2nd February 2013 - Aonach Eagagh

The Three Sisters, Glen Coe

Bhienn Fhada and Stob Coire Sgreamhach

Looking down Glen Coe

Stob Coire nan Lochan and the Bidean nam Bian massif

me and Anna. Is that new boots Anna?

Andy abseiling the bad step

Looking back over the ridge

I hate down climbing!

Looking on to what is ahead

Anna making light work of the first climb

Anna tackling the Pinnacles

Anna summiting the short chimney climb

Cracking views of a cracking ridge

Some git spoiling the view! (me!)

Anna on the final climb

Davie and Andy on the final narrow section

The Aonach Eagagh (III)

So last night Davie suggested a traverse of the Aonagh Eagagh Ridge (III), which he has done countless times and ranks amongst his favourite mountain excursions. I have done it several times in summer, but not in winter. So Davie, Andy, Anna and I met early in the morning and sorted out cars at either end of the ridge before setting off on the steep ascent of Am Bodach.

Anna was trying out some new winter boots and was concerned that they might be too big or give her blisters. In the end they worked perfectly and gave her much more confidence on steep ground with the crampons on, and kept her feet much warmer too.

On our way up, we overtook the same four lads me and Davie had spoken to yesterday on CMD, and luckily they had taken on our advice and hired some appropriate crampons for the job. We trooped on after a friendly chat, determined to get to the Bad Step and away before them!!! We reached the top of Am Bodach in reasonably good time, and could see that the ridge was in great nick so we were psyched! We geared up quickly, and Davie and I headed on to get the abseil set up before the traffic built up behind us too much. Davie abbed down, and I got Anna set up to go down next, followed by myself and then Andy, leaving the other lads our tat and some pointers on how to get down efficiently.

We made good progress over the ridge, we all seemed quite confident, with the only bits slowing us down being the down climbing (which I hate - its the only thing that makes me a bit nervous!) but Davie was in good form spotting and route finding. We made light work of all of the technicalities, until we reached the Pinnacles. Here, after witnessing some horrendous death roping techniques, Davie set up a tension traverse to allow the rest of us to cross safely. The climbing is daunting because of the consequences of a fall, but the climbing is straight forward and easily negotiated. From here we only had a wee bit of downclimbing, which was getting a bit easier now, and then a final steep climb which heralded the end of the difficulties and all that remained was the long ponderous slog up onto Stob Coire Leith, and then across to Sgorr nam Fiannaidh. Given conditions, we opted to carry on along to the bealach at the Pap of Glen Coe before heading down towards the car.

We had a terrific day, and the Aonach Eagagh remains one of my favourite trips out. Now Andy is back up in the area hopefully we will be able to get out some more. Next objective is Goof Friday Climb (III) on the Ben. Thanks to Davie for his experience and input during the traverse!