UKC

Hello,

Are there any locals who can advise if this road gets gritted? We're thinking of doing something from the Beinn Alligin carpark tomorrow but there's quite a hard frost forecast tonight and I remember there being a steep gnarly switchback section on the way up from Torridon Village.

Ta!

There are grit bins on the steep bit and I've passed gritters on it.

Not a lot of snow on Beinn Alligin if that's where you're heading.

It is gritted normally. I was in  Torridon today. Main road had been gritted through the glen but as I was on Beinn Eighe, can' t  speak for the Diabaig section. Glorious weather. You should enjoy your day..Very good weather outlook for the north west for the next couple of weeks. 

Cheers both. We were out in the Fannichs today, absolutely belting weather.

We're aiming to mooch round the back of Liathach to see if anything's in, if anyone has up to date info it would be appreciated. Probably go for a look anyway as neither of us have been round the north side. Thinking perhaps Northern Pinnacles or Coire Na Caime.

I've not been round there for a bit but the Northern Pinnacles should be fine, they're quite high although the approach over Meall Dearg will probably be bare. The NP are given II but it takes a bit of a build up/route finding skills to make them that grade, III is probably closer to the mark most of the time.

The routes below them are pretty reliable too.

Edit: just seen a photo from today and it's pretty white although the lower turf might still be mushy.

There is less snow than in the Fannichs so as as Dave HK suggests   Northern Pinnacles grade will be a bit higher at the moment than the usual 2.

Nice one, thanks man. As a man who knows, is it better to go in from the West or East? I wouldn't mind a look up at the eastern corries too just for fun, but I don't think we'll be able to fit in the main traverse back to the east after NP etc, hence thinking about.a start from the west.

 I know we can drop off Mullach an Raithan and yomp back along the road to the NT carpark, I came down that way when I did the ridge a couple of years ago, but it's not that pleasant a way to end to the day!

Thanks. Met a lass on her way round the Fannich 9 today, she was proper going for it. Impressive.

If you're talking about the Sgorr a' Chadail ridge, you can drop down on the north side before then, at about the 701 spot height, to the river, it's pretty straightforward, though snow may make it more entertaining.

NP into full traverse is great but it is a longish day out.

It looks much of a muchness on the map but it's actually a bit shorter coming in from the east i.e. the main Coire Dubh Mor car park. You can save a bit of time going that way by avoiding Meall Dearg and going up to col below the pinnacles themselves. Probably about 3hrs to there? Top tip is to pass Loch Coire na Caime on its west side to avoid the boulder field of despair.

Maybe Anna Wells on her winter Munro round.

Yes, I think she was on the Fannaichs today. 

Thanks for all your advice, appreciated. 

Thought I recognised her!

Good to know, thanks.

If you just wanted to do the Northern Pinnacles then coming in from the Alligin side and descending the way Welsh Kate says would be a nice day out. Quite a high walk to climb ratio though.

We went in and out from the west as above. NP looked a bit lean so we went for Twisting Gully which looked in from the core floor. Good buildup is missing from a couple of steps lower down, they were pretty wet and covered in verglas, but loads of useful snow throughout and some really good ice nearer the top. Incredible rock architecture up there. Coire Na Caime is gorgeous and the views from the top, especially as the sