UKC

Hi, I'm off to Torridon for 3 days in just over a week. Going with 4 mates, all pretty capable up to about grade 4 and used to long days. Planning a day on a traverse of Liathach main ridge and then a two day trip, with overnight, along the length of Beinn Eighe. Any suggestions for a relatively easy route up onto Beinn Eighe? We'll take a bit of gear but don't want to be too laden (Fuselage gully?). Also any suggestions for which way to take the ridge and any good bivy spots?

In reply to dominic5567:
One of the major buttress routes would be an unforgettable day out. Both West and East buttress go at about (IV,5), depending on the route that you take.

West Buttress has a couple of different starting options. Starting up Fuselage Gully probably shortens it a fair bit, but you miss some great climbing on the West Central Gully start.

There's a (IV,5) line up Central Buttress too but I haven't done it, and route finding looks complex.

Edit: Didn't read your post properly - one of the buttress routes followed by the traverse would probably mean doing the traverse in the dark, and might be a bit more 'epic' than 'long'. Still, if you get a good clear night, it could be magical.

Andrew.

In reply to dominic5567:

You could go up Morrisons gully on Sail Mhor if conditions allow. It's an easy grade I that splits the north end of the buttress (clearly marked on the OS 1:50k map, and would allow you take in the summit of Sail Mhor, and to traverse the fine ridge onto Coinneach Mhor above triple buttress. Alternatively, there's Ling, Lawson and Glovers route (which I haven't done, but looks good). It takes you to the top of Sail Mhor as well.

In reply to Scomuir:

I did Ling, Lawson and Glovers route many years ago when getting into the corrie took longer than planned (deep snow) & even though the climbing isn't particularly interesting, the situations & views were stunning - well recommended on a clear day. I don't think we roped up, in the conditions we had probably around grade II.

Depending on conditions, with an early start it ought to be possible to do a route such as Ling, Lawson and Glovers & then traverse the ridge in a day (I don't remember any real difficulties) but I guess a bivy on the ridge could be fun (if the weather is kind)

In reply to Doug:

Yes, it looks a good way onto the ridge, and looks in keeping with other sections, such as the ascent onto Coinneach Mhor. I don't see why the whole ridge couldn't be done in a day in good weather & snow conditions. Morrison's would just be a plod up, albeit in a fantastic setting. I only went down it, but it was on ski. One of the best gullies I've ever done

In reply to dominic5567:

For Liathach, it is good fun to start with one of the easy gullies. We had a brilliant day in 2013...
http://graniteandice.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/liathach-winter-traverse.html

In reply to dominic5567:

Beinn Eighe is quite doable in a day with an early-ish start so if you're planning on bivi-ing you'd probably not want to leave to early.

In reply to dominic5567:


Most of Fuselage Gully is easy grade I with 1 or 2 deceptively awkward moves through the wreckage if it is anything like it was when I did it (quite lean). You would only need a couple of slings and a short rope to get past it and the rest of the gully would be soloable if you are happy on grade IV.

Have a good trip

Iain

Another vote for Ling, Lawson and Glovers Route. It's easy to traverse across after finishing it and get to the base of Fuselage Gully and so onto the ridge proper - together they make for a great combination.