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An Binnean .... Snowy Pinnacles on Mullach Fraoich Coire

An Binnean .... Snowy Pinnacles on Mullach Fraoich Coire


Postby Collaciotach » Sun Apr 22, 2012 9:35 pm

Route description: A' Chralaig and Mullach Fraoch-choire

Munros included on this walk: A' Chralaig, Mullach Fraoch-choire

Date walked: 22/04/2012

Time taken: 6.5 hours

Distance: 13 km

Ascent: 1150m

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You ll not be familiar with the song .......

Chrò Chinn t-Sàile

Thèid mi dhachaidh hò-rò dachaidh
Thèid mi dhachaidh chrò Chinn t-Sàile
Thèid mi dhachaidh dìreach dachaidh
'S gabhaidh mi rathad mòr Chinn t-Sàile

It was written by a Cinn Taile man at the Battle of Sherifmuir and tells how he ll return after the battle to the cattle fold on the Cinn Taile mountains :)

I ve never ventured out in the Cinn Taile hills till this weekend !!

So ...Bha e an deireach seachdainn agus bha mi a fuireach ann Cinn Taile ...... a wee trip to Kintail on Saturday morning looking for that weather window

its about somewhere i know it :)

Bha robh i ann Cinn Taile air Dis aithrne .... no in Kintail on Saturday when i climbed Cárn Gluasaid ,Sgurr nan Conbhairean and Sail Coarann

more about that later 8)

When i dismounted from those three beauties, i stayed the night, camping a la car near the Cluanaidh after a ceoach day was a grand evening

Druim Seile a Deas  a ribhist.JPG
Druima Seile a Deas am Feasgar


My target on Didómhaich (Sunday) was A Chralaig is Mullach Fraoich Coire and she was trying to poke her head out after a day in the clouds

A Chráliag am feasgar.JPG
A 'Chralaig am feasgar


An early start after a good nights sleep and mise is an cú headed to the lay bye across from the access point to the South ridge of A Chralaig :D

Weather was looking better than on Saturday although it was only 6.30 am so maybe i will see a wee bit more today :D

We started off up the steep South ridge .....funny on the way up an cú flushed an old ewe a triple fleecer at least and as swift as a deer :) been many years since sheep was on these hills and she must have missed the last round up a good few years back !

We made good time ach shes a hard slog up ...gu dearbh :o ....and a lot of sgoth rolling around :o

Air an druim a Deas A 'Chra.JPG
Air an Druin a Deas A 'Chralaig


Am Bathach anns a sgoth.JPG
Am Bathach anns a ceó


An sealltain air ais.JPG
An Sealltainn air ais


Soon i was in deep sgoth and not a view to be seen although it was dry the sneachd was deep and vis very poor ,that blinding indistinguishable white where you cant see a few metres so keeping a good eye on the compass bearing till we reached the cárn

DSCF4851.JPG
Cárn A Chralaig anns a Ceó


The snow was significant here and we did nt hang about to long before heading off Tuath /North on the bearing toward the bealach as we dropped down and neared the 1008 mark it threatened to clear

Druim coire Odhar.JPG
Druim fa Coire Odhar


as we reached the bealach below Mullach Fraoich Coire .... it did :D

DSCF4856.JPG
An rathad suas


Uill bha e cas is caol air an binninean agus bha an sneachda doimhne .... its narrow on the ridge and pinnacles and with deep deep snow an airy place to be treated with caution and respect :shock:

the photographs will tell the tale :D

DSCF4866.JPG
Caol is Doimhne


DSCF4871.JPG
Doimhne !


DSCF4872.JPG
fais a mhullach


DSCF4874.JPG
Boidheach is cunnartach


DSCF4876.JPG
bideanan


DSCF4878.JPG
a ribhist


DSCF4883.JPG
Sealltainn air ais


DSCF4884.JPG
Gu bhith suas


DSCF4885.JPG
Air a mhullach fraoich coire agus an cu


I reckon in dry conditions this would be no hassle however with snow the game changes its slippery and airy ... taken with caution and a wee bit time though its a grand scramble

We did nt hang about long on the summit as there was a lot of cloud rolling our way so back sios

DSCF4890.JPG
A ceó a tighinn a ribhist


DSCF4896.JPG
sios


DSCF4897.JPG
Sneachd air an Binnien


The axe was out but no crampoons the deep snow was a good hold although it was wet stuff and care needed with the cornices

DSCF4903.JPG
An rathad sios


DSCF4905.JPG
The Pinnacles


Nuair a bah sin air fhalbh an druim .....we carried off down to the bealach and back up over the 1008 mark Stob Coire a Claraig

DSCF4912.JPG
Lochan na Cralaig


Our exit was to be out off the Coire a Ghlas Thuill and we got good sealltainn out into Cinn Taile

DSCF4917.JPG
Cinn Taile


It is a steep exit where ever you go off these two and i was glad of the reaching flat ground even if it was bog fluich :lol: ......... a grand wee escapade today in Cinn Taile and after yesterday tired legs and brain tonight haha a lot of concentration does that to me .

