Listed in the SMC Munros Guide as ‘The East Mounth: Glen Shee to Mount Keen’, this area includes all of the peaks to the south and east of the A93. Still part of the Cairngorms National Park, these mountains are home to the north facing crags on Lochnagar (1155m) and the most easterly Munro, Mount Keen (939m).
Solo overnight Bothy trip to Creag an Dubh Loch. I was hoping to catch the big Central Gully in winter conditions, but only the top 100m or so was holding snow (good firm spring neve so very comfortable with a single axe). I had planned the trip using the SMC "Scottish Winter Climbs" guidebook (for the detail topo) and my own knowledge of staying at Callater Stables Bothy a year or two earlier. Reference to the SAIS website over previous weeks had shown the snow pack to have largely gone from the plateau, which would make walking quicker and less energy-sapping. Quiet weather forecast for a couple of days, but not much sun shine predicted. Left the car around 6:50pm on the 25th having driven up from Edinburgh. Used head torch last 30 minutes of the walk-in, reaching the bothy about 8pm. (In the dark I took the wrong option at the junction just west of the Lodge, and had to consult my GPS device to see that I was just to the south, heading for the footbridge across the Loch outlet. Saved a frustrating bit of thrashing around!). Callater Stables has no fireplace so I hadn't carried in any coal or wood, and after a quick supper settled down on a platform in the main room (it also has a separate dorm but there was no-one else there). My Thermarest Neoair mattress proved very slippy on the plywood platform - despite my cosy 4-season down bag I didn't sleep well! Up at 5:30, left at first light around 6:40. The path skirting south of Cairn Taggart was free of snow and easy to follow in dry but overcast conditions, I left this navigating east towards Eagle's Rock, then following the Allt an Dubh Loch downstream. Near the head of the Loch Central Gully came in to view and I made a rising traverse towards its foot, reached about 9:20am. Crossing scree and boulders I put on crampons at the base of the snow, and was pleased to find it in good firm condition. A strong updraught in the gully made it feel much colder than on the walk-in. There was some obvious old avalanche debris, the cornice appeared to have collapsed some time previously, the only obstacle being a large "crevasse" immediately below the plateau. Stopped to remove crampons and re-fuel, then on to Cairn of Gowal, Cairn Bannoch, and back to the main path to the Bothy. Reached about 1:15pm, lunch and re-pack with overnight gear, back at car for around 3:15pm.
