
This was the first Munro I was allowed to lead while learning navigation with my old mountaineering club. So it was great to return nearly 13 years later. I was joined by John King and Tom Hall - the latter being really inexperienced in winter. This was also my first walk with John who sort of did his own thing. I was responsible for Tom and the route choice.
I decided on the route walking a km east of Achnasheen and taking a new track up the hill to the west ridge - avoiding the swamp as much as possible. I was able to practice a number of snow-walking techniques as the snow was a bit Jeckyll and Hyde in terms of knee deep powder one step and solid ice the next. I was also able to instruct Tom in ways to walk in snow (e.g. even about following in my footsteps once he`d realised trying to kick his own steps was tiring). He was also inexperienced in picking the most likely to be firmer areas as he kept breaking through deep snow and having to haul himself out.
Once we reached the ridge, I had to get map and compass out as the ridge is wide with a cliff at one side. The cornices were quite huge and I was able to explain to Tom about safe distances back and the best routes to choose in cornice terrain. As there was enough ground visible through the snow we could quite easily handrail the cliff edge. But I took precise bearings to ensure that we skirted around toward the summit. From here we followed the S ridge down, avoiding the bogs (which were starting to thaw) by ploughing down snow slopes.
- Significant mountains (Munros)
- Navigation along a wide plateau with a cornice and potentially fatal drop.
- Knowledge increased and imparted
- Safety awareness - especially with Tom and getting him to follow footsteps (and why) to avoid breaking through the snow, and managing his descent!
- Over 5 hours
- UK mountain terrain in winter
- Axes used (for balance), crampons carried.
Area :
Loch Maree to Loch Broom and The Fannaichs
This area contains four main sub-regions: An Teallach, The Fannaichs, Kinlochewe & Letterewe. The highest Munro is Sgurr Mor, part of The Fannaichs range, at a height of 1110m. The impressive Slioch (981m), although not the tallest, is described by the SMC Munros Guide as being ‘one of the great sights of the Northern Highlands’ and well worth a visit. This area sits to the north of the A832 and is almost completely devoid of human habitation.