I was just back from a great night talking about “Getting ready for winter” live on Facebook. I was part of a panel Mark Diggins a Mountain Guide and head of the Scottish Avalanche Information Service, Jon Jones Head of Mountaineering at Glenmore Lodge and Heather Morning the Mountain Safety Advisory for Mountaineering Scotland. It was a new venture and an interesting night As I drove back from Aviemore I was thinking about some past hill days and big trips in early winter. It was wild as I crossed the Dava Moor and was glad I was not on the hill.
During our chat we spoke and hopefully gave sound advice for those who venture out in the mountains in winter.
In 1977 we attempted a winter traverse unsupported from the West (Skye ) to the East Mount Keen. The weather was bonkers we had snow all the way 21 days of non – stop wild weather, it was a huge learning experience, we were unsupported carrying 3-4 days food at a time. We stayed in bothys and the odd night with keepers on this night we had the luxury of a Bothy at Lubielt if we made it?
Now the idea of a walk with limited daylight at best 8 hours with heavy bags is not a great idea and these were the days of no GPS, Mobile phones or weather forecasts, every day was a survival exercise. The gear was basic and we were wet and cold every day, it was a real battle to stay warm. We had limited food and what a learning curb.I was lucky to be accompanied with two machines Terry Moore and Jim Morning who were after their Munros. I had finished mine the year before and the weather was not going to stop them. My thoughts of last nights talk and advice were ringing in my ears as I write this.
As I look back at my diary that I wrote after each hill day it seems nothing really but that day in a wild winter day as each was it was some day.
Day 13 – just had our first day off still exhaustes but at least the gear is dry and we managed to get some washed. Away at 0600 Fort William – Mullach Nan Coirean-Stob Ban-Am Bodach-Stob Coire A’ Chairn-Na Gruagaichean – Binnein Mor – Lubeilt. This was just one day of a crazy walk we did in 1977 in the month of November. It was Huge day 27k/2441mtrs we pushed it out again, met strange guy at Lubielt Bothy with a knife, scary too tired to worry. This was one of the only few times we met anyone!Huge day pushed it out again, met strange guy at Lubielt Bothy with a knife, scary too tired to worry.
This was one of the only few times we met anyone!
I wish we had all these tips in 1977!See below the fuller account.
DAY 13 – 9/11/77 Fort William ATC Hut then off very early to climb the Mamores. Another long walk from Fort William and it was a long way over an hour carrying 3 days food big bags 30 lbs up the West Highland Way to Mullach Nan Coirean, Stob Ban, Am Bodach, Stob Coire A Chairn , Na Gruachean, Binnein Mor Biddien Beag then to Luibielt bothy. It was very heavy going on the ridge and any plan of doing all the 11 Munros not nowadays down to 10. The whole lot was not on in the time or the snow conditions available. It was fairly fraught along the ridge Alpine in places and very hard going and 6 Munros was enough. We had a huge bags and 4 days food, this again was wild country and full winter conditions. I wanted to get off the ridge before the dark the boys wanted to push on so I was glad we had run out of Munros at the end as a descent in the dark on those steep loaded slopes were scary. After the ridge it was some walk out it was dark in deep snow. We arrived in the pitch dark soaked after many river crossings. As always I put the stove on whilst the others got sorted and then changed into out track suit bottoms, dry top and socks and spare jumper. We had a few candles and our torches for light, the bothy was very basic. We had been in the bothy for 10 minutes all in our own world, there was lots of wood inside and we soon had a raging fire. The bothy lightened up and we saw that there was someone else in the bothy. A figure stood up and spoke; he said he was getting away from the world and was staying in the bothy. He was not a happy man we were intruding on his privacy but it was an open bothy. We tried to have a conversation but he was not having it. Jim stoked the fire up and soon it was roaring and the bothy bright as day our visitor was there cutting wood with his knife in the shadows, it was scary. I offered him some food but he did not want it. We ate and were in bed early with our gear drying by the fire. It was a scary night but Jim and Terry slept the sleep of the just, I was worried and before I went to bed I gave him some chocolate that was so vital for our trip and for food on the hill and said jokingly “kill them first please” He just looked and continued with his knife drills? We survived the night and were away by 0600. Our visitor was fast asleep and the fire still glowing. The gear was nearly dry and we had another huge hill day. Lots of snow had fallen yesterday and the hills would be plastered we were off and heading for Corrour Youth Hostel over two more big hills Stob Coire Easian and Stob Coire Mheadhoin . We had been told that a key was hidden for us as it was shut for the winter.
Many months after the walk our “bothy visitor” arrived at RAF Kinloss and dropped of a bottle of whisky, he had been very depressed and been contemplating suicide. He had sorted himself out and apologised for his behaviour, he was a very successful business man from down South and we had a good chat. What a crazy day and there were a lot more to come!
The photo below sums the up how hard it was for us every day.
The total for the day is about 32 k and 2241 metres of ascent a big hard day with huge bags with very limited daylight. When you look on the map and this is only part of it what a day and now we were into the wilds and the snow kept coming and the days drew shorter. Every day it was wet gear and that was never easy no wonder the body is so battered nowadays
. I spoke to Jim Morning about this walk on my way to Aviemore yesterday. He said we were bonkers, he was so right but what a learning experience and you could not have had two finer mountaineers with you every day. What a trip and this was only about half way through there were harder days to come!
Comments welcome.
Old mans thoughts and tales. 