We decided to head up Friday evening via Dalwhinnie as soon as Gill was finished work and stayed at the Àite Cruinnichidh hostel, giving us a good night’s sleep, unlike the last time I did these hills.
Which you can read the report here.http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=28532
After we cooked and ate, we sat down with a small drink and talked about the route we would take and of course my previous walk on the Easians. Our route was to start at An Dubh Lochan, head up onto Creag Fhinaclach then head SW to Meall Cian Dearg and then follow WH route. If the weather changed, other options were the descent as in the SMC book into Coire Easian Beag and north from Coire Shomhairle, all set to go.
During the early morning around 3.00am the room was bright with stars shining through the Velux, just what was forecast and by 7.15am we were up and about making breakfast, sorting the bags, eyes smiling towards the windows as the sky was clear and the garden had a dusting of snow outside. After an hour we were heading up the A86 towards the Fersit turn off, the small road down was a bit icy but nothing to dangerous, as we crossed Inverlair bridge the river beneath was really rough, must have being the snow melting, as there had being no rain through the night. We parked just across from the small still An Dubh Lochan and as we got ready, you could hear the noise from the Inverlair Falls. The morning was cold as we started walking and the only other noise was the crunching of walking boots on a frozen track heading to The Easians.
Soon we were at the gate and picked up the path heading SW on the broad ridge, probably after taking about twenty photos by this time.
It wasn’t until we were beneath Meall Chin dearg that the snow was getting a bit heavier but we could make out where the track was. Some small scramble sections here or hands needed at least for a pull up and a little icy in places. Soon we were above the nose and on another broad ridge heading towards Stob a’Choire Mheadhoin about 3k away. It was between the 808m and 773m points that looked familiar where I took cover up here last time, but couldn’t be 100%. As we walked the clouds came in and the views had gone, wind picked up a bit from the west and it had got a lot colder, our clothes were frozen and white on our right hand sides. But this didn’t dampen our spirits, only added to the fun. We had already decided before we got to the summit that if we don’t get views on Stob Coire Easain we would be back again in the summer, as if it was guaranteed we get them then.
Around midday we reached the top, with the weather getting a little rougher and me silently hoping I don’t have another episode up here.
Quick bite and a photo and off we went SW, picking our way down over the stones and finding the path, then losing it again. Soon we stood below Easian, steep, even steeper looking covered in snow. So we made our way diagonally up, zig zagging up the steep slope, by this time the cloud had shifted again in our favour and the wind dropped a bit.
Wasn’t long before I reached the summit cairn and the views everywhere were fantastic.
- Last time
I dropped my bag and took out the camera to go get a photo of Gill approaching, as she saw the cairn asked “Is that the top” a little surprised. Yes just a little under an hour for us to get here. Plenty of photos here and another bite to eat with some soup.
We discussed following the SMC route once we got to the bealach, so away we went following our footprints back down the zigzag line. I stood at the small cairn to mark the way off into Coire Easian Beag and it looked a bit rough ground down below, and might even take longer than going up over the first Munro. Last time I stood here the cornice must have being about twenty foot wide.
So up over Mheadhoin we went, which didn’t take long, snapping away back to Glen Coe and Bridge of Orchy hills.
As we descended towards Meal Chin Dearg, Gills Morton's neuroma started playing up, the nose section was difficult for me going down, never mind having to deal with that pain, so a big well done trooper. We looked at the route heading east towards Loch Treig, but Gill felt it didn’t make a difference what the ground was like, it was going to be a slow walk off the hill. So we headed back towards our ascent route. Every now and then a screech and shout of pain from Gill, nothing I could do to help.
Light was starting to fade so we donned the head torches and slowly made our way down, we met a fence and followed this along the old tramline back to the gate and ten minutes later we were back at the car.
A great day out with fantastic views, it was time to head back to the bunkhouse and prepare for the next day on Chno Dearg.
Worth it for the day you had though - looked brilliant 
but pain passes, and it was a great day boss. 
! I love the almost monochrome pictures, they really capture the atmosphere of winter. 
