Met was good predicting winds up to 25mph. camped in car park after driving up from Bristol overnight. Good walk in and enjoyed the ascent with steepest angle at around 50 degrees. Had a look at the Appollyon ledge but decided it was not for us yet.
We Came out through the Window and headed for the top. The winds now picked up and we found ourselves in a white out. Line abreast we walked on a bearing, pacing as we went to find the cairn so we could accurately walk down on a bearing. We stopped at a point where the snow seemed to change in form and as we turned back James W fell through the snow. Craig F and I flattened ourselves and helped him back onto firm ground.
We now retraced our steps on a back bearing for 100m with the wind now buffeting us and almost knocking Craig over.
We now got into a bothy bag, got James into some warmer kit and roped up to ensure no one walked off in the whiteout. lesson for the future, dig a platform before getting into the bothy bag. It filled with spindrift and was almost impossible to hold down.
We now formed a navigation plan using a safer spur which would also protect us from the strengthening wind to descend but adding another 6k to our route. We drove down towards Loch Lomond intending to ascend Ben Arthur the next day but the view from the tent was of stripped hills and heavy rain so the decision was made to get some breakfast on and start the very long drive home.
Lots of lessons learnt but at 12 hours a long day. Further over the mountain a group were avalanched and one climber medevac`d out. Others were benighted by the winds and whiteout conditions so we count ourselves lucky.
Area :
Creag Meagaidh, Beinn a' Chaorainn and the Monaliath
The winter climbs of Creag Meagaidh take a while to come into condition, but when they do they provide some of the best ice and steep gully climbs in Scotland, highly prized. This area also includes the popular Beinn a' Chaorainn and the more esoteric opportunities in the Monaliath. In a rare winter ice forms on Creag Dubh Newtonmore, which is also included here.
