Meall nan Tarmachan

Meall nan Tarmachan - Feb 2013 from Chris McMorris on Vimeo.

The weather over the weekend had been absolutely stunning, but this also happened to coincide with the family visiting to take in the Scotland vs Ireland Six Nations Rugby game at Murrayfield on Sunday. After a great weekend of Rugby and catching up, I had an extreme feeling of FOMO building inside me! I cheeky call to the boss and I had the day... and a plan to make the most of the stunning weather forecast. I had been saving a winter traverse of the Meall nan Tarmachan ridge for just such a day.

Crossing the bridge and heading down the main track below Lochan na Lairige Reservoir, Meall nan Tarmachan

Heading up the shoulder towards Meall nan Tarmachan

Looking West towards the South ridge of Meall Garbh from the South shoulder of Meall nan Tarmachan

An early start from Edinburgh saw me gearing up and departing the car before 10am. I crossed the bridge to the private track, just South of the Lochan na Lairige Reservoir and gazed up at the mighty Tarmachan. It was a stunningly fresh blue sky day - not a cloud and hardly a breath of wind. Magic.

Looking East from the South shoulder of Meall nan Tarmachan towards Beinn Ghlas

Looking West towards Meall Garbh

Looking North towards the summit ridge of Meall nan Tarmachan

I made good time up the track before making a sharp right; leaving the track and heading straight up the shoulder over the snow-clad grassy slopes. The snow was solid and I crunched my way up to the spot height of 923m in no time at all. By the time I got there, I had a bit of a sweat on to say the least - the hot sun was relentlessly beating down on my back and reflecting back at me from the snow all around - was very glad that I had remembered my sunglasses! I took a breather and paused to admire the views of Beinn Ghlas and the Ben Lawers ridge - stunning.

Looking Northeast towards Meall Corranaich and Beinn Ghlas

Looking South towards Killin, Ben Vorlich and Stuc a' Chroin

Approaching the Meall nan Tarmachan summit ridge

Looking South from just below the summit

I descended to the style and then attacked the steeper slopes that lead up underneath the main ridge of Meall nan Tarmachan. These slopes were quite steep in places (possibly grade I due to the amount of snow) but with all the footprints and the high-quality of the hard snow, I was up without much effort. It was then a short walk up to the summit on good névé.

On the summit of Meall nan Tarmachan with Meall Garbh to the right

On the summit of Meall nan Tarmachan

On the summit of Meall nan Tarmachan

Meall Garbh from Meall nan Tarmachan, Ben More and Stob Binnein in the background

At the top, the first breeze of the day greeted me - not much to distract from the views for as far as the eye could see in every direction. I gazed all around and tried to name as many of the hills that I recognised: Ben Vorlich and Stuc a' Chroin to the South; Ben More and Stob Binnein to the Southwest; Meall Ghaordaidh to the West; and the Mamores and the unmistakable Ben Nevis to the Northwest... an unbelievable vista. It was simply breathtaking and it had a definite Alpine feel to the landscape.

Looking South back down the route of ascent from the summit of Meall nan Tarmachan

The Ben Lawers ridge from the summit of Meall nan Tarmachan

Approaching Meall Garbh from the East

Approaching Meall Garbh from the East

The breeze was quite chilly, so I didn't hang around too long and pressed on Westward along the broad snowy ridge. As I looked down to my left, I could see around six other teams heading over the spot height of 923m towards the summit. It was nice to have the open hills in front of me all to myself and I felt good that I had beaten the crowds to the first top. It was then that I noticed just how spectacular Meall Garbh looked before me. The snowy cone looked not-unlike the Matterhorn in the current Alpine surroundings - out of this world.

Approaching Meall Garbh from the East

Approaching Meall Garbh from the East

Approaching the summit of Meall Garbh

Looking Northwest towards the Mamores and Ben Nevis from the summit of Meall Garbh

I didn't waste any time in attacking the mighty inviting peak and, after kicking into more good névé, was soon approaching the summit. At the top, the view of the surrounding peaks seemed even more impressive - the Ben was now particularly clear and didn't appear very far away at all. Looking back to Meall nan Tarmachan, I saw that the other teams were descending the ridge after bagging the main top - from now I had the whole ridge all to myself... fine by me!

