And so it was I went to Creag Meagaidh. After an early start and a pick up at Little Chef in Spean Bridge in a PYB minibus we arrived at the car park to find at least 6 other cars there - keen and on a friday!I was climbing with Carlo and Spike so we divvied up some kit and headed in, not a bad walk, kind of flat if long and you can see the crag from quite a way away which is encouraging I find.
We had no fixed idea of what to climb but as we neared the crag it became clear that most things would go and that the Post face wasn't looking too busy. A couple of teams heading towards Smiths and some more people up in the Inner Coire. So after a breif discussion we decided to go and give North Post (4 * V,5) a go.
Some wading up a narrow easy angled gully to start and then Spike headed out for what would have been a solo-able pitch if the snow had been better up onto a ledge and towards the start of the gully proper. Then Carlo took over and got us to the base of the steeper climbing. Then it was my turn, more not brilliant snow and ice, some rubbish gear and a few heart flutters later I found a random bit of fixed gear and a resaonable ice screw and yelled safe. Carlo is seconding up in the picture to the left.
Some wading up a narrow easy angled gully to start and then Spike headed out for what would have been a solo-able pitch if the snow had been better up onto a ledge and towards the start of the gully proper. Then Carlo took over and got us to the base of the steeper climbing. Then it was my turn, more not brilliant snow and ice, some rubbish gear and a few heart flutters later I found a random bit of fixed gear and a resaonable ice screw and yelled safe. Carlo is seconding up in the picture to the left.Then came the crux pitch according to the guide
past a chockstone on a steep little ice pitch. Would have been much better had the ice been good and solid up to the steep bit and in fact above it!
past a chockstone on a steep little ice pitch. Would have been much better had the ice been good and solid up to the steep bit and in fact above it!
This led us to the widening of the gully and Carlo took over and led up through an icy smear with yet more bad ice and then to a decision point. Which finish? We opted for the right hand in the end due to time and the poor quality of the ice which had been dinner-plating off with alarming regularity, which made the direct finish very unappealing and the normal left finish not much better with it's exposed traverse. Spike headed off and found us actually quite a pleasant pitch up to the easing of the angle.
Carlo and I then headed for the top and into a bit of a white room. Luckily there was enough visibility to head round towards Easy Gully , which we overshot and ended up heading down the rib on the right (looking down) until near the bottom of the gully we could drop into ot and head for the bags. Not a pleasant walk down - I hate that steep hard snow where slipping is a disaster and it hurts your feet!
We then realised that we were going to be late for the rendevouz time of 5-6pm so set off for the car park at a cracking pace.
Made it down in just over an hour to find that some of our bus team had gotten a lift with Tim and Dave Rudkin ( who had, had a look at Postman Pat and then retreated off a new route). But no sign of the other team who had been on Smiths Gully. 3 hours later they arrived apologetic and looking tired after a tough ascent and descent!
No need to call Mountain Rescue after all, but a rather cold and fed up wait for the 3 of us. Anyway, alls well that ends well. Thanks Carlo and Spike for having me along.
Made it down in just over an hour to find that some of our bus team had gotten a lift with Tim and Dave Rudkin ( who had, had a look at Postman Pat and then retreated off a new route). But no sign of the other team who had been on Smiths Gully. 3 hours later they arrived apologetic and looking tired after a tough ascent and descent!
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