The Cairngorms are ‘a little piece of the arctic in Scotland’ according to the SMC Munros Guide and the area contains many of the tallest peaks in the East Highlands. Ben Macdui (1309m), Cairn Gorm (1244m) and Braeriach (1296) are probably three of the better known and the whole area is full of steep corries and high plateaux. Access to the mountains is typically from Aviemore or Braemar.
Bike up to Derry Lodge. Walk in to Hutchinson memorial hut (coirre etchechan) and then up onto BM in poor weather. With Russ. Bearing to the summit. Russ descended to Carn Etchechan. I continued down to bealach with navigation challenges and glassy/ice rocks. Found ridge to CaM and climbed that. Descent to burn, crossed (deep) and walked back to Bob Scott's bothy to meet the others. Biked out in darkness.
