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Lost on Maol Chean-dearg

Lost on Maol Chean-dearg


Postby Jokester » Wed Sep 02, 2020 1:34 pm

Route description: Maol Chean-dearg ascent, Coulags

Munros included on this walk: Maol Chean-dearg

Date walked: 13/08/2020

Time taken: 6.25 hours

Distance: 17.15 km

Ascent: 992m

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This just turned out to be one of those days.

The weather report was for 70% chance of cloud free summits so looked reasonable enough, but very warm and humid. I had originally planned on doing Sgorr Ruadh and Bienn Liath Mhor next door, but the forecast of humidity made me think it would be better to take the easier option.

Parked up at the large layby just after the Coulags Bridge and set off. A forestry track leads off on the otherside of the bridge up the glen.

Not far up, you reach a gate and the worlds smallest sign to tell walkers to head left rather than straight up what is actually somebodies drive way.
ImageIMG_0687 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr

A couple of kms on you pass a hydro weir and then cross over to the other side of the river.
ImageIMG_0690 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr

Memorial
ImageIMG_0692 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr

Another 1km or so past the bridge their is a bothy (appears to be open).

Not far on again, the path branches to the the left to head up to the Munro
ImageIMG_0694 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr

The tops were stubbornly hiding in the clouds still.
ImageIMG_0697 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr

Looking up towards the summmit in the clouds from the bealach
ImageIMG_0703 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr

Looking back towards Meall nan Ceapairean
ImageIMG_0704 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr

From here on, it was walking in the clouds, but finding the summit cairn was largely straight forward
ImageIMG_0709 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr

Had a rest for 20 mins in the hope the cloud would lift but sadly not, so decided to head back the way I came, at least I thought I did, rather than SSE I went off SW, but caught site of a cairn off to my left and corrected my mistake. I remembered I needed to cross a small dimple before heading down to the bealach again, but I never checked my map or compass and again headed SW rather than SE and it quickly became apparent I had taken a wrong turn as I found myself stood at the top of what looked like some rocky outcrops and cliffs. So I think I've veered to far east and need to traverse right till I find the path again after 10 minutes though, I find myself stood on some very steep terrain. Definitely not right as I know I've turned round 90degrees by this point.

ImageIMG_0710 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr

Compass time, right I'm heading north, completely wrong. At least I know I'm on the west side of the top now though so I know I can retrace my steps to the dip between the top and the dimple and continue SE and find the path again heading down to the bealach.

And I do it again! I head SW rather than SE (my internal compass must be broken) down a scree slope that kind of looked like a eroded path, at this point I dropped out of the clouds and realised my mistake, but at least if gave a good view of the loch below An Ruadh-Stac.

ImageIMG_0713 by matthew_chalmers, on Flickr

I'm blaming dehydration again, all my navigation errors seem to occur on these sorts of warm humid days.
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Jokester
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Re: Lost on Maol Chean-dearg

Postby summerhill » Thu Aug 18, 2022 12:04 pm

Ach we all make wee errors with navigation from time to time. Just some of us don't admit to them. Your route map put a wry smile on my face . I did the same on one of the Cairngorms. But like you corrected myself and got off safely. My son wasn't too chuffed with my navigational skills as it put on an extra half mile 😂 on the trip.
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Re: Lost on Maol Chean-dearg

Postby Fractral » Thu Aug 18, 2022 5:18 pm

It's easily done! A few years ago 5 of us didn't bother to check our compasses at the bealach between Cairn Toul and the Devil's Point and managed to climb Cairn Toul a second time :roll: which left us without the daylight to do the Devil's point.

I remember bailing off Maol Chean-Dearg in poor visibility, was trying the alleged scramble on the north side and what looked like a good hold came clean off, along with a lump of rock the size of my torso. I couldn't see what the rest of the route looked like so I retreated, shaking. Took me almost 4 years to return!
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Re: Lost on Maol Chean-dearg

Postby Border Reiver » Thu Aug 18, 2022 11:04 pm

This is a magnificent part of the UK and worthy of more than one or two visits, I love it and never tire of reading walk reports of the area, thank you for yours. When I climbed Maol Cean-Dearg back in 1989, I climbed it using the same path shown as your ascent route. To return, I used a brilliant stalkers path that curves at an easy slope from the col. north westwards and then gently down to round Loch an Eoin, then down to Coulags or alternatively to Coire Lair. I notice that this path, and the through path to Torridon, is no longer shown on the current map you've used here. It's a pity when paths become unused and missed off maps, for whatever reason. Those paths are clear to see on Google Earth. Maybe it's an O.S. error.
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Re: Lost on Maol Chean-dearg

Postby rockhopper » Fri Aug 19, 2022 9:50 pm

I'd echo the above comments - easily done and have done it myself :roll: Can remember one person suggesting putting walking poles down as you arrive at the summit in the direction from which you came in an attempt to avoid going off in the wrong direction - cheers :)
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Re: Lost on Maol Chean-dearg

Postby Mal Grey » Sat Aug 20, 2022 9:11 pm

We've all been there, descending what we KNOW is the right direction, only to become to feel somewhat uncomfortable when the emerging view doesn't match expectations...

One of my absolute favourite areas, MCD deserves a re-visit, I think.


Border Reiver wrote:To return, I used a brilliant stalkers path that curves at an easy slope from the col. north westwards and then gently down to round Loch an Eoin, then down to Coulags or alternatively to Coire Lair. I notice that this path, and the through path to Torridon, is no longer shown on the current map you've used here. It's a pity when paths become unused and missed off maps, for whatever reason. Those paths are clear to see on Google Earth. Maybe it's an O.S. error.


This is still on the actual OS 1:25k & 1:50k mapping, but not on the open source mapping used at the end of the report. You are right, its a superb path in astonishing country.
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Re: Lost on Maol Chean-dearg

Postby Grisu » Thu Aug 25, 2022 6:08 pm

Thanks for this report! Catching the wrong turn and not checking maps could be me very much. I had this Munro on my list during this year's summer holiday but then, the 13th August was the day of days I was waiting for to do all Munros in South Glen Shiel (report is not yet written). Seeing your pictures I hardly can believe how different the weather was in these two areas, only about a 40 minutes drive apart.
DSC01826 Selfie Cairn The Saddle.jpg
summit-selfie on the rocks, The Saddle
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Re: Lost on Maol Chean-dearg

Postby Grisu » Mon Aug 29, 2022 9:45 pm

sorry, only realised now that this report was from 2020 - :wink:
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Re: Lost on Maol Chean-dearg

Postby Jokester » Tue Aug 30, 2022 6:16 pm

Grisu wrote:sorry, only realised now that this report was from 2020 - :wink:

Hehe, I was thinking you had a good memory to remember the weather from 2 years ago!
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Re: Lost on Maol Chean-dearg

Postby Grisu » Tue Aug 30, 2022 10:05 pm

Jokester wrote:
Grisu wrote:sorry, only realised now that this report was from 2020 - :wink:

Hehe, I was thinking you had a good memory to remember the weather from 2 years ago!


just checked my pictures - it was obviously a dull day :wink:
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