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Beinn Ghlas & Ben Lawers Winter 2009

Beinn Ghlas & Ben Lawers Winter 2009


Postby murphy999 » Mon Jul 20, 2009 4:27 pm

Route description: Ben Lawers and Beinn Ghlas

Munros included on this walk: Beinn Ghlas, Ben Lawers

Date walked: 23/11/2009

Time taken: 5 hours

Distance: 7 km

Ascent: 1000m

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Thigh deep snow, blue skies and a startling sunset made for a memorable day in the Lawers range. Parking the car at an almost deserted visitor centre the narrow farm road up had been incredibly dangerous with steep ditches on both sides. The ice was inches thick and covered the entire surface, the poor Corsa struggling to find any traction.
The initial boggy ground was frozen solid and after the first gate the well worn path through the trees had almost filled with snow, drifting to waist height. Reaching the end of the fence and onto the open hillside the waters of Loch Tay lay behind and snow covered slopes ahead, crampons on axe out!
The ascent was a struggle with incredibly low temperatures and a shocking wind dragging the thermometer downwards, I was sweating from the effort bit this only made me colder due to my frequent rests giving the water time to freeze. A normally fairly gentle ascent to Beinn Ghlas was quickly becoming a marathon but despite this on reaching the summit the view was staggering.
Continuing on along the ridge towards Ben Lawers the snow was so deep that a mini step had developed just below its highest point, necessitating a short, steep climb until nothing lay between me and the top of the Lawers Range. Struggling on to the summit the wind had died and I was finally able to lift my head which had been bowed for much of the ascent. I was greeted by wonderland views expansive in the extreme, white mountains defined against a blue sky, it was one of those days.
Descending to the col between the two mountains I had the place to myself, accompanied only by a glorious sunset and the thought of a warm car heater.
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Last edited by murphy999 on Mon Jul 26, 2010 1:56 pm, edited 7 times in total.
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murphy999
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Re: Beinn Ghlas & Ben Lawers Winter 2009

Postby Alan S » Mon Jul 20, 2009 4:56 pm

some good shots there murphy for your first post 8)
i really enjoyed these 2 with the addition of meall corranaich
dont know if id fancy it in that deep snow tho

cheers alan
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Re: Beinn Ghlas & Ben Lawers Winter 2009

Postby murphy999 » Mon Jul 26, 2010 1:54 pm

Finally got around to editing this properly as I had thoughts of winter on my mind.
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Re: Beinn Ghlas & Ben Lawers Winter 2009

Postby murphy999 » Mon Jul 26, 2010 1:57 pm

Finally got around to editing this properly as I had thoughts of winter on my mind.
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Re: Beinn Ghlas & Ben Lawers Winter 2009

Postby mountain coward » Tue Jul 27, 2010 12:55 am

Wow! would be some effort that in those conditions... I've never seen Ben Lawers pics with no rock sticking out anywhere - just totally caked in snow. That Ben Lawers pic in the 5th picture is stunning!

Your post is a timely warning to me anyway - I'd just been discussing with my walking buddy Richard (who doesn't really do snowy mountains) about going up in November this year as 'there shouldn't be any snow, or not much' - looking at the date you did this - how wrong can I be?!
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Re: Beinn Ghlas & Ben Lawers Winter 2009

Postby blueyed » Tue Jul 27, 2010 9:04 am

my goodness, lovely weather! great snow! gosh, i wish i was... :)
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Re: Beinn Ghlas & Ben Lawers Winter 2009

Postby HighlandSC » Tue Jul 27, 2010 10:20 am

Fantastic pics! 8)

Walking last weekend with a million flies buzzing around my head made me wish for another long winter ASAP! Hopefully it'll hit us by November :D
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