained a lot from the day. Bagged one Munro, new boots worked well, ice axes came in handy in the deep snow when we fell, gained some experience in the snow, crossed the Steall bridge twice, took important decisions, and did i mention Jim`s new jacket ?
- Aonach Beag
- Hard goin
- 2nd river crossing
- 2n Steall bridge crossing
Jim`s everytrail link with route and more pics
http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=1865150
Well done for having the sense to turn back. Them hills aren't going anywhere.
