UKC

I have been looking around for details of any winter routes in the Glen Affric area (accessible from Strawberry Cottage) but all I have been able to find are archived questions and rumors of a few routes up Ciste Dhubh and Coire Ghaidheil. Can anyone shed some light on this?

In reply to SkylarLobdell:

Coire Ghaidheil -
"Wouldn't necessarily go too far out your way for this crag."

Sounds right up your street!

In reply to SkylarLobdell:

Most of it is too little and too far. A lot of the crags around Affric are, well, not quite enough. Many have a few sporty little lines for a winter scramble if the weather is in the right quarter but not enough that you would call a route.

There are a number of potential lines up Ciste Dhubh but the weather rarely allows good solid conditions on that aspect.

In reply to Jim Fraser:

The OP is a bit of an optimist if he thinks this is the way to get any info at all out of... The Usual Suspects

In reply to Tim Chappell:

No kidding.

In reply to Jim Fraser:

1. What sort of routes/grades are you looking for?
2. Have you looked in the SMC guidebook 'Northern Highlands Central'? Sgurr na Lapaich has a few routes? The SMC website archive also includes some routes in the area.
3. The Affric hills seem to get quite a lot of snow, and hold it well. As 'traffic' is significantly less than in other areas, even if a path is marked on the map there may be a lot of trail breaking required.
4. A bike can help with the distances, assuming the snow isn't lying in the bottom of the glen.
5. Allt a Choire Chruim when frozen gives 100m of grade II,3, similar to a shorter version of Sergeant's Gully on Snowdon.
6. If there is a good hard freeze there are a number of waterfalls around Cannich/Tomich.

In reply to Tim Chappell:

All reported new routes since 2003 cab be found at smc.org.uk via the publications page

In reply to rogerwebb:

All REPORTED new routes, sure

In reply to SkylarLobdell:

Hi Skylar, we did a few easy gullies with STAUMC in Coire Ghaidheil a couple of years ago. We've never managed to find any info on them so we presume they're new? I've added a few descriptions to the Ghaidheil logbook page, hopefully the picture will upload soon which will help the descriptions. Unfortunately strawberry cottage isn't too well positioned for climbing crags, the schist here doesnt lend itself to big or steep cliffs.
Alternatively, the Mullach Froach Choire to Sgurr Conbhairean to Carn na Coire Mheadoin ridge traverse would be a great mountaineering route in winter. I turned back half way before due to zero viz but it's one to go back for. The Ghaidheil to Sgurr nan Ceathreamhnan is also a nice winter ridge, reminiscent of parts of the Ring of Steall.
Hope this helps. Ric

In reply to Tim Chappell:

I know.......

In reply to Rickrick:

Hi Rickrick, Have you sent these to the SMC new routes editor, Andy Nisbet? He will be able to tell you whether they have been claimed before or not. Contact details are on the SMC here:- http://www.smc.org.uk/new-routes It means better info for folk in the future. Matt

In reply to Rickrick:

Thanks Ric, adventure is pretty much what I am looking for so poor viz and shitty weather is basically ideal;though one or two "decent routes" would be alright too as we have a couple of days there.

In reply to SkylarLobdell:

If you can get round to Strathfarrar I did a really nice 70m ish ice fall on Creagan Toll an Lochain, grade 3 water ice. Finished up a nice grade 1 gully onto An Riabhachan. It's in the guide book now, Red Coat's Weep! Great mountains.

In reply to SkylarLobdell:

Ciste Dubh is in Northern Highlands South and there are several routes in the guide. The rest are in a chapter in Northern Highlands Central. There have been a few new routes in the area, now found on the SMC website (as described above). As with other remote but steep mountains, there are many unrecorded easier lines (Grade I or II). Do go exploring, and if you decide what you have done is worth someone else walking that far to do, then send me a description. Not recorded counts as not done, but make sure it's worth recording and not just a steep hillside. The climbs in Coire Ghaidheil have just been sent to me. The chap says they are good so will be recorded.