Climbs 24
Rocktype Granite
Altitude 939m a.s.l
Faces all
Kindergarten Corner © Mike Pescod
Crag features
A fine mountain with a variety of climbs.
Black Buttress hosts good mixed climbing on helpful schist and turf which requires a solid freeze and snowfall to come into condition. The routes here can also become icy after spells of wet weather. The crag faces a variety of directions and many of the routes finish on the upper crest of Ramp Route which leads to the top. The central section is the most impressive and offers a range of good quality icy mixed climbs which have not recieved much attention.
The North Facing crag in Coire Dearg presents a selection of interesting climbs on red granite. Again, the cliff requires a low freezing level and is best enjoyed after some freeze thaw cycles. There are now enough climbs of easier grades to make the approach worthwhile for the mid grade climber. It can be a good option when many of the higher crags in the area are under deep powder or if poor avalanche conditions prevail. Some of the harder climbs on the very steep and undercut right side have seen few ascents and may be undergraded.
There are many small crags in the large coire underneath the summit which have some recorded routes.
Approach notes
Start at the car park at Achriabhach, both approaches intially follow the hill path through the trees to where it rejoins a forestry track.
For Black Buttress, continue along the forestry track as per the route to Mullach nan Coirean. Take the hill path and cross over a stile and then along the east bank of the stream in Coire Riabhach which leads to the base of the crag. In wet or heavy snow conditions, it may be better to continue on the hill path to MnC before contouring round into the coire from higher up, 1.5-2 hours. Descent back to the base can be made on either side, the large snow gully to the right of the crag offers an easy snow climb. If the gully is at all suspect then it is best to go NW and descend shallower slopes back into the coire. There is also an insitu thread and krab a few meters right of the top of Could Be Worse and a 40m abseil leads back into the snow gully.
For Coire Dearg, from where the path emerges onto the forestry track, take a separate small trail through the trees on the left. This leads to another forestry track before merging with the hill side and many felled trees. Follow a vague trail through the felling on the west bank of the Allt Coire Dheirg to a fence and then more open slopes beyond. Cross the stream and climb steeply up the hill side which leads to the base of the final slopes below the crag, 2-2.5 hours. Descent is easiest on the right (looking up), cutting back under the crag and down to the gear up spot but it is also possible to descend a snowy gully on the left.
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Climbs at this crag
| Name | Grade | Stars | Type | Logs | Partner Ascents |
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