Introducing the "SATDOG", amazing!
Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2013 10:47 pm
Just a short walk report for this week’s adventure. The weather forecast was a little doubtful for clear summits, but the snow was to be easing by lunch time with little to no wind so I and the faithful dug, Marley planned a wee trip up Ben More and neighbour. We left the car at Ben More farm at just before 8am and were alone for the climb up Ben More; we followed the WH route on the whole.
The climb sets off up a farm track which is all nice and easy…..then the relentless climb of the hillside starts, we climbed up and up through the clouds and got some amazing views. It was quite special at times and I found myself stopping quite often to take photos. The snowline was reached at approx. 700m and shortly after that the ice was reached so on with the crampons. There is an old stone wall about 200m from the summit according to the reports; this was just distinguishable in the snow and ice. I followed this up and up and then….well it was time for the compass as visibility went from 10m to maybe 1m. Goggles on we pushed on up and up, I never thought the summit was going to be reached, the wind was now howling, it must have been about 20 to 30mph (so much for the MWIS forecast, ha ha). Then out of nowhere came a large cairn and then the trig point, the summit reached. Not wanting to hang about I set a new bearing and headed off for the Bealach – eadar dha Bheinn as I descended quickly I was soon gaining some visibility again and once at the Bealach I decided to stop for a bite to eat; this also gave Marley a chance to thaw out. Refuelled it was time for the next push up Stob Binnein, I could see a clear ridge with a large cornice hanging over, I was able to follow this ridge for about 300m of ascent, by this point I was back in the clouds and spin drift, once again goggles on and following the compass closely from here. I stopped to set a new bearing after moving to my right away from the cornices on a steep incline, it was here that two climbers came from behind me out of the white, we shouted a few words to each other as they then went ahead. Not that I didn’t trust there navigation skills I still proceeded to set my own course and follow the compass, I pretty much was following their footsteps all the way to the summit but at least I knew where I was. At the summit it was, well…..let’s just say horrendous. The guys must have head off in the opposite direction as I returned to the Bealach and never saw them again, I hope! It was my first experience in this type of conditions, after setting a new bearing at the summit I turned around to head down. I thought it would be a simple case of retracing my steps by following the footprints and crampon marks in the snow and ice! Oops, BIG mistake, they had gone in the space of minutes. So following the compass it was, I could not get the thought of the edge of the cliff and the cornice out of my head, I suppose this was good in a way as it kept me focused. Visibility was zero, I could barely see the compass at times, I did discover a new tool though, Marley the SATDOG, amazingly he kept us right all the way down to about 800m and the footprints started to appear. How could it be that he could smell our tracks in these conditions, amazing creatures. So once back to the safety of the Bealach I stopped and thought over the last hour of our journey, we both learnt a lot I would say, especially me! Anyway it was then a simple descent back down to Ben More Burn, joining the track back down to Ben More farm. All in all a great day, “what doesn’t kill us only makes us stronger” so they say, can’t wait till next time.