UKC

200m, 7 pitches. An absolute belter of a climb which is best done as part of the A’ Chioch Ridge continuation. Add a few long slings to a light rack. Park at the Bealach na Ba viewpoint and head for the obvious mast. Just short of the summit head east and take the steep path down into Ciore a’ Chaorachain. Gain Middle Ledge by scrambling up A’ Chioch gully for 40m and then right onto a path, the start of the route is 20m past a series of low roofs and starts at an offwidth crack. Pitch 1 (30m, 4a) climb the offwidth and then over some bulges trending left to avoid the small roof, climb a fine corner to a ledge and a choice of belays. Pitch 2 (20m, 4a) thrutch up the awkward corner at the far end of the ledge. Exit right and climb easier ground to reach a thread belay on the one of the best ledges you’ll find in Scotland. Pitch 3 (40m, 4a) traverse right for 3m, enjoying an intermediate amount of exposure, and then up, past a peg runner, climb a series of horizontal breaks trending slightly left towards a chimney. Climb and exit this on the right onto another large ledge with an excellent thread belay. Pitch 4 (30m) go to the far end of the ledge (CN scratched on the rock) and climb a superb, but short-lived layback. Go right around the bulge and take the easiest line up to a chossy ledge and boulder belay. Pitch 5 (20m) scramble easily up and left over blocks to the false summit to a choice of huge belays. Head towards the formidable-looking ridge continuation by dropping down the neck and taking the surprisingly easy to follow path up huge blocks towards the well defined crack in the steepest section of the ridge. Avoid going left past the large gully. Pitch 6 (30m) climb the slab about 10m to the left of the large crack with an awkward move at half-height, to a comfortable thread belay. Pitch 7 (30m) climb up, trending right to easy ground and a choice of solid belays. Delightful scrambling over/around several false summits gets you back to the mast. Si Lynch 2009.

Ticklists

Classic Rock , Ultimate Scottish Rock , Classic Far Northwest , Classic Rock Climbs of Great Britain by Bill Birkett , Scottish Rock Climbs **** , UK's best Diffs and V.diffs , Scottish Classic Rock , Scotland's Mountain Ridges by Dan Bailey , Easter 2012 , Scottish 3 and 4 star multi-pitch routes , The Baron's Bucket List , The best the UK has to offer for mere mortals (apart from the lakes cos its always wet) , The Great Gumclub Ticklist , The Original 'Classic Rock' List , UK Holiday Plans , EUMC - Must do climbs , Mountain Rock , Garry Latter, Scottish Ticklist up to VS , STAUMC Ticklist , Easy Applecross and Torridon , Scottish Four Star Multi Pitch Routes to E2 (and Old Man Of Hoy) , Dad's Scottish Rock Underliners , 4 Star Scottish rock , Scotland dreamin , Rope Solo , Wired Scottish Rock Climbs **** , Scotland , Barneys Road Trip Ticklist , Gary Latter's Scottish Rock Ticklist , The Classic, Easy Scottish Mountain Routes , Scottsh Adventures (Shame its not the gorge...)

