Go high for winter: Gearr Aonach and Stob Coire Nan Lochan

It's been a busy week!  Through the week, I was working for The Outward Bound Trust, introducing the beautiful natural environment of Lochaber to 12 year olds from Kilmarnock, who were excited to say the least.  Today was a little more relaxed, working alongside Scott for Abacus Mountaineering.  The group today was a fairly competent group, on a long stag weekend up in the Highlands.  They had originally wanted to meet us at 10am at the Corran Ferry, probably allowing for alcohol induced recovery time, but Mike had managed to convince them otherwise, and we met at 9am, with everyone seemingly compos mentis!

Miles, the stag, and his band of merry men,
on the summit of Stob Coire Nan Lochan

We headed up a very summer-like 'Zig-Zags I' on Gearr Aonach, before making our way up the striking East Ridge of Stob Coire Nan Lochan.  The ridge, which higher up was quite wintery with some firm neve, does present a couple of tricky steps of grade I, both up and down and is an interesting route onto the summit.  Throughout much of today, the skies were clear enough to get some clear views over to Creise and Buachaille Etive Mor to the west and Ardgour to the east.  On arrival at the summit, we were able to see multiple teams on 'Dorsal Arete II/III', but unfortunately, the rest of the buttresses were completely black and very quiet. Freezing levels felt higher than forecasted, at around 950m.  Rime was slowly buildin and small icicles hanging off the rock, so winter is definitely still in existence.

Multiple teams on Dorsal Arete

We descended down the west ridge, towards Aonach Dubh, before entering the coire of Stob Coire Nan Lochan, and it was quite obvious that on leaving the summit, the snow soon became much softer, and that we had dropped below the freezing level quite quickly.  Just before reaching the car park, we were hit by quite a sharp shower, which fell as snow above 600m, and seemed to stay, whether it does overnight, I wouldn't like to guess, it was a very light dusting.  So overall, conditions aren't anywhere near catastrophic, with plenty to do.  The easier gullies of Stob Coire Nan Lochan and surrounding peaks are complete, with some firm snow, but it will take more than perhaps what the next couple of days have to offer to bring the mixed routes back in.  All in all, a good day to be out on the hills, with a great crowd!

The rather black buttresses of Stob Coire Nan Lochan, Glencoe