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Saturday 18th June 2016 was forecast to be a great day weather wise in the western highlands so I picked Peter Adams up at 7am in Glasgow and we ventured into the Glencoe area, stopping off at Buachaille Etive Mor.
Made in Scotland:
I'd previously done the Curved Ridge ascent of Stob Dearg but for Peter, whom I'd also completed Aonach Eagach Ridge with, it was a first.
Curved Ridge is just left of centre:
Scrambling begins even before reaching the start of The Curved Ridge:
Folks up ahead on The Curved Ridge:
Height is gained extremely quickly:
Panorama of view over Rannoch Moor from Curved Ridge:
Mountaineers on The Rannoch Wall:
Binnean Mor of the Mamores with a couple of mountaineers over at North Buttress:
We are now officially on The Curved Ridge, polished rock, crampon marks, excellent hand and foot holds:
Peter Adams gets to the end of our first stint:
We met Joanne & Paul on the curved ridge:
This guy went up North Buttress and down Curved Ridge - impressive!
However at the Crowberry Gap we met an old guy who had climbed Ben Nevis via Tower RIdge, descended via Ledge Route, done the Aonach Eagach Ridge and finished off with climbing Stob Dearg via North Buttress and was going to descend Curved Ridge - all before lunch!! WOW!
Onto the next stint:
Great long lens perspective:
Same photo wide:
Now for the "difficult" stint, you need to pull up a bit:
These people seemed to be practicing with a rope on this bit:
Rannoch Wall to the left, Pedro and Joanne/Paul to the right:
Another perspective shot:
About to tackle the difficult bit:
Difficult bit conquered and we are almost at the end of Curved Ridge:
As you can see, I love these long lens perspective shots:
Peter photographs Rannoch Moor:
Peter pulls himself up:
Small cairn marks the end of Curved Ridge:
End of Curved RIdge with The Rannoch Wall to the left:
Schiehallion in the distance:
After completing The Curved Ridge you follow a scree path that heads up behind Crowberry Tower and to the Crowberry Gap:
Crowberry Tower:
Crowberry Gap:
Paul and some other climbers on Crowberry Tower:
Group of climbers on top of Crowberry Tower:
My favourite shot from the whole day:
Nearly there:
Views down Glen Etive:
Raven at the summit of Stob Dearg:
Absolutely amazing climb with views to due for as the weather was just so good. We met a lot of friends enroute, most of who did Crowberry Tower which we did not. We spent ages up top watching the light change on the hills. The views over to Ben Nevis, The Mamores, The Grey Corries and The Essians were just sublime.
Me at the summit, having done it before it doesn't add to my munro tally but Peter claims #84:
Peter and The Ben:
The Ben, CMD, Grey Corries & The Mamores:
The Ben and CMD:
Having been up there, I can confirm the tip of Binnean Mor is rather cramped:
The Eastern Mamores:
Glen Etive munro:
Ben Starav with Ben Cruachan rear:
The midges were out in force up top so be beat a retreat down the tourist path back to the main carpark and were offered a lift by a lovely couple back to the waterslab carpark where we had started our Curved Ridge Traverse from.
The Ben from The Red Mountain (Stob Dearg):
The tourist route:
Peter on the descent:
Lonely tree:
Buachaille Etive Mor:
This footage is all shot using my Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000E 4K camcorder, I hope you enjoy and that it allows you to weigh up whether the Curved Ridge route is for you. (its a full blown scramble that a lot of people use a rope for!)