Looking Southwest from the Summit of Meall Garbh

Looking West into Glen Lochay from the summit of Meall Garbh

Ben Nevis from the summit of Meall Garbh

Approaching the summit of Beinn nan Eachan

The next section proved to be the narrowest of the day but didn't offer any difficulty due to the excellent conditions - just a tad slightly more exposure. After the narrow arete, the descent became quite steep and I had to down-climb a grade I snow slope (cutting steps) before I was able to traverse across to easier ground a join the main trail of footprints along the ridge once again. I found a lovely sheltered spot in the blazing sun and looking across towards the impressive ridge of Creag na Caillich and Beinn nan Eachan (my next target); I stopped for a munch and to enjoy the scenery.

Meall nan Tarmachan (left) and Meall Garbh from Beinn nan Eachan

Approaching the summit of Beinn nan Eachan

A Raven on the summit of Beinn nan Eachan

Meall Garbh from the summit of Beinn nan Eachan

After a lengthly pause, I headed on towards Beinn nan Eachan. On the way I spotted some good-looking ice that had cascaded down a large crag on the ridge. The ice was solid so I had a bit of a 'play' and climbed up to the top of the crag - great fun. There was a great deal of ice around and all looked to be of the highest quality - conditions must be fabulous on the Ben right now.

The Creag na Caillich ridge from the summit of Beinn nan Eachan

Enjoying the view of the Creag na Caillich ridge

Enjoying the view of the Creag na Caillich ridge

Approaching the summit of Creag na Caillich

I was soon approaching the top of Beinn nan Eachan - just in time to see a raven leave the summit cairn - much to my delight. From here I was treated to a fantastic view of the East face of Creag na Caillich. I knew there was the option to descend from the col before heading up to the fourth and final top, but I was having so much fun that there was simply no way I was doing that - I wanted the complete circuit. Looking across at the wintery crags, I could see that they were heavily filled out with plenty of snow and I spotted an easy-looking diagonal line of descent; just along towards the end of the ridge after the final summit. A plan was now hatched.

Looking South along the Creag na Caillich ridge

Beinn nan Eachan and Meall Garbh from Creag na Caillich

Meall Ghaordaidh from Creag na Caillich

It wasn't long before I was crunching over more hard snow to summit cairn of Creag na Caillich and looking East to a majestic-looking Meall Ghaordaidh and a green Glen Lochay. I headed along down the final part of the ridge a peered over the small solid cornice - I could see the line sweeping down below to my left. After a bit of hacking, swinging and digging I was through the cornice and bounding down the solid slopes towards the corrie basin - only pausing to check out the ice conditions above. I could see that Great Gully looked in excellent condition and there was a large icefall directly above me that was as white as milk - begging to be climbed. I suddenly found myself wanting for a longer day, more reserves of energy and my technical climbing axes. Another time.

Looking up at Beinn nan Eachan (right) and Great Gully (left) from below Creag na Caillich

Great Gully from below Creag na Caillich

Ice conditions on the East face of Creag na Caillich

I traversed the grassy slopes over the soft snow and headed for the old abandoned quarry. With plenty of daylight left, I made the most of the large boulders and stretched out as I ate the remainder of my food for the day. I sat for around an hour, soaking up the rays and reflecting on what an amazing day it had been. I was totally elated and thankful for such an experience, as I know only too well that: you don't get many days like this in Scotland in winter.

The abandoned Quarry below Beinn nan Eachan

The track back to the car

Looking back towards the Creag na Caillich ridge

All that was left was to get the poles out and power back along the track to the car. The track was firm so I made swift progress and was back at the car before 5pm.

Looking back along the track out

Looking along the track out towards Beinn Ghlas

A truly special day.

Book Review: No Way Down: Life and Death on K2 by Graham Bowley

After reading, and greatly enjoying, Psychovertical by Andy Kirkpatrick, I was keen to see what other gems of mountaineering literature were out there. A quick look along the bottom shelf of my bookcase revealed yet another book that I had been leant by a family member but never got around to reading: No Way Down.

I can remember Herbie going on about it a few months back and saying how 'nuts' the story was and how so many people had died. Intrigued, I decided to make it my next read - and I very glad that I did.

The book starts with a brief history of the K2 and some of the (very!) early attempts to conquer its mighty summit. Some crazy tales of how vast royal entourages made an assault on the mighty peak. This, I must say, was the most enjoyable part of the book for me personally; as I am extremely fond of mountaineering history. The main story then starts by setting the scene in early August back in 2008 by introducing the reader to each of the mountaineers who were planning a summit bid. Bowley has clearly researched each individual's history and personal story and it is clear that even in high altitude mountaineering: there are folk who come from many different backgrounds and from all walks of life - but on the mountain, everyone is equal. It was interesting to read about each of the mountaineers; their previous success and near-misses. What is clear from the background of these mountaineers, is that no-one stood out as being 'under qualified' to be on that mountain and all deserved to be there and making a push to claim the top.

