Day 2
Cruchan reservoir to Lairig Dhoireann
Daily Distance 22.2 k, Time Naismith 11.15, Daily Ascent 3058m, Daily Average Altitude 764m
The map shows our actual route in Blue, and the intended route where it was different in red. The blue numbers on our route are highlighted in the text. The red squares are Munros.
We started about 7 am. Our first aim was the Bealach between Meall Cuanail and Ben Cruachan. We might have camped there if the weather had been good. 1 Halfway up the rain turned to snow. By the bealach the snow was lying deep. We got out our ice axes and half wished we had brought our crampons. The terrain got rocky and steeper, but we got to the summit of Ben Cruachan without further event.
Next our route took us East along the ridge to Stob Diamh. Almost immediately the ridge descends over sloping slabs of rock 2. We did not like the look of crossing them in the wet snowy conditions. For a while we considered descending, but by retreating a little back along the ridge we found a way down the least precipitous side of the ridge to below the slabs, and were able to work our way round back to the ridge. With the snow and low cloud covering any path we mistakenly continued along the ridge onto Drochaid Ghias 3 until the difficulty made us think again.
We retreated 50 yards and found an easier slope down, to a lower ridge to Stob Diamh. After our second Munro of the day we next descended to Lairig Noe, still in snow. With snow still falling we ate our lunch before climbing to Bienn Chochuill. At this point 4 the difficulties eased and the snow stopped falling. We were on a high ridge, level and easy walking still in deep snow, but no problem. With exhilaration we were heading for our fourth Munro. We descended to a bealach, the snow cleared and so did the cloud. We could see Glen Kinglass and the rest of our intended route. We put away our ice axes and started up to Bienn Eunaich. At the summit cairn we took a bearing to ensure we descended the right way. A wind picked up and we were getting cold. Then we discovered that a snow cornice blocked our route 5.
We could not see a way round it. At this point the best plan would have been to descend back out of the snow to the previous bealach and descended from there to Glen Kinglass. Unfortunately we did not think of that. We followed the obvious path hoping to work our way round to our intended route. We quickly ended up on the wrong side of a deep Corrie, which would take us off the wrong side of the mountain. I found a less steep way down into this corrie. 6 Animal tracks showed it was the best available. I thought we could glissade down safely, although it was steep, because it was smooth snow with a gentle run out. Ellie does not like glissading and we spent some time walking up and down trying to find a better alternative. In the end we decided to go for it. I glissaded down ice axe in hand and enjoyed it. Ellie, with less control, did not, but the soft run out allowed for errors. We were now in Coire na Garbhlaich on the wrong side of the Lairig Dhoireann pass from Glen Kinglass. We were at about the height of the pass so we tried to stay high, thankfully below the snow, and contour round to the pass. We were nearly there when a deep side valley stopped us 7. At that point we descended and found a good place to camp. It was 9.00 pm. In May it is still light so we could cook and get some sleep.
When I unpacked my waterproof rucksack liner we found it was no longer waterproof; the rain and snow had made my spare clothes and the sleeping bag damp. We were camping at 600metres. Our fall back with problems like this is an impromptu hot water bottle made of our 1 litre platypus, a pair of mitts and our foam cooking cozy all in a dry bag in case of leaks. We needed it. We were behind schedule as our intended camp was in Glen Kinglass, so we hoped to get up early again.
We saw no-one that day.
