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Not entirely sure 8 or 9 pints was the ideal preparation for this walk but no matter... Feeling a little the worse for wear we convince ourselves we're up for it... We had planned on the four eastern Grey Corries, but a familiar theme on this trip with plans not coming to fruition so we decide on something smaller to dispense with the hangover...
I'll skip the obligatory Steall Falls pic, there are nicer ones on other reports, and the first shot of the day shows Scraggles sweating the ciders off half way up to the beallach between Carn Mor Dearg and the Aonachs...
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- Scraggles sweating the ciders off...
As we continue up there's a sense of real wilderness...
![Aonachs 002.jpg]()
- Wilderness...
You realise the Ben really is massive...
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- The Bulk of the Ben...
And the views back to the Mamores gorgeous...
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- The Mamores...
By the time we reach the beallach we can really start to see just how steep the ascent up the Aonach Plateau is... Hmmm this will be fun... Best get on with it then... Half way up we stop to sit and look at the Ben and Carn Mor Dearg; it's just gorgeous...
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- Gorgeous...
And not long after that there's mist swirling, and we're thinking this is full on mountaineering... The crampons have long since been on, but time now to get the axe out too; a fall here would likely be game over...
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- Mountaineering time.. Lipping out after the steep bit, which is out of sight...
It's a fairly straightforward ascent of Aonach Beag once on the plateau, and we're soon on the summit plateau...
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- The plateau of Aonach Beag...
Back at the beallach we briefly watch some climbers... Progress is slow though, and we're soon off on our way...
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- Climbers...
And not long after we're at the summit of Aonach Mor...
![Aonachs 009.jpg]()
- Summit of Aonach Mor...
We stop for a while taking in the views before heading back to the steep descent... Fair to say we're not looking forward to this, and I counsell against it unless you're experienced and got a head for heights... It would be straight forward in summer conditions, but right now, the snow is hard packed; the slope ever steepening; and we're both in deep concentration... Fair to say we're both pleased to reach the beallach safely...
We'd long since decided we wouldn't be ascending Carn Mor Dearg in these conditions, so that's left for another day; and just the walk home remains...
The walk out from there, is massively enjoyable with the sun bathed on the mamores... Gorgeous; another epic day in the hills... And way better than ascending via the ski pollution...
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- The walk out...
The stats...
![2013 - 02 - 24 - Aonach Beag.jpg]()
- The Stats...
And the route...
