I have just got my ISDN line fixed after 14 days so here is last Saturday's TR ( 17 Jan ). Headed
off to Glen Roy on very slidy, icy snowy roads and parked up at the head of the Glen about 8:30 pm.
The parallel roads were superbly picked out by the deep snow cover and really highlighted the effect
the water and ice had millions of years ago. We started walking towards the Corbett twins, Carn
Dearg and Carn Dearg, and we were politely confronted by a gamekeeper on a quad bike. His opening
gambit was a very nice " Can I help you ? " to which an equally polite " No thanks, just heading up
towards The Carn Deargs " was met with a semi lecture, discussion on the disturbance we were about
to cause to the deer population. I confirmed there was no stalking planned that day and got the
response that the stalking was irrelevant, it was the disturbance to the deer that mattered and that
a wild deer could very possibly die by seeing two walkers approaching. I again responded politely
that we would stick to the ridges, and also that I would expect the deer to be below the snowline in
the current conditions. The GOML then suggested that there were plenty of other hills near Fort
William that we could climb and that we must not traumatise the deer. I do think a deer would be
more traumatised by a high velocity bullet through the heart than the sight of myself and partner
approaching ! In the end we agreed to differ, the GOML putted off on his quad in disgust and we set
off back up the glen. to be fair to the chap on the bike he was polite at all times and never really
asked us to leave his land, just strongly suggested we might go elsewhere.
The track up the glen was clear to the junction of the streams and then we were in deep powder snow.
we decided to take the flank of the hill head on instead of heading to the bealach and soon reached
the high level plateau style ridge. The summit was jut under 1.5 k to the North East but the snow
was over knee deep and the peat hags and snow cover were reminiscent of the glaciers and crevasses
in " Touching The Void". the 1.5k took us over 1.5 hours of sharing the lead in knee to waist deep
powder snow. several falls took us actually under the snow level ~ brilliant stuff and a great
laugh. Got the first summit and headed for Carn Dearg the second ! the snow was easier on descent
but the broad col again became an epic battle in waist deep powder. Pulling together the last of the
energy we actually made good time up the North West flank of CD2 as the snow was both shallower and
firmer. the summit area was simply stunning in deep blue sky, brilliant white snow and absolute
silence. The views over Ardgour to Rum, Skye, The Mamores etc were off the highest calibre with
fantastically clear air giving miles and miles of visibility.
The descent was made by taking a bearing direct for the car and setting off down the South West
flank and in minutes we were back into waist deep powder. On the descent we were pulled into the
river bed and dropped some 30 feet into the gorge. this was fantastic with huge cornices overhanging
the frozen river bed. we decided to follow the gorge as far as possible and it was a great decision.
It was like battling down some massive arctic canyon. It all finished too soon as we crossed the
parallel roads and came back below the snowline and headed for the car. we half expected to find the
wheels clamped or tyres flat but no such disaster struck.
This must go down as one of my best winter days ever. Looking forward now to returning to Glen Roy
for the remaining Card Dearg and the Corbett opposite.
--
Cheers
Graham
"Where the eagles cry, On a mountain high"
284/284 74/219
Return email ~ REMOVE to reply