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I had hoped to join the Aviemore meet members in tackling Beinn Mheadhoin the other week but the weather had other ideas. So the weather was set fair for the following weekend. However the avalanche warnings were considerable for most aspects over 900m so I didn’t fancy the steep drop down to Loch Avon. I opted for Braeriach from the Sugar Bowl car park instead. On this route most of the steep stuff is done by the time you get to 900m and the steep stuff is on a broad ridge so hopefully it wouldn’t be loaded with snow.
But I also had the supermoon to factor in too. I wanted to be at Dunnottar Castle for 6:30pm on the Saturday to catch the moonrise over the castle (to take pics). Was hoping to do the walk on Sunday but the forecast was better for the Saturday and with temperatures on the rise I didn’t fancy trudging through miles of slush. So alarm set to 4am, on the road by 5 and arrived on site by 7. The Sugar Bowl car park was still under a foot of snow but the roadside opposite had been well cleared so managed to park right next to the start of the path.
On my way but 7:15am. The snow was over a foot deep but the path was fairly well trodden so progress was fair. Approaching the Chalamain Gap and the foot prints veered up the hillside. It was easy to see why – there was a 10m bank of snow if you carried straight on. The foot prints (& one set of snowshoe prints) then took me gently back down into the gap and I got a foretaste of what was to come. What had been a steady breeze became a howling gale as the gap formed an effective Venturi. Easy to see what had build that 10m bank. Had a smaller 3m bank to negotiate near the narrowest point but the snow was pretty firm here.
Approach To The Chalamain Gap
Chalamain Gap
On the other side the wind eased back down but most of the foot tracks had been covered over by the snow. However there were still a couple of ski tracks and one set of prints to follow. But more importantly I could now see Braeriach (well its northern approach) and the way I’d be taking was indeed scoured of snow. Once I’d reach around 700m the way looked fine. I couldn’t see the final summit push so I’d have to call that one when I got there. In the mean time I cracked on. I followed the ski/foot tracks south for a while and then struck out to cross the Lairig Ghru.
Braeriach From The North
The Lairig Ghru: Sun, Snow & Cloud
Things now got tricky. Initially the snow was at least knee deep but the last 10m drop to the snowed over burn was very steep and I was up to my waist on several occasions. I crossed the burn thankful that I didn’t get wet & slumped against the up slope. Then looked around and spotted a wee lochain that I hadn’t noticed earlier. So sat there and took a few photos while I gathered by strength for the clamber out. I did think of jacking it in there and then. But if I could get out of this little gully it would surely improve and I’d reassess then. Going up was no easier but 10 minutes latter I’d got over the lip and the going did improve – only calf deep now. Just as I was moving on I heard the swish of skis behind me. A couple of cross-country skiers were following my route across the gully. I carried on for a few minutes to a rock so I could sit and take on sustenance. The skiers weren’t any quicker than me and made it out of the gully as I set off again. I headed westish to made for the foot of the ridge (Sron na Lairige) and the skiers did the same as they passed 100m from me. We exchanged waves and I didn’t expect to see them again.
Lairig Ghru Lochain
Turning south at a snow sculptured gully the wind soon picked up again. The snow was getting thinner & thinner till at about 850m old rock hard snow became exposed and it was time for the crampons. The icy snow made for good progress until around 950m where the ground was now mostly bare of snow (& what snow there was was the soft new stuff). Off with the crampons, a bite more to eat and onwards.
Sron na Lairige (View Forward)
A Bit Rocky For Skis
Lurcher's Crag
Sron na Lairige (View Back)
I could now see the wind ripping spindrift off the ridge & over the Larigi Ghru. And when I looked back I was surprised to see the skiers again, skis stowed on their backpacks. Not to sure what they been up to but I’d stopped twice since I’d seen them last. Anyway the lead skier caught up and we exchanged pleasantries. He turned out to be a German born Dundonian. His partner was lagging some way behind so he waited and I cracked on after taking some video of the deteriorating conditions (this being at 1,100m). Ten minutes later and 40m higher and things were getting worse. We were now on a plateau. The wind was up and the spindrift was now in your face. Even with ski goggles on (which I had on all day) it wasn't pleasant. Under foot the snow was incredibly fine - you only sank in 2-3 inches but it was a most peculiar feeling. A bit like soft fine dry sand. And cloud was hanging just above our heads. Any higher and it would be a white-out. Stopped at the cairn at the 1180m point and I got the GPS out. Saw there was still around 2km to go with 100m of steep ascent. By the time the first of the skiers arrived (now back on their skis) I'd decided that enough was enough. The second skier arrived, stopped and then promptly got blown over by the wind. It didn't take them long to agree that this was a high as we'd get today. So we bade your fair wells and set off back.
Braeriach Spindrift
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaBhWsunH_4[/youtube]
(this was
before it got bad!)
I sneaked one photo at the 1180m cairn but didn't risk pointing my camera into the wind so no video of the worst of it. But the spindrift was an incredible sight. Any rocks or prominences would send a plume of the stuff shooting upwards with long streamers trailing downwind. I don't think the temperature got below zero (as none of my water froze) but the wind-chill was pretty severe. I had all my kit on by this time so I wasn't cold but I won't have wanted to get into trouble up there.
Lower down I got nearer the drop off to the Lairig Ghru and spotted this nice snow formation. Pity the spindrift makes it a bit hazy.
Wave & Crag
Braeriach Breaker
Needed my crampons again for the short icy section and then it was a case of picking up my own tracks and tracing my way back. The steep section crossing the Lairig Ghru was a bit easier now that I had my tracks to follow. But it was clear that a melt was now in progress. By the time I'd got back through the Chalamain Gap it was getting slushy and the going got correspondingly wearying.
Braeriach Cornice
Sgor Gaoith From Sron na Lairige
The Lairig Ghru From Braeriach
Braeriach Tracks
Chalamain Gap showing the snow bank
But all in all a great day. I may not have bagged #52 but there was no doubt in my mind that I'd made the right decision. I was a bit suprised by how sanguine I was about my failure to get to the day's goal. While I've had several days where I've cut back on what was planned this was the first time that I've come home empty handed. Now I get to plan another route up this monster of a hill
Flickr set (to which I'll be adding to over the coming days) over
here.
And the supermoon? A washout
Edit #1: added Braeriach to hills included in this walk. I now see why people include hills they haven't summited in their reports - no way to link to hill concerned if you don't. Edit #2: more photos.