Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Beinn Bhrotain

On Sunday John & Ann finally got up their first Munro of the year with a ski ascent of Beinn Bhrotain. During the long approach from Linn of Dee we were struggling to keep faith in the forecast that the low cloud would lift through the day. After a couple of hours it was showing no signs of doing so but tired of carrying the skis we tried putting them on as soon as possible, at about 500m. Despite the patchy appearance we managed to keep them on with only tiny sections of heather hopping.

Skis on at 500m
The snow was in great condition, firm and spring-like, if a bit wet. We traversed around the south side of Carn Cloich Mhuillin, where we had a top eagle spot, and from there more or less straight to the summit, which was reached in a minor whiteout.
Carn Cloich Mhuillin

Just about to summit
While we ate a late first lunch the cloud thinned enough for some surface definition but this only lasted for about the first 100m of descent. It then got very thick, damp and drizzly, with the goggles needing wipers (gap in the market here for Scottish skiing?). It was a shame as the snow was excellent but we had to pick our way down carefully on a bearing and unable to make out any surface at all, never the easiest task. Soon we reached the stream that heads east from just below the summit and popped out of the cloud to enjoy a glorious run down to minutes away from the Lairig Ghru path. Four and a half hours to the top, 30 mins descent, and 2 hours back out. Crazy, but still worth it.
Tele-babe
Starting the walk out (bit blurry but it shows the conditions)

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