Another wild day: Carn Mor Dearg

Today, again working for Hughes Mountaineering, I was out with Jackie and David and joined by a few more of their fellow Corkonians; Kieran, Declan and Tom.  The aim of the day was quite similar to yesterday, with all of the team having done a few bits and pieces of winter mountaineering in the past.  With a high avalanche risk on easterly aspects, we opted to head up the Allt a'Mhuilinn, and venture onto Carn Mor Dearg (The Big Red Peak).

The Corkonians in front of Ben Nevis

The weather was again quite wild, but today, rather than squalls, was much more constant, transporting lots of loose snow from westerly aspects to easterly aspects.  The team did well to battle the wind and stinging snow to make it to the summit of Carn Mor Dearg, before we chose to call it a day, and head back to the comfort of the glens.  I think that Carn Mor Dearg gets overlooked as a day in itself, as most people summit it as part of a longer day, taking the Carn Mor Dearg Arete round and up onto the summit of Ben Nevis, which is a shame, as it is a great day out, taking in an impressive ridgeline and some impressive scenery, not to mention grandstand views of one of the finest Scottish winter climbing venues!

On the final ridge of Carn Mor Dearg

Quite busy on the North Face of Ben Nevis, with many teams sticking to the lower western end of Tower Ridge, on Fawlty Tower, West Gully of Douglas Boulder, Gutless and Jack Knife.  Hadrian's Wall Direct was also climbed.  Winds are forecasted to be easterlies tomorrow, which will start the shift of snow onto the west facing slopes, and will cause windslab to develop on the currently scoured slopes, so a bit of care required for the weekend.