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User Date Notes
FallingBrick 29 Sep, 2023 Show βeta
βeta: Pitch 2 has a particularly technical move I would put at 4b - just as a warning to those who may see this as "just a VD". Well protected. We got to the col at the top of the nose and decided South gully was a wet grass deathtrap - no sign of the in situ tat. Decided on the continuation which was excellent - 1 VDiff pitch, 1 roped downclimb with a spike the lead can use to loop the rope over for belay, then retrieve it, and 1 short abseil with in situ tat. (Sep 2023). If you have a 50m rope(s) you can string pitch 4/5 together - we didn't feel that half ropes were needed for the route we did if you are careful with rope run - even doing a 50m pitch. Climb 3 hours, continuation 2 hours.
βeta?
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βeta: Pitch 2 has a particularly technical move I would put at 4b - just as a warning to those who may see this as "just a VD". Well protected. We got to the col at the top of the nose and decided South gully was a wet grass deathtrap - no sign of the in situ tat. Decided on the continuation which was excellent - 1 VDiff pitch, 1 roped downclimb with a spike the lead can use to loop the rope over for belay, then retrieve it, and 1 short abseil with in situ tat. (Sep 2023). If you have a 50m rope(s) you can string pitch 4/5 together - we didn't feel that half ropes were needed for the route we did if you are careful with rope run - even doing a 50m pitch. Climb 3 hours, continuation 2 hours.
DynamiC987 11 Sep, 2022 Show βeta
βeta: Did from Coire nan Arr side in 6 pitches. P2 is def a sandbag but the rest aren't too bad.Top of p3(in glatter) has a cheeky thread belay that I haven't seen mentioned elsewhere (look for the light in the belay crack on the right). Decended down south gully but couldn't see the supposed bypasses so just did the three abseils. Definetly seemed easier.
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βeta: Did from Coire nan Arr side in 6 pitches. P2 is def a sandbag but the rest aren't too bad.Top of p3(in glatter) has a cheeky thread belay that I haven't seen mentioned elsewhere (look for the light in the belay crack on the right). Decended down south gully but couldn't see the supposed bypasses so just did the three abseils. Definetly seemed easier.
et19 19 Jul, 2022 Show βeta
βeta: Medium sized loose block just before the belay on “scotlands best ledge”. Very tempting to pull on, and precariously balanced.
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βeta: Medium sized loose block just before the belay on “scotlands best ledge”. Very tempting to pull on, and precariously balanced.
Orlando 21 May, 2022 Show βeta
βeta: Great climb. Pitch 2 of the climb itself rated as HS by an AMI friend. Good cam placement above the crux move onto a tiny ledge in a groove. Fantastic continuation along the 5 or 6 pinnacles, which took over 2 hours including a further VD pitch.
βeta?
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βeta: Great climb. Pitch 2 of the climb itself rated as HS by an AMI friend. Good cam placement above the crux move onto a tiny ledge in a groove. Fantastic continuation along the 5 or 6 pinnacles, which took over 2 hours including a further VD pitch.
THE.WALRUS 22 Apr, 2022 Show βeta
βeta: Fabulous route...but it's not v.diff! I'd say Severe 4a, sustained in parts, and awkward with rucksacks.
βeta?
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βeta: Fabulous route...but it's not v.diff! I'd say Severe 4a, sustained in parts, and awkward with rucksacks.
Albert Tatlock 22 Apr, 2022 Show βeta
βeta: The rusty & broken peg on P3 has come out,leaving a good wire placement
βeta?
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βeta: The rusty & broken peg on P3 has come out,leaving a good wire placement
sas 22 Mar, 2022 Show βeta
βeta: If you reach a boulder blocking the way along Middle Ledge backtrack slightly and look for another path a couple metres below, this takes you round the boulder then up to the start of the climb.
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βeta: If you reach a boulder blocking the way along Middle Ledge backtrack slightly and look for another path a couple metres below, this takes you round the boulder then up to the start of the climb.
tinytommy 5 Aug, 2021 Show βeta
βeta: Be careful on the walk in in the wet, not to be underestimated. Slippery and you would not want to fall
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βeta: Be careful on the walk in in the wet, not to be underestimated. Slippery and you would not want to fall
Hannylj 26 Jul, 2021 Show βeta
βeta: Head all the way down the gully that is easy of the mast. Then when descended follow the burn on the right and past the pond. Continue down on more flat ground and the on the left you will see more roof sections appear in the wall. Before going downhill again you see the past divert left and up the two starts. The left start CN is v faint!
βeta?
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βeta: Head all the way down the gully that is easy of the mast. Then when descended follow the burn on the right and past the pond. Continue down on more flat ground and the on the left you will see more roof sections appear in the wall. Before going downhill again you see the past divert left and up the two starts. The left start CN is v faint!
Adamcsyou 19 Oct, 2020 Show βeta
βeta: Excellent route, just a lovely bit of rock. Climbing was 4a in places but always well protected. Route finding was fine too and it always felt quite safe. HVD 4a is right. Started straight up from the CN and arrow
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βeta: Excellent route, just a lovely bit of rock. Climbing was 4a in places but always well protected. Route finding was fine too and it always felt quite safe. HVD 4a is right. Started straight up from the CN and arrow
dmorgan27 24 Sep, 2019 Show βeta
βeta: Needed to make one abseil on the scramble back.
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βeta: Needed to make one abseil on the scramble back.

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High S
Mid S
Low S
High HVD
Mid HVD
Low HVD
High VD
Mid VD
Low VD
High HD
Mid HD
Low HD
Votes cast 159
Votes cast 147
Style of Ascent
Alt Leads
Lead
Followed
Soloed
Not Set
Onsighted
Repeated
Flashed (β)
DNF
Dogged
Ground Up
Not Set
Route of Interest
Archangel Route

Grade: VD ***
(Trallval)

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