The White Room

[jonny616]

Mid week sneaky peak time. A nice wee plan suggested by Ron to tackle the two Aonachs then drop to the bealach between the Aonachs & Carn Mor Dearg. Summit CMD, then around the arête to Nevis, zig zag path down & branch off back to the start which was to be the Nevis range car park. If you use the gondola to get up this is a 20k walk with only 1500 meters of ascent.
The weather forecast was not great, but after a few texts on Monday we decided to go for it, with a back up of taking the ridge from CMD down if conditions were not right on the arête.
Picked up Mark, then meet up with Andy & George. Bacon butty stop in Tyndrum before pushing on to meet Ron at the car park. Coffee in the café whilst waiting for the gondola to open (currently 10am).
The gondola took us smoothly straight into the clag. Followed the good path towards the view point & then struck a line up avoiding the ski lifts. Patchy snow at 700 meters soon became a complete blanket sometimes knee deep. It was obvious that the arête would be no go, so instead of struggling across we settled on doing the two Aonachs & then heading back the way we came. Once on the plateau of Aonach Mor we had a bit of trouble locating the cairn, but found it! We then dropped down towards the bealach between the two & a cairn marking the route to CMD. The ridge to Aonach Beag narrows & we found a wee hollow in the snow to sit for lunch before heading up. The next section was steep & rocky with a couple of awkward moves for those of us with short legs. Steep enough for axes but the snow too soft for crampons.
It then levels out to the summit. Photo call & back down we go. Ascending Aonach Mor again. From the cairn we took a bearing straight to the top of the ski runs & from there we slid almost all the way to the café. Top fun. The last 100 meters of descent we had views & sods law meant that as we drove home we saw every summit from the Mamores to Ben Lomond clear.
A fun day if you do not mind seeing anything.
Thanks to Mark & Andy for some of the photos.

A brief view of the glen between the Aonachs & Carn Mor Dearg

Patchy snow from 700 meters

The white room!

Aonach Mor

Not that way

Lunch Hollow

Ascent of Aonach Beag

Aonach Beag

Heading back

Sliding Time!!

[SusieThePensioner]

I've now got "White Room" by Cream going round my head, thank you Jonny!!

Mid week sneaky peak time

Glad you had a few "club" members today

Enjoyed your report even tho the trip was reduced. Some great photos, particularly the "lunch hollow" and "ascent of Aonach Beag"

[bootsandpaddles]

Does that 1003m of ascent include the ride up in the gondola?

[Jock McJock]

Nice one as always Jonny. That was a great wee day, just a pity the weather didn't play ball. Looking forward to the weekend and ROS!! Or the pub if the weather's mince

[morag1]

When I saw your photos I thought at first this was a report from last winter, cant believe theres still that much snow there

Shame about the weather as this would have been a magical walk

Better luck next time

[gammy leg walker]

[quote="jonny616"] If you use the gondola Coffee in the café whilst waiting for the gondola to open (currently 10am).

Oh the shame of it,thought you were a purist.

[quoman]

hardluck about the weather but you still had a good day by the look of it, a bit close to the cornice who ever it was.

[dooterbang]

Atmospheric conditions...nice lunch spot

[pollyh33]

Boooooo this member of the MWSP club was gutted to miss this adventure!!! Just as well I already have this ear-marked for July or I would have tripped over my giant petted lip!!!!

Thanks guys for constant text updates, made my day at the lab just that wee bit more bearable

[rocket-ron]

Polly you missing nothing on Tuesday not really a day for being out

[Bod]

The lunch spot did look fun! Hope it gave you the shelter required, good effort getting out there

(Though have to laugh too at the purist angle? Good fun though to have a swing in the Gondola!)

[pigeon]

Gondola ????? Ya wee rascals

[Meatball]

Nice, I think I'll do these two +1 from Glen Nevis...
Polly, do you have another plan or do you want a shout?

[jonny616]

I've now got "White Room" by Cream going round my head, thank you Jonny!!

Mid week sneaky peak time

Glad you had a few "club" members today


Thanks Susan. 5 people & counting. Finding new people to join the mentalists all the time

[rockhopper]

Wondered why you'd called it the "white room" - until I had a look at the photos rather obvious I guess but looks like you still enjoyed it nonetheless Not sure about having to wait until 10am to get going though - unless the coffee was very good ! - cheers