In reply to Styx:
Found our old report, written by Moff:
Cuillin Traverse Report and Tips
“Some useful info from a couple who made it but only rated their chances at 50:50 beforehand. Late 30's with 10+ years multipitch mountaineering experience mainly upto HS. Longest previous day trip Mount Whitney USA 7000ft ascent 22 mile walking round trip at altitude.
Preparation:
No running!! (not intended, but both of us had a variety of minor injuries, now I wonder if its worthwhile...)
Mountaineering trips concentrating on continuous movement over D/VD terrain with boots & rucksack. Days in the peak district climbing 15-30 routes in a session, S and below. Practice moving alpine style...familiarity... trust. No previous experience of the ridge other than scrambling on Scurr Dearg Am Basteir and Scurr Nan Gillean.
Lots of reading/sussing out (mostly Skye guide; Harvey map; Andy Hyslop and Gordon Stainforth). Much weighing & organising kit (seriously!)
Decided to take:
40m 9mm rope, 1kg rack (2 long extenders; 1 sling extender; hex 8; nuts 1,3,5,7,9; 2 long slings); 600gm down jacket for emergency warm clothing; map; compass; whistle; altimeter watch; space foil bag; penknife; one lightweight headtorch; minimal 1st aid kit (Ibruprofen taken every 6 hours to combat pain from old injuries; triangular bandage; steri-strips; cleaning swab; compeed)
then each:
alpine harness; belay plate & locking crab; lightweight boots/approach shoes; comfortable socks; comfortable underwear; two long sleeved thermals; lightweight pertex top; thick thermal trousers (power stretch); powerstretch balaclava; thinney gloves; 2 one litre bottles with measured high 5 isotronic drink powder; 4 x high 5 carbohydrate bars (slow burn, high carbohydrate).
17/6/01 forecast cold day, breezy, mostly sunny, drizzle & rain the previous day &night. Relatively dry on and off previously. No Midges!!! Almost perfect!!!!
Day before ensured good hydration and carbohrdrate loading; tried to get some protein but minimised fat; no beer!! Got up early, ate a high 5 protein recovery bar started taking pain killers. Ate breakfast. Started walking at 2:30 am from Glen Brittle up Coire Gurunda drinking 1 lire of isotonic. Filled all 4 bottles at the Loch. One with just water to drink with the energy bars. Got onto Ridge at 5:00; dumped bags walked to Garrs Bhein. Lynn slipped and nearly fell on a dodgy bypass of Scurr a Coire Bhigg (watch your step on those loose traverses!!) Started traverse at 6:00 am mostly following Andy Hyslop's running guide (except going over Sgurr a Coire Bhigg, avoiding Scurr Dubh and getting lost on the descent of Bidein). Tried to keep moving minimising breaks to a few minutes. Good progress to Scurr Banachdich (12 noon). Navigation problems on descents, tiredness & Steve's knee slowed progress thereafter. Descents of Sgurr A Mhadaidh fourth and first peaks, Bidein, An Caisteal were nastier than expected and cost a lot of time and energy. The climbing was
exposed requiring confidence but not too bad; the exception being the overhanging boulder problem onto Am Basteir (4c?) and the TD Gap is a bit of a thrutch, especially for the short. Bruach Na Frithe at 8.00pm; Nan Gillean at 9.30pm - fifteen and a half hours for the traverse. Limped down descent but speeded up again on the surprisingly good flatish path, arriving back at Sligachan at 12.15 am. Ate a High 5 protein recovery bar and rehydrated, (no booze! but only because we'd missed last orders).
What would we change??? Take 6 energy bars; knees!!!
Unused kit: down jacket; first aid kit other than pain killers; compass!; headtorch!!!
To conclude it was the most absorbing, fabulous mountaineering day of our lives so far. I think the key to our success was a mixture of luck and preparation (including keeping a very close eye on the advanced weather forecasts and deciding two days before to drive up and go for it; going as lightweight as we dare). On the day itself we were able to just concentrate on movement and the outstanding surroundings.
Time now to crack open the champagne!! Oh, one final tip from Steve - when you're soaking in the bath check your body for ticks!!! (and learn how to remove them properly if you don't want to waste the next night at your local casualty department)."