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So I'm sure we all talk about people out on hills who don't carry maps, or the right gear or whatever.. I've done it but this weekend was both a brilliant hill day but also a reminder of what can happen and the need for strong skills in Scottish Winter..
(this is the same weekend that 9 were "rescued" in Snowdonia for not having even basic winter gear or having a "sore knee")
So my lesson was just how bad a true white-out can be and how challenging that can be at the summit on an 1000m snow covered mountain with crags around and the need to get us out safely when by the time you've done a summit shot you have lost all sight of which way is up and where the way out is.. anyway ..more pics and a little writing to tell the tale.
Needles to say I have already booked onto another nav course...
So Sam and I met up with a mate from Twitterland in the Arrochar car park at 9am - Davie and his amazing four legged usual walking companion - Leo - ready to tackle Beinn Ime as we hadnt yet knocked it off despite having done both Cobbler and Narnain (see a previous epic tale that spriralled into some argy bargy....but that's not for today
)
Beinn Ime March 2014 by
coachmacca, on Flickr
Leo decides to play fetch with a tree!
Beinn Ime March 2014 by
coachmacca, on Flickr
Sam and Davie heading up the track towards the Cobbler , the weather was pretty good, even the odd sliver of blue however we knew by about 2pm there would be some snow "showers" so on we push..
Beinn Ime March 2014 by
coachmacca, on Flickr
Davie surveying the cracking bit lump of rock that is the Cobbler with Leo running about in the background , weather still holding well and the day was going well so on we push...
Beinn Ime March 2014 by
coachmacca, on Flickr
Another gratuitous Cobbler in clouds shot.. picking out possible climbing routes for another day , we could see a couple of boys moving so hoped they were having fun.. but on we push.
The snow was geting thicker as we moved up ast the boulders and along the flabnks of Ben Narnain and on we pushed...
Beinn Ime March 2014 by
coachmacca, on Flickr
Davie and Sam wading in...
As we moved past the gate on the Beinn Ime bealach we had some stunning views, a wee biut of sun and even more blue. Leo was loving running about and making the best effort to grad a 4 ft post up to the summit - he's a BIG dog! (and a very happy friendly one I would add
). He stopped for a wee pose so I snapped him
Beinn Ime March 2014 by
coachmacca, on Flickr
Time was , as it does, ticking on and looking south and east we could see more black than blue and it was clear snow was on its way.. so on we pushed...
Beinn Ime March 2014 by
coachmacca, on Flickr
Summit coming into view for a few mins..
Beinn Ime March 2014 by
coachmacca, on Flickr
Stunning views away to the west
After this really we had few pics.. we pushed up the route, stopping to get the crampons on as the snow turned to icey slab , clouds rolling in and the wind picking up... we pushed on higher and the snow started but the summit was pretty close and we are here to enjoy the conditions that Scottish Winter offers so on we pushed...
One last tricky wee steep step to avoid a banked out we gully (just in case..) and we were on the final summit walk ..
Wee action shot - does my bum look big in these crampons?
Beinn Ime March 2014 by
coachmacca, on Flickr
Right time to bring this tale to a head...
We hit the summit guided by Davies good nose for a route, by now the wind was getting pretty ferocious, visibility was getting lower and the snow was getting worse.. quick snap at the summit while Davie too a wee vid to show the conditions before we bugged out back home.. (you can watch that at the end but first I need to finish my tale..
)
We tuned around to walk out and ... hmmm.. where is the way out? where are our footprints.. where is the world?? Yep we were totally "white roomed"....
We got the map out and roughly took a bearing ... its at this point i recognise my skills are nowhere near good enough and we start to move forward but... the ground is dropping away too fast.. the snow is getting thicker.. were dropping down far too quickly.. STOP!
OK this isn't the route.. but the bearing looks right...
Its OK Davie is sure he knows the way out so we track a but further west but again.. were dropping too fast and its really steep now , and there are crags above us and right... STOP!
Tensions are rising... I'm worried that Sam is getting tired and possibly a bit scared.. the conditions are the worst we have been in barring Winter skills Training in the Cairngorms but then we had a Leader to rely on..
I make a call - we are not going the right way. I pick a ledge and we move to it to rest for a minute and think. I remember that you should,always stop,rest, calm and then think so that's its clearer.
I now have my eTrex GPS out.. I can see where we are so I compare to the map and to the crag and pinpoint us. I'm now conscious that I do not have the map skills to get out out without the GPS so its now my best friend...
Only one thing for it... we need to climb up , get back to the high point then walk out . We rise up, steep backed snow and crags.. tired and it goes on but finally we meet the "path" or where it would be in summer according to the GPS.. We check bearings with the map and compass and agree so we now walk slowly out with me in front and the GPS painting a line to walk...
At this point I'm sure you will all have something to say.. and rightly so.. but for the next hour I walked slowly on that painted line on the screen.. not a feature in front of me.. white dots playing tricks with my mind and up and down meaningless... I adjusted and adjusted and just hoped the GPS was right... and finally... I knew it was...
Slowly we started to meet iced snow again, it started to gradually drop down and rocks started to re-appear.. we were on South/Southeast bearing and slowly it got us down...
I was never so glad to see rocks and grass.... I now LOVE me etrex20!
It was very tense time.. really a bit scary im happy to admit and for a while while trying to find a start to the exit route I thought "are we gonna be stuck,...are we gonna have to wait out this blizzard... are we gonna have to call MRT?" It wasn't pleasant but I felt I could stay calm and work it out. I may have relied on tech but it got us out. That is that!
And this is how happy we were!
Beinn Ime March 2014 by
coachmacca, on Flickr
Sam and I .. happy to be alive!... no.. really.
From there it was the usual simple walk back to the car, home and a very welcome beer !
Winter Nav is hard. Very hard . I need more skills and I'm going to get them- very soon! and keep practising but that's twice that eTrex has bailed me out. Its worth its weight in gold and ill argue to the death with anyone who says otherwise!
Do I think I have strong winter skills? I think I have some but I have SOOOO much still to learn and that's what I learned on Beinn Ime.
Here is a great little montage from Davie, wee vid about half way through at the summit tells some of how tough it was..
http://twitpic.com/dx5tsi Overall still a brilliant day and great experience and - great company with Davie and Leo along !
Than for reading folks .....but stay safe kids!