Uill tha sin e an drasda agus ..... no animals were harmed in the making of this tale or taking of these photographs .................he is like a mountain goat :D

DSCF4867.JPG
A bhalaich
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Collaciotach
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Re: An Binnean .... Snowy Pinnacles on Mullach Fraoich Coire

Postby dooterbang » Sun Apr 22, 2012 9:51 pm

That looked scary...i should know, also did these in winter :shock:

Looked a fab day.

Great shot of the "mountain goat" in the last photo.
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Re: An Binnean .... Snowy Pinnacles on Mullach Fraoich Coire

Postby Collaciotach » Sun Apr 22, 2012 10:25 pm

dooterbang wrote:That looked scary...i should know, also did these in winter :shock:

Looked a fab day.

Great shot of the "mountain goat" in the last photo.



Aye Doots a wee bit of clenching going on at the pinnacles on Mullach Fraoich Coire :lol: requires care it does!
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Collaciotach
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Re: An Binnean .... Snowy Pinnacles on Mullach Fraoich Coire

Postby Bod » Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:04 pm

Yes......like it loads :D :D :D

I've still got these two remaining along the north side of the Cluanie and can't wait to get back, well done in the snow :D
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Re: An Binnean .... Snowy Pinnacles on Mullach Fraoich Coire

Postby Mountainlove » Mon Apr 23, 2012 8:51 am

Some cracking photos...looks like a serious day out in the mountains...love the picture of the dog :D
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Re: An Binnean .... Snowy Pinnacles on Mullach Fraoich Coire

Postby Fudgie » Mon Apr 23, 2012 9:05 am

That looks like a great ridge walk and the pictures are excellent :thumbup:
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Re: An Binnean .... Snowy Pinnacles on Mullach Fraoich Coire

Postby Johnny Corbett » Mon Apr 23, 2012 1:33 pm

Good to read a winter report after all the summer ones from December to February :D This is on my long list for this year, read about the narrow ridge and looks a bit dodgy in the conditions you got
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Re: An Binnean .... Snowy Pinnacles on Mullach Fraoich Coire

Postby Banditman » Mon Apr 23, 2012 1:38 pm

Great photos...my knees were knocking just looking at some of them. To scary for me that though..... maybe with a bit more experience and some company I could have managed but no way on my lonesome....well done!
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Re: An Binnean .... Snowy Pinnacles on Mullach Fraoich Coire

Postby kevsbald » Mon Apr 23, 2012 4:16 pm

I couldn't get to this last April - had decided to walk in from Cluanie and ascend before this madness. May be tempted to bide at the YH and take it from behind as it were. Looked fantastic!
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Re: An Binnean .... Snowy Pinnacles on Mullach Fraoich Coire

Postby monty » Mon Apr 23, 2012 4:20 pm

Great set of photos on an unexpected ridge. Nice :D Well, it was totally unexpected when we done it in the summer. A nice surprise. Mind you it was a darn site less daunting than it looks in the snow :lol:
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Re: An Binnean .... Snowy Pinnacles on Mullach Fraoich Coire

Postby Collaciotach » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:36 pm

kevsbald wrote:I couldn't get to this last April - had decided to walk in from Cluanie and ascend before this madness. May be tempted to bide at the YH and take it from behind as it were. Looked fantastic!



haha she's a topper of a ridge and crazy pinnacles had me fair clenching :lol:
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Re: An Binnean .... Snowy Pinnacles on Mullach Fraoich Coire

Postby Collaciotach » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:38 pm

monty wrote:Great set of photos on an unexpected ridge. Nice :D Well, it was totally unexpected when we done it in the summer. A nice surprise. Mind you it was a darn site less daunting than it looks in the snow :lol:


i did my prep and still got a wee surprise! .... aye carefully does it in the snow 8)
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Collaciotach
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Re: An Binnean .... Snowy Pinnacles on Mullach Fraoich Coire

Postby Collaciotach » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:40 pm

Johnny Corbett wrote:Good to read a winter report after all the summer ones from December to February :D This is on my long list for this year, read about the narrow ridge and looks a bit dodgy in the conditions you got


Aye shes no to be taken lightly the druim ... good cráic though :lol:
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Collaciotach
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Re: An Binnean .... Snowy Pinnacles on Mullach Fraoich Coire

Postby Collaciotach » Mon Apr 23, 2012 8:24 pm

Fudgie wrote:That looks like a great ridge walk and the pictures are excellent :thumbup:


Cheers a bhalaich its a belter :D
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Re: An Binnean .... Snowy Pinnacles on Mullach Fraoich Coire

Postby Collaciotach » Mon Apr 23, 2012 8:25 pm

Mountainlove wrote:Some cracking photos...looks like a serious day out in the mountains...love the picture of the dog :D


Was going to do the bikini shot on the big pinnacle but did nt want to upstage you Mountain Love :lol:
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