The tale of the cerac collapse then begins by describing the mass approach to the summit, the long train of climbers, how slow the progress was, and how late in the day events were unfolding. It is at this point that I was thinking that some sort of human error or mistake would lead to accidental death or a multitude of tragedies, as Bowley builds up the suspense. After most parties summit, the real tale of death and survival unfolds before the reader's eyes and we are given an account from many of the mountaineers' perspective - a truly fascinating read. It is at this point that Bowley inserts minor elements of speculative fiction (e.g. some of the final thoughts of those that perished, and some small elements of what actually happened at the very end), but without this, the story would not flow as well and the reader may well feel a little 'cheated' and wanting more answers. Where fact is unsure, Bowley offers opinions of others that were actually there and other possibilities in an attempt to answer most questions and doubts that the reader may have.

Picturing the tragic events that unfolded that day and imagining oneself in that position is a difficult thing to do and the reader wonders what they could have done differently or if there were any other alternatives to the decisions that were made. A brilliantly well-written and fascinating story that will strike fear into the heart and soul of anyone, whether they are a mountaineers or not.

I think I found this book so enjoyable because it focused on the facts about what actually happened and not on the minor details or the 'nuts and bolts' of mountaineering. The focus of the story is very much on the individuals who where there and those that lost their lives on K2 over those eventful few days. The result is a text that many folk will be able to relate to and appreciate the fear and hardship that these brave souls endured.

I would be interested to know if anyone who has read this book has gone on to summit K2, because I can tell you right now that it has certainly put me right off!

Neil Gresham & Kenton Cool - Sherpa Adventure Gear

Last night Emily and I braved the horrible Edinburgh weather and headed over to Edinburgh University at George Square. It was a well supported event with a good crowd and a few faces I recognised from the climbing world. The evening was run by Sherpa Adventure Gear, who support both Neil and Kenton on their various trips around the world.

The format was set out in a kind of interview-style; with Ian Parnell asking the questions. Neil was up first and started from the beginning - how he had got into climbing from a young age thanks to his dad, how he had attempted to climb up the side of the PE block of his school (a la Johnny Dawes)  and how he had come to live in a house in Sheffield with a load of other top UK climbers. I knew a little about Neil from his various instructional DVDs and had seen a couple of his climbing videos but other than that I knew little about his story. He described how he had gone from hard sport climbing to hard trad and then had got involved in the world of deep-water soloing. It was a very interesting tale and Neil had also managed to climb some pretty hard winter routes all over the world too. Neil was very easy to listen to, very funny and had a rather relaxed and humble manner. I was most impressed and found him to be quite inspiring.

After the interval it was Kenton's turn to tell tales of his experiences on Everest and at high altitude. At first he seemed a little erratic and a bit nervous - but he soon settled. He had some great stories and a few video clips of his most recent Olympic Pledge. Emily and I had been following the story closely on the internet but it was interesting to hear about it first-hand. Kenton also pointed out that Sir Humphry Wakefield (great nephew of Dr Arthur Wakefield, a member of the 1922 British Mount Everest Expedition) was in the audience - a special moment indeed.

A very enjoyable evening and excellent value for money.

The Cobbler and the return of winter

Looking down on Arrochar from Ardgartan Forest

Looking down on Arrochar from Ardgartan Forest

After a distinct lack of winter in Glen Clova, I had been keeping a close eye on the weather and the amount of snow in the highlands. It seemed that there had been a sizeable dump of snow recently and the avalanche risk was high as a result. However, after a quick chat, James and I agreed that a Traverse of The Cobbler would be a pretty safe bet.

Heading up the path from Arrochar through Ardgartan Forest

Looking down Loch Long from above Ardgartan Forest

We left Edinburgh early and James drove in the dark to Arrochar. We had soon geared up and were leaving the shore car park, next to the turning for Succoth. We crossed the A83 and headed straight up the hill into the woods. We followed the old, wet mine track upwards until we met the main path that traverses the foot of Creag an Fhithich. We were still below the clouds and there wasn't much wind - more importantly, it wasn't raining - but it was hard going in our big boots and with our heavy packs. As we reached the main path, things around us were beginning to look quite wintery, and we had a great view down to Arrochar (still very green looking) below.

