Amazing day.
Started at 6am headtorches on. Used the path to access fast before setting attack points further up. Used micro nav to move at the plateau, slightly more difficult with snow cover. Moved up ridge by Miaden creag, used the path. Here on fords I’ve had covered rocks and made dangerous so used river crossing techniques to get others across.
Carried on moving around contours to relocate path above snow cover, from here discussed avalanche slopes and angles. At Cairn Lovhan we had a coffee stop before I took a bearing to a path section, used veering off to ensure didn’t miss this as we planned to descend a gully rentry to gain the valley.
After looking at snow structure on the convex slope I found a route that would take us towards a ridge section and away from avalanche territory. Fractures in the snow worried me so we harnessed, ropes and helmeted up (as well as crampons and ice aces) to ensure safety.
Set up a small mountain belay using OH knots, carabiners but also a bell ringer as rock wasn’t strongest. Climbed across and down steepest section avoiding fractures and feeding back before setting up own belay using some slings and bringing the others across. From here we moved together, as a three, and descended further. Near the bottom we did avalanche testing as I talked about safety and how to check. Found avalanche debris and this helped educating on slopes, angles and how to avoid.
From here we moved up the valley before ascending snow gully to Brearch. We took crampons off here and traversed ridge back on path to Sron na Lairghe. Here we decided to put layers on and have some hot food as night has fallen. On way back, used map to identify features but mainly stayed on path. Crossed another river and altered our route to cut out a number of features.
13.5 hour day overall, great fun.
Area :
The Cairngorms
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.
