walkhighlands

Ben Macdui - Our first Winter Trip!

Munros: Ben Macdui

Date walked: 13/02/2022

Time taken: 7.5 hours

Distance: 16.74km

Ascent: 913m

This has to be one of the best days climbing a mountain that we have been on so far! What an awesome summit for our first mountain adventure in the Cairngorms.

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My son Tobey and I were staying on a ‘Snow and Ice’ scouting trip. On the first day, we headed to Coire Cas and learnt some winter walking skills including using an ice axe, walking on crampons, winter navigation and avalanche awareness.

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We put on crampons without taking our gloves off and stamped across the ice in a John Wayne style. We practised our ice axe arrests on a safe snow-bank and hurtled down feet first, head-first, on our bellies and on our backs – learning to turn, dig the pick in and use our weight over the adze to stop the fall.

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On our second day, we joined a small group led by Julie, an inspirational winter mountain leader, to climb Ben Macdui.

I couldn’t believe our luck when the weather was forecast to give us a perfect window to get out into the mountains. Well, nearly perfect - no blue skies but very low winds, no significant snow or rain, good conditions underfoot and a 70% chance of a cloud free summit.

Our route took us from the ski centre, across the Cairngorm plateau to the summit of Britain’s second-highest mountain, Ben Macdui, returning over Stob Coire an t-Sneachda to the cairn at the head of the Fiacaill a’ Choire Chais ridge and back down to the ski centre.

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We set of at 9 am from the Cairngorm Mountain Ski Centre and picked up the path that contours around the hillside. My steps are beginning to feel less clumsy – these winter boots take a bit of getting used to!

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Crossing the stepping-stones over the meandering stream, the path leads up the expansive ridge of Miadan Creag an Leth-Choin.

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Feels like a steep climb here but then the trail flattens out as we hug the slopes of Cairn Lochain’s west side. We could just see the view over Coire an Lochain on our left towards the Great Slab.

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We continued, keeping to the right of Lochan Buidhe. The path had now disappeared, and we tackled the boulders, following a compass bearing, to take us across the plateau.

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This was us until we split into two smaller groups to allow the fitter group to go at a faster pace. I was happy just going at a steady pace.

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Time to put on an extra layer, before the wind chilled us with its icy blasts. The ground was hard and icy, the stones covered in rime ice and patches of snow to crunch through.

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On reaching the plateau, undulating snowfields meld into cloud: no path, no view and no features. Navigation became critical. We were relying on reading the map, compass bearings and pacing distances.

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I remember feeling as though I was walking in an alpine paradise. Even though the cloud didn’t allow me to fully appreciate the grandeur of our surroundings, it felt magnificent just to be here. Tobey and I stand admiring our surroundings, grinning at the fun we are having.

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Briefly, the clouds did clear. Tobey said that it felt like we were on planet Hoth. It did really feel like we had been transported to the set of the Empire Strikes Back!

We cross the watershed between two frozen pools, Lochan Buidhe which feeds Loch A’an to the east and the lochan at the head of the March Burn drops steeply west into the Lairig Ghru pass. The broad summit dome of Ben Macdui rises ahead, although we cannot see it.

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I love this line of cairns that keep you heading in the right direction, each looming into view as the previous one faded away.

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Legend has it that Scotland's very own Abominable Snowman roams this mountain. He is called Am Fear Liath Mor, the Big Grey Man. He is said to follow the footsteps of lone hikers in the fog. I didn't see him. When I turned round to the sound of giant strides crunching through the snow behind me, it was only my good friend Steve!

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At last, we reached the summit of the second highest mountain in Britain: Ben Macdui – our first winter ascent!

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Although there is no view, it is just so good to be out here! Just us and quiet, still air, thick rime ice on the rocks but not a thing to be seen and a deep feeling of icy coldness.

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Getting to the top was a superb feeling. Tobey and I felt like Arctic explorers. This is awesome!

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It wasn’t over yet. We still had to descend and visibility on the top was terrible. After some impressive navigation from the team, we slowly found our way down, silently counting paces and following compass bearings.

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After pacing 100m at a time, we were back at the lochans and where the paths meet. Of course, now we were off the summit, the clouds had cleared off the top!

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We headed north-east around Lochan Buidhe and traversed the eastern flanks of Cairn Lochan to a col. The snow here was very deep, fine powder one minute and then solid ice the next. Hard going but we made our way across. We could see the mountain rescue team out training down below us and digging snow holes.

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When the cloud came in, we lost sight of everything more than a few metres away. Snow and cloud just merged into one. I fully appreciated how easy it would be to veer off course and get into difficulty. I really couldn’t tell where the snow ended and the mist began. Had I not been part of a group with an experienced leader, I would have felt quite disorientated.

The cloud lifted again and we soon reached the northern corries edge and the bealach between Stob Coire an t-Sneachda and Cairn Lochan.

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Some incredible views now that the clouds had cleared. We saw a ptarmigan fly past us, just after I had put the camera away!

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We met another of our groups who had been climbing on the Fiacaill Ridge.

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Time for a quick warm drink and snack. Steve seemed to have a never-ending supply of jellybeans and toffee crisp bars, just when I needed them most! Kinder to my teeth than my solid mars bars. In future, I will always put said mars bars in my inside pocket for a bit first or, I will just take Steve :)

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We continued our descent to the cairn at the top of the Fiaciall a’Choire Chais spur, point 1141. Tobey enjoyed the views in all directions from here.

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From here, we made a slow descent down the Fiacaill a’Choire Chais ridge. It was icy, steep and rocky in places, so care was needed. Soon, we were back at the ski centre.

I am grateful to scouting in West Lancashire, who have given Tobey and I the opportunity to experience this fabulous winter experience. Before this, I have only admired snow-covered peaks from afar or from trip reports on this forum. It gives me great pleasure to be able to write a blog of our adventure, not just in Scotland, but in winter!

The Cairngorms and Ben Macdui will always be a special place for me. A magically beautiful, but harsh and challenging environment. Standing on my first winter summit with my son, I felt a real sense of achievement and awe.

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There really is nothing quite like winter in the Scottish hills.

Cheers,

Lynne & Tobey

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Comments: 4



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Ascent: 904m
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Lynne Baloo


User avatar
Activity: Wanderer
Pub: Kylesku Hotel
Mountain: Suilven
Place: Inverpolly
Gear: Osprey Aura 65 rucksack
Member: Scouts, Wildlife Trusts, Lancashire Badger Group, British Mountaineering Council, British Canoe Union
Ideal day out: Wilderness canoeing and camping in the North West Highlands with my son Tobey and backpacking in the Lake District.

Munros: 2
Fionas: 1
Wainwrights: 31
Hewitts: 23
Islands: 29



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Statistics

2022

Trips: 1
Distance: 16.74 km
Ascent: 913m
Munros: 1

2021

Trips: 1
Distance: 10.9 km
Ascent: 904m
Munros: 1

2020

Trips: 1
Distance: 23.5 km
Ascent: 1573m
Wainwrights 1


Joined: Aug 11, 2020
Last visited: Mar 17, 2022
Total posts: 7 | Search posts