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Liathach-via north pinnacles

Liathach-via north pinnacles


by ianaird » Sun Oct 17, 2010 8:34 pm

Munros included on this walk: Mullach an Rathain (Liathach), Spidean a' Choire Lèith (Liathach)

Date walked: 26/09/2010

Time taken: 8 hours

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Re: Liathach-via north pinnacles

Postby kinley » Wed Oct 20, 2010 8:37 pm

ianaird wrote:not having a go i just got a feeling that you dis-approved of me promoting the route :think:


How would you rate the scrambling on this route Ian?
Last edited by kinley on Wed Oct 20, 2010 9:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Liathach-via north pinnacles

Postby ianaird » Wed Oct 20, 2010 9:58 pm

kinley wrote:
ianaird wrote:not having a go i just got a feeling that you dis-approved of me promoting the route :think:


How would you rate the scrambling on this route Ian?


Compared to pinnacle ridge at the weekend Kinley i would say "it's nay bother" and to anyone enjoying scrambling and not just hill walking then it's up there....Thankfully we all have different views and standards and mine is just one. for anyone to try it, plz enjoy :D
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Re: Liathach-via north pinnacles

Postby mountain coward » Wed Oct 20, 2010 10:37 pm

Ian - I was just worrying really that people would think it was just the same kind of thing as the 'normal' (but still scary to the likes of me) route whereas I think it's supposed to be a good deal harder. But I suppose they could always turn back early on if they found it too scary or technical. I agree looking at the photos it doesn't look like it's necessarily rock-climbing but thought it was advisable that people were fore-warned that had been said in some books. Wasn't having a go at your post though :D
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Re: Liathach-via north pinnacles

Postby kinley » Wed Oct 20, 2010 11:09 pm

Oh well - Ian - I will definitely think about this route. Much obliged :)

Hopefully bump into you and Colin sometime somewhere :)
Last edited by kinley on Thu Oct 21, 2010 12:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Liathach-via north pinnacles

Postby balfourbaggers » Fri Nov 23, 2012 10:27 pm

Liked report and pics.
Will have a look at your route in more detail. Planning to do March/April 2013
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Re: Liathach-via north pinnacles

Postby houdi » Sat Nov 24, 2012 4:03 pm

I’m with you on this one ianaird. I’m not really a climber either (only in an amatuer sense), but neither do I consider myself a hillwalker. Love scrambling and enjoy a challenge so this route is right up my street. I have already done Liathac and found the Am Fasarinen pinnacles very easy, but I remember looking across to Meal Dearg when I did Ben Eighe in June and it has been at the back of my mind ever since. Would love a crack at your route one day. Superb pics and report, incidentally
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Re: Liathach-via north pinnacles

Postby Wanderlust7 » Tue Aug 27, 2013 10:20 am

Great report and very impressive pictures, must have great memories of that day still.
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Re: Liathach-via north pinnacles

Postby Hill-loving lady » Tue Aug 27, 2013 5:33 pm

This is still on my 'to do' list - and your report and photos have really inspired me...although I think I'll stick to the 'traditional' route for my first attempt! And Bob the Dog will be staying at home.

What a day you had, a real cracker! :D
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Re: Liathach-via north pinnacles

Postby spiderwebb » Tue Aug 27, 2013 7:01 pm

Stunning, absolutely stunning !
1985 when I did it, why so long to Go back, its up there with the Best. Like the look of your route too
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Re: Liathach-via north pinnacles

Postby rocket-ron » Mon Sep 30, 2013 11:58 am

Been wanting to do this route for ages. Did it yesterday. But went a slightly different way. Was speaking with Jim sutherland. Who runs nineonesix guiding. He is also torridon mountain rescue skills and techique guy.
He advised me DO NOT descend from Mullach an Rathain. over the pinnicles to get Meall Dearg. As there has been. A couple off deaths on it.

Best way to go is to . Go in to coire na caime. Then up in to the next wee corrie . Follow the stream up to the bealllach between Meall Dearg and the pinnicles. Going up liathach via the northern pinnicles. Is by far the most exciting route up liathach i have done
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Re: Liathach-via north pinnacles

Postby bar72 » Wed Feb 04, 2015 9:01 pm

nice report and not meaning to be critical but i'm a bit unsure of the route you took.

you quote "So it was up to the top of our first Munro of the day, Spidean a' Choire Leith" then "After a quick cup of tea it was onwards to our second Munro of the day, Mullach an Rathain"

are you sure you didn't ascend "Mullach an Rathain" then "Spidean a' Choire Leith" from the Northern Pinnacles, after the summit of Meall Dearg?
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Re: Liathach-via north pinnacles

Postby cruxchaser » Mon Sep 23, 2019 11:21 am

Three of us just completed a full circuit this weekend (22/09/19) of Liathach over Meall Dearg, the Northern Pinnacles, and around the summit ridge and off the Eastern ridge of the final top. A fantastic trip, and to be highly recommended. Some care needed in picking the route up Meall Dearg and off Stuc a Choire Duibh Bhig.

We ran into Iain Thow (Highlands Scrambles North) walking in... he suggested the left/right diagonal grassy rake up the north face of Meall Dearg was a better winter route (when frozen). In summer a cold greasy grassy ascent. He suggested the route via the head of Coire na Caime was the easiest to the col between the pinnacles and Meall Dearg. His guide also has a graded scramble (Moderate rock climb) up the south east corner of the eastern buttress of Meall Dearg.

Our intent was to the follow the moderately graded rock climb (used loosely - much is near vertical grass, heather, and outcrops of sandstone) up the eastern end of Meall Dearg, but we were probably further right (climber's right) of Iain Thow's depicted route in Highlands Scrambles North, and properly on the full Eastern face of Meall Dearg. This is NOT a route for the faint hearted, and once committed there is no retreat. There are occasional loose blocks on this face too. Nonetheless, it was reasonably dry, and we were a little relieved once the steepness relented in the top third of the face. From there the troubles and exposure largely disappeared.

Getting off the end of Liathach via Stuc a Choire Duibh Bhig was less troublesome. We followed the ridge top down to a small tarn before the ground seriously steepens up. From the tarn we continued to drop down in the same line (North East) over two steep rock steps. We then cut back to the right (South) and out onto the South East face to descend over scree and then slabs back to the track in Allt a Choire Dhubh Mhoir. The route down on the higher slopes was clearly a winter route up - crampon marks through the steep rock steps etc...

The circuit felt like a pure way to do justice to the entire ridge, and is recommended to anybody with climbing/scrambling experience. We'd probably go via Iain's Scambles guided route next time and avoid the steeper/near vertical grass... the latter of which provided few opportunities to use a rope even if it was carried.
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