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Scrambling in Scotland's Rockies - Pinned it!

Scrambling in Scotland's Rockies - Pinned it!


Postby Mrs Scoob » Wed Aug 24, 2016 10:39 pm

Route description: Sgùrr a Mhadaidh and Sgùrr a Ghreadaidh

Munros included on this walk: Inaccessible Pinnacle, Sgùrr a' Ghreadaidh, Sgùrr a' Mhadaidh, Sgùrr na Banachdich

Date walked: 20/08/2016

Time taken: 11 hours

Distance: 15.2 km

Ascent: 2118m

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A last minute weather window had us shifting from Kintail to Skye for a later start on the Saturday morning. With not long to go until we're heading back to the 'real' Rockies, we jumped at the chance to get in some more practice for keeping up with Chris :wink: not to mention the 11,000 footer that's in our sights 8) :D

Mhadaidh and Ghreadaidh would get all the Round 2 ticks done on Skye for Scoob, but I still had a score to settle with the 'Pinn too since I'd offered to stay at the base and take photos the last time we were there :roll:

We left from the Youth Hostel and headed up the same path we'd taken just last Saturday for Banachdich. Thinking An Dorus might be a bottle-neck on such a good day (it was the first time I was here) we peeled off to head up Sgurr Thuilm first so we'd only pass through it once. Instead of heading up the long shoulder though, we cut a corner and ended up crossing the steep, scree-covered hillside :crazy: Kicking ourselves for not just going for An Dorus in the first place, but it did mean we had a longer ridge route, extra scrambling and scree practice :lol:
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scree slog up Sgurr Thuilm
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looking back to the start
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about to get on the ridge at last
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view North, across Coire a'Mhadaidh
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view to the South, our route for today
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skirting the rocks heading up Mhadaidh, not too far from An Dorus after all
By the time we reached that first summit, we'd taken almost 4 hours :shock: Still, once you're up on the ridge, the summits aren't all that far apart - at least in terms of distance :lol: So we carried on down through An Dorus (which of course was completely devoid of any other people, so no issues of waiting in a queue after all :roll: ) and up on to the summit of Ghreadaidh within an hour.
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looking across An Dorus (Scoob's video shows this better)
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view to Loch Coruisk
summits.jpg
summit pics :)
From Ghreadaidh summit, it was just a case of carrying on over the ridge to Banachdich :eh: We'd done our research - read up on reports (thanks Leithy!) and spoke to others who had done it (thanks Jonny!). More than happy this was very do-able for us, we carefully picked our way along the ups, downs and narrow bits.
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downs.jpg
down climbs
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last of the teeth
No need to go over the third 'tooth' - we were more concerned with time disappearing by now and there was no way I was missing my chance to solo the In Pinn today :lol: I know it's all relative to personal comfort zone, which changes with experience, but I didn't actually notice any worryingly narrow or exposed bits on that section. It was still the down climbs that are my own weakest link (I had to remind Scoob that 'down a bit, down a bit' doesn't really help, so please say L/R hand/foot instead :roll: :lol: ).
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heading up Banachdich
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across to Sgurr Dearg
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feeling it by now - a long way carrying the rope!
pinn.jpg
Inaccessible Pinnacle!
And so we did it! :thumbup: :D I did have a wee 'shaky leg' moment heading up the Pinn, more because I wasn't always too confident with where I was putting my feet to get a good push up - I didn't really notice the exposure (too busy concentrating on what I was doing!). Loved the abseil down though - that's still my favourite part :D So when we headed off the ridge into Coire na Banachdich and lost the path :o it was really quite exciting to be getting the rope & harnesses out again - made for an abseil down a waterfall instead of having to climb back up to find a better route. Caught a cracking sunset on the way out too, making it back to the car park without torches (just as well since they were still in the van!).
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interesting route down!
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bonus abseil :)
sunset.jpg
sun sets on a most awesome day!

If you've made it to here, all the way through all those photos, well done!! :shock: :lol: For an even better feel for our day and what that ridge is like, here's Scoob's video :clap: :D
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Mrs Scoob
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Re: Scrambling in Scotland's Rockies - Pinned it!

Postby Alteknacker » Wed Aug 24, 2016 11:18 pm

What a perfect day to be up there in the best place on the planet! Some cracking pics there - fair gives me itchy feet!
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Re: Scrambling in Scotland's Rockies - Pinned it!

Postby Mal Grey » Thu Aug 25, 2016 8:44 am

Great stuff, and a good reminder of just how amazing that ridge from Ghreadhaidh is. Stunning conditions too.
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Re: Scrambling in Scotland's Rockies - Pinned it!

