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Our first weekend since the resolution to get back to Munros. Somewhere closish to home given the forecast for very cold temperatures - our agenda initially was for Beinn an Dothaidh & Dorain Friday, Ben Starav & tops Saturday and maybe Ben Lomond Sunday. Would we wild camp or campsite? I swithered about this on the road up, thinking that wee spot just behind the Bridge of Orchy Hotel would be alright - but in the end we chickened out and stopped at Strathfillan Wigwams - the only folk camping (surprise
) The attendant told us with some relish that the temperature was to drop to -10 on Saturday night...
A long and unbroken night's sleep found me feeling out of sorts on Friday - fatigued and generally off colour. We drove up to Bridge of Orchy to climb 2 hills we hadn't been on since November 2012 - a lifetime ago it seemed. Clag was down on the tops and there were no other folk on the hill. We slogged up to the bealach and decided on Dothaidh first. A wee scramble up an ice lined chimney was mildly entertaining, then a tramp up the nose of the hill in quite thick snow. We reached the 1000m cairn then went off in search of the summit. I remembered getting very disorientated last time round as I had little idea how to read my GPS in poor visibility. The viz was no better this time but at least I had come to terms with the GPS details. We made it to the summit cairn and found a somewhat sheltered spot to stop for lunch.
Dothaidh & Dorain
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Al, on Flickr
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Ptarmigan
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Al, on Flickr
To the 1000m cairn
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Al, on Flickr
Summit
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1pm by this time - we decided to retrace our steps which were mostly still evident and got down to the bealach just before 2pm That seemed enough to summit Dorain and descend before nightfall. Hmm. We hadn't reckoned with the thickening clag and the deepening snow - we slowly ascended to just over 1000m before I cursed that I couldn't see a damned thing, we were starting to drop down when we should be going up and I didn't like it one bit
Turn back time. So we made it back down to the bealach and the snowy coire, getting to the station about 4.45. A hot meal and some wine perked me up a bit and we agreed we'd have another go tomorrow.
Looking over to Dorain
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Descending back to the bealach out of the clag
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Saturday - high winds overnight and into the morning. I'd seen the forecast say that they were to drop by noon, so I was in no hurry to set off early - I also reckoned that other folk would be up the hill before us, leaving a great big trail to follow
So we got to the start around 10am, the car park pretty full. The winds overnight had blown a fair bit of snow down into the coire but at least we had others' footsteps to plod in. As we got towards the bealach, we met a number of folk coming back down - too windy for their dog, no goggles, just too windy. All-in-all at least 20 folk must have come down past us. I was a little worried that we might have a second day of non-summiting the hill. However we pressed on. It was windy on the bealach and very cold, but nothing too bad yet. We could see a thick trail leading up the hill, cutting through the whiteness of the snow. To the west the white summits lined up in ranks. Great views. We then met a party of about a dozen lads who had made it to the Sassenach's Cairn but been unable to get across the ridge to the summit because of the wind. True, most of them had no axe, but even so...there were others ahead however.
Up we go again
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
We found a sheltered spot for lunch at around the point we'd turned back the day before. The wind seemed to have lessened somewhat when we started back again. Up to the Sassenach's Cairn - wind manageable. At this point I'm thanking my judgement of turning around the day before as the narrows across to the summit are not the sort of place to be in a white out, thank you very much. On we pressed, meeting another group of about 8 returning from the summit. Pleasure to get there, even if the clouds came in an diminished the views. An easy trek back down the way we'd come and back at the campsite by not much after 3.
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Al, on Flickr
Sassenach's Cairn
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Al, on Flickr
To the summit!
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Al, on Flickr
Someone's pleased
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Had an early tea and in bed in bed for 5.15 - it was starting to get very cold - warm in the sleeping bag, but the air you breathed in was chill. In the morning the water was frozen, the butane was frozen and it took quite a while to get the car defrosted. We were treated to some nice views of the sun rising behing the Crianlarich Hills and of Ben Lui with streaks of pink.
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
our water bottle
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Al, on Flickr
Lui
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
We drove along to Rowardennon (on untreated slippy roads) and - arriving at around 11am - found the car park stowed out. In fact all the car parking spots for hills as we came down the A82 were much fuller than usual. That's perfect winter conditions for you. We set off up the Ptarmigan Ridge, guessing that would be quieter than the tourist route, and probably better in ascent than descent in these conditions.
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Wow it was warm! The path was treacherous however, slippy thick ice coating all the rocks. We paused around noon in the sunshine, before the snowline was reached for our lunch. As we were enjoying the views across the Loch, two young lads walked by, both in Doc Marten boots, one with a rucksac, no gear. "Well they'll no be getting to the top" I said to Allison. After a while we set off again, idly wondering when the lads would turn around. Snowline started, up onto Ptarmigan - they're still going ahead of us. Weather was fab - no breeze, beautiful sunshine and snow that was consolidated and crunchy, a pleasure to walk on. We could see a stack of people on the summit, and another large group somewhat ahead of us going up in line.
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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At the start of the pull up to the summit ridge we met up with the Doc Boys. They were determined they were going on up to the top although did concede that it was a bit harder than they'd been expecting - turned out to be their first Munro too. Now came the difficult bit - did we walk by them, advising them in no uncertain terms to go back down (but knowing they were virtually certain to keep on going up) or did we try and assist them to the summit. I decided on the latter, but am far from sure it was the right tihing to do...we gave them a pole each, which at least provided some stability, and Allison led, kicking steps where needed with me bringing up the rear and hoping to hell they didn't slip, as it was a long way down. As we got to the final 30m where the trodden path wends round an outcrop I was far from happy, heart in mouth in case they should slip. But they didn't and we made it to the top, where most folk were wearing crampons (and no-one else was wearing Docs). The lads were pleased to have managed it and acknowledged that maybe investing in some winter gear for "next time" might be a good idea.
The "Doc Boys" - Ryan & Jack
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
Made it!
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
We continued down the tourist path with them, they seemed to be having a fine day, enthusiastic about the scenery and hills in general. So maybe we did the right thing in making them as safe as we could so that they had a day to remember. All's well that ends well - but I'm not sure that everyone would have made the same decision... I did feel very responsible for their fate.
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr
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Al, on Flickr