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Curved Ridge

Curved Ridge


Postby gman » Sun Jul 21, 2013 3:55 pm

Munros included on this walk: Stob Dearg (Buachaille Etive Mòr)

Date walked: 19/07/2013

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Always fancied this route, but I was put off by the apparently tricky scrambling and route finding. Basscadet's recent report made it sound doable - and included a GPX file - so I loaded it onto the GPS and headed up Glen Coe on a hot Friday. What could possibly go wrong? :lol:

Wasn't sure where to park but there was a layby just after the Glen Etive road so I just went for that. There's a parking area further along the A82 (at Jacksonville) with a path leading to the water slab so that would have been better. Classic/boring view:
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Approaching from this direction, you get a better look at the route. The face has diagonal ridges from top left to bottom right. Following the summit line down to the right leads to North Buttress. Crowberry Ridge is to the left of this (directly below the summit), and Rannoch Wall is the left hand side of this ridge. Curved Ridge is on the left of Rannoch Wall. The water slab is at the bottom here, there's a path leading straight to it from this direction so it's unmissable.
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Path to the waterslab, the hill looks a bit different from this angle: North Buttress on the right, then Crowberry, then Curved Ridge.
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Steep scree path leads up on the left of the slab, further up there's a group of trees on a rock and the path goes diagonally up to the right in front of this.
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Then up a rocky bit:
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When you get further up, turn left & you can see Curved Ridge on the left & Crowberry on the right. I checked the GPS here to make sure I was in the right place, then put it back in a side webbing pocket on my pack thinking 'that doesn't look too secure, must find a better pocket later'.
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Started scrambling up the ridge (which as all fine) then double checked the GPS but it had disappeared :shock: . So there was a down scramble to the last place I'd checked it but couldn't find it. Another walker appeared but he hadn't seen it either. We swapped stories of gloves lost on the hills, he'd done the ridge & Crowberry Tower before so we continued on together. Onwards:
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Scramble, then path:
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Top of the crux, good hand/footholds so no probs:
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Crowberry Tower:
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Climbers coming up North Buttress, they were training for the Matterhorn.
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There's a cairn at the top of Curved Ridge with a steep scree path leading up to the left. Or you can turn right and go round the back of Crowberry Tower where paths lead to the tower or Stob Dearg. The walker I met had climbed the tower from the front though so we did this, there's a path that goes straight round then leads up - bit of scrambling but nothing tricky. On top of the tower looking down:
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At the back of the tower there's a path that leads to the summit, climber on it here:
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Short down scramble to get from the tower to the summit path:
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Then a path:
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Crowberry Tower from the way up Stob Dearg:
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Back down via the corrie:
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Went back round and did the start of Curved Ridge again to look for the GPS but no luck. Put lost notices here & on UKC and bid on one on ebay on Saturday but lost the auction. Got an email from someone on UKC this morning who found it at the bottom of Rannoch Wall yesterday :D .
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Re: Curved Ridge

Postby Tomsie » Sun Jul 21, 2013 6:49 pm

Good that you got it back they ain't cheap. Heading up to do this tomorrow.
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Re: Curved Ridge

Postby tomyboy73 » Sun Jul 21, 2013 8:20 pm

that looks amazing to do, think i`d need someone to take me up though
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Re: Curved Ridge

Postby gman » Sun Jul 21, 2013 8:59 pm

Tomsie wrote:Good that you got it back they ain't cheap. Heading up to do this tomorrow.


Have a good one & take plenty of water - it was roasting on friday. The guy who found my GPS saw a couple of headtorches heading up on fri night, that's one way to avoid the sun :lol: .

tomyboy73 wrote:that looks amazing to do, think i`d need someone to take me up though


I thought the same but it was fine, there's an idiot's guide to curved ridge on here plus other trip reports. It's a bit confusing the first time you head up but you soon get your bearings.
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Re: Curved Ridge

Postby celt54321 » Sun Jul 21, 2013 10:29 pm

well done this is something i really want to do,the pics on your report are really helpfull.as long as its a clear day i dont think route finding would be much of an issue.i did the a,e ridge on wedensday...how would you say the scrambling on curved ridge compares to this for difficulties.once again well done looks like a great day out. :clap: :clap:
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Re: Curved Ridge

Postby gman » Sun Jul 21, 2013 11:09 pm

celt54321 wrote:i did the a,e ridge on wedensday...how would you say the scrambling on curved ridge compares to this for difficulties.


If you found AE OK you won't have any problems here - Scrambles in Lochaber classes AE as grade 2 and curved ridge grade 2/3. Curved Ridge is all scrambling upwards, which is easier, but there are longer sections of scrambling - I would agree with basscadet, it's a bit easier than expected.
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Re: Curved Ridge

Postby celt54321 » Mon Jul 22, 2013 6:19 am

thanx for the info.
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Re: Curved Ridge

Postby basscadet » Mon Jul 22, 2013 8:42 am

Oh I'm so glad you got up there while the weather stays so hot.. 8)
Shame about the hassle with the GPS, must of put a dampner on perfection :?
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Re: Curved Ridge

Postby Mountainlove » Mon Jul 22, 2013 11:21 am

Oh well done you. It was a perfect days for it. Doing the curved ridge is still on my list of things to do as well :D
I am glad you managed to find your GPS again!!!
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Re: Curved Ridge

Postby gman » Mon Jul 22, 2013 3:04 pm

Wasn't too bothered about the GPS - I always get bottom of the range as I seem to break/lose stuff regularly. It has been dropped a few times and lost once & still seems to be going strong, plus it's done Rannoch Wall now and I only managed Curved Ridge :lol: .
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Re: Curved Ridge

Postby mgmt! » Mon Jul 22, 2013 6:10 pm

nice report and pics there gman, will be down climbing curved ridge as part of my training for the matterhorn, dont think i will get the same weather you were treated too.
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Re: Curved Ridge

Postby clivegrif » Mon Jul 22, 2013 6:21 pm

Great report and super pictures! It was roasting hot when I did this route last year - it really is beauty. :D
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Re: Curved Ridge

Postby Tomsie » Mon Jul 22, 2013 7:02 pm

A lot easier than expected, still enjoyable day out.
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Re: Curved Ridge

Postby scooby0511 » Sat Jul 27, 2013 6:06 pm

Great report Gman, used your report and photos and completed this yesterday. Photographs are good to look at, but when you are doing it, well it is Glencoe, an awesome place.
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