Postby pollyh33 » Thu Aug 25, 2016 8:50 am

Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful!!! :clap: :clap: :clap:

Oh and a wee bit scary :crazy: :crazy: :crazy:

Well done the Scoobers XXX
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Re: Scrambling in Scotland's Rockies - Pinned it!

Postby Jaxter » Thu Aug 25, 2016 10:25 am

Oh wow!! Fabulous photos, and what a day :clap: :D :clap: 8)

Cannae wait to get out there myself (although I suspect I'll have a lot more shaky leg moments :lol: )
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Re: Scrambling in Scotland's Rockies - Pinned it!

Postby jacob » Thu Aug 25, 2016 8:29 pm

Agree with all above, great report, nothing to add really. Just a simple thumbs up from me :thumbup:
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Re: Scrambling in Scotland's Rockies - Pinned it!

Postby Cairngorm creeper » Thu Aug 25, 2016 9:57 pm

Just brilliant, but I got shaky legs just thinking about soloing the in Linn :crazy:
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Re: Scrambling in Scotland's Rockies - Pinned it!

Postby dav2930 » Thu Aug 25, 2016 10:53 pm

Fantastic section of the ridge - and what nice weather for it!
Really great photos and the video is well worth watching - for one awful moment it looked like the rope wasn't going to pull through from the anchor on the Pinn! It has to be said the Cuillin are in a class of their own. Brilliant. :clap: :clap: :clap:
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Re: Scrambling in Scotland's Rockies - Pinned it!

Postby Mrs Scoob » Fri Aug 26, 2016 8:15 pm

Thanks for all the thanks and encouragement :thumbup: :D It really is a special place, one we'll keep going back to - at least until I can master the down climbs :wink: :lol: :lol:
Hope you get views like this next time Polly; and don't worry Jaxter you'll be fine! 8)
dav2930 wrote:...for one awful moment it looked like the rope wasn't going to pull through from the anchor on the Pinn! ...
It was a first outing for the new rope, we maybe should have worked on it a bit longer beforehand :think: Worked out fine though :D
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Re: Scrambling in Scotland's Rockies - Pinned it!

Postby malky_c » Sat Aug 27, 2016 4:05 pm

Looks like a fantastic day out on the ridge :D . Did a similar route years back, getting on the ridge at Bidein Druim nan Ramh and traversing along to the pinnacle. Most of it was unplanned, and we didn't expect to get as far along.

Still haven't had the guts to scramble up the pinnacle ropeless though. Should have done it at the time as I'm way more nervous now! Good effort 8) .
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Re: Scrambling in Scotland's Rockies - Pinned it!

Postby Sunset tripper » Sun Aug 28, 2016 1:06 am

Awesome stuff guys. All the best in The Rockies :D
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Re: Scrambling in Scotland's Rockies - Pinned it!

Postby rockhopper » Sun Aug 28, 2016 10:27 am

Cracking day for it - well done both.
Think (no...am sure) I'd still want a rope though, getting far more cautious these days - cheers :)
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Re: Scrambling in Scotland's Rockies - Pinned it!

Postby Mrs Scoob » Sun Aug 28, 2016 8:51 pm

Thanks all :thumbup:
malky_c wrote:...Still haven't had the guts to scramble up the pinnacle ropeless though...
We reckoned the ridge from Ghreadaidh to Banachdich was technically more difficult, so felt pretty confident by the time we reached the pinn :D
Sunset tripper wrote:...All the best in The Rockies
Thanks; can't wait! 8)
rockhopper wrote:...Think (no...am sure) I'd still want a rope though, getting far more cautious these days...
Figure we're really scramblers more than 'proper' climbers, so happier clinging on and keep moving than stopping to pitch anchors and belay. Would never advise, or encourage, anyone else to do this though - each can only decide for ourselves. Caution is good! :)
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Re: Scrambling in Scotland's Rockies - Pinned it!

Postby ChrisW » Fri Sep 02, 2016 12:20 am

Wow, great stuff Fi, don't worry about keeping up with me....you might have to carry me this time :lol: :lol: it's been a rubbish year this year due to lightning almost daily (it started so well too :roll: ) The autumn leaves are now turning and the weather has picked up a bit as temperatures have fallen to the 20's again the lightning has abated ..great hiking weather, can't wait to see you guys again :thumbup:
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Re: Scrambling in Scotland's Rockies - Pinned it!

Postby Huff_n_Puff » Fri Sep 02, 2016 11:37 am

Brilliant - well done :clap: :clap: :clap:
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