Although tired from the AQ week Bruno and I decided to make the most of a good weather forecast.
Left the Affric Lodge CP at 0730 and followed yesterday`s tracks up to Sgurr na Lapaich, being lit up by divine, warm, soft morning glow at about 750m.
Climbed hard to the summit, arriving just after 10.
Bounced along the ridge, reaching Mam Sodhail just after 11. Bruno pushed a good pace up the final ridge.
Left the summit at 1115 and skied off the back in pursuit of Bruno who`d gone ahead while I`d dropped to the shepherd`s shelter to take some photos.
Traversed an exposed and thin, icy slope under Carn Eighe. Used axe but not crampons.
Bruno made my life easier by making some indentations with the edges of his Nepals. That didn`t stop me losing my footing at one of the iciest spots and executing my first `do duff` self arrest. The pick bit and stopped any slide beyond that of my feet from under me.
Dropped our packs for the out and back to Beinn Fhionnlaid and made good speed. I led the way in ascent, now in full sunshine and out of the wind. Summit at 12.
Bruno tiring a bit on the 350m ascent of Carn Eighe. I was feeling good. Beautiful spindrift filled in our tracks. Reached summit 1300.
Enjoyed the more tech terrain around An Leath-chreag, passing the most extreme difficulties high and right.
Also enjoyed this steep descent. Snow cover meant easy on the knees and rapid sliding/skiing progress.
Reached Tom a Choinich at 1500. Now cloud and windy so didn`t hang around. I needed to change my gloves or get off fast. We got off fast.
By 1545 we were down in Gleann nam Fiadh. Bruno had twinged something (hip flexor?) in the steep GNF descent and struggled in the deep, soft snow. I was moving well still.
Crossed river, took a few gulps and headed up the final climb: the tedious, snow covered vehicle track back to Affric Lodge. Now I started to feel the fatigue and also a rub on my L big toe (first outing of the replacement La Sportiva Trango Alps). I think socks just needed pulling up but I didn`t bother to stop.
Reached van at last light (1730).
Great day :)
Area :
Glen Affric and Kintail
South of Loch Mullardoch you will find the Glen Affric and Kintail area whose southern boundary is the A87 road to Inverness. The Five Sisters of Kintail, Beinn Fhada, Sgurr nan Ceathreamhnan and Carn Eighe are just some of the impressive peaks in this area, and all have their own unique selling points such as remoteness, size, steepness or height. As a result, peaks in the list are all over 900m.