Looking along the Allt a' Bhalachain to The Cobbler

A rather wintery-looking Cobbler

We carried on and followed the path around to meet the Allt a' Bhalachain and into the full on Scottish winter weather. The cloud was low in front of us, but as we headed up the North banks of the river towards Coire a' Bhalachain, the mighty Cobbler emerged occasionally to greet us. As we got closer, we realised that we were going to need to head West sometime very soon... so we did... and we soon started swimming through waist-deep powder. Needless to say, it was tough going and as we approached the base of the 'ramp' at the bottom of the South Peak, the wind came rushing through from the West and things got rather 'chilly'.

A rather wintery-looking Cobbler

The 'swimming' approach the The Cobbler's South Peak

We got our gear on and managed to find a sheltered spot for the first belay. With a solid wire and a good cam firmly in place, I headed up the first pitch. We had thought about moving together, but the first part of the 'ramp' looked quite steep and a few tricky sections. Nonetheless, the worst was soon successfully negotiated and I was at the top of the steepest section. With the help of a half-buried axe belay on the other side of a big ledge, I brought James up safely. He then raced up to the summit of the South Peak and I simply followed behind, as the slope angle wasn't particularly steep. There was plenty of ice underneath the fresh powder, so progress was relatively swift.

A rather wintery-looking Cobbler

Our route ahead on the South Peak of The Cobbler

James found a good block and threw down the rope ready for the abseil. James went first; down to a wide ledge 30 metres below - then I followed. Unfortunately, we then discovered that the rope had jammed around the block above us and no amount of brute force made any difference. We couldn't go down from the ledge, as below us was a further vertical drop for 20 metres. We couldn't retrieve the rope so our only option was to attempt to climb up the rope - well... James did!

James on the ridge on the South Peak of The Cobbler

Looking towards the summit of The Brack from the South Peak of The Cobbler

I didn't envy him one bit. He fixed two Prusiks and made his way up the rope. We had a chat about how jammed the rope actually was, and whether it was a good idea or not to weight it. We figured that it was probably best avoided, as the ground was a little less steep to the left; but to the right were the rope ran was a sheer face. James made great progress up the crag but suddenly he slipped off on the final steep section. There was a horrible sound of metal against rock and I saw James pendulum from left to right as the Prusiks took hold of the rope... thankfully the rope held fast. He then traversed left again and this time reached the top safely - much to my relief, as all I could do was watch helplessly from below. Time was now pressing on, and we realised that it would soon be dark. After some shouting back and forth we agreed that it would be quicker (and the most sensible) for me to climb back up to join him and we could retreat down the way we came... or rather: we THOUGHT it would be quicker!

Looking back Southeast from the South Peak of The Cobbler

Arthur's Seat (South Peak) Summit on The Cobbler

It turned out that I took a similar whipper to James but I ended up hanging down the blank vertical wall and all I could do was make use of a couple of tiny edges to slowly pull myself higher and rely on James to take in more rope - slowly I got higher. I was totally wiped when I eventually pulled over the top and collapsed in a wreck in the snow. There was only one place we were going now: down.

James on the South Peak of The Cobbler

On the summit of the South Peak of The Cobbler

We wasted to time in descending down the ramp. The weather had closed in a little and the light was fading fast. James rigged an abseil from a lonely small tree and we had soon cleared all major difficulties. In our haste to retreat, we had veered off down the slope to the right, below An t-Sron. Instead of wasting time and contouring round to the Allt a' Bhalachain, we headed straight for the edge of the Ardgartan Forest. In front of me, I saw James' lower half vanish as he disappeared into a hidden stream below the snow. As I approached him to offer assistance, I promptly disappeared beside him - much to my surprise - soaked!

South Peak summit on The Cobbler

James abseiling down the South Peak of The Cobbler

James abseiling down the South Peak of The Cobbler

After slowly crossing the complex terrain, we reached the trees but found them extremely dense and hard to penetrate. With time ticking on, we had no option but to force our way through the trees and down the steep banks of the forest. Eventually we reached a forestry track heading Northwest; that we quickly followed back to the car park. It was late when we got back to the car - weary and soaked to the skin. We now had the long drive back to Edinburgh to reflect on a pretty full-on adventure with many experiences thrown in.

James retrieving our rope from the South Peak of The Cobbler

James abseiling down the South Peak of The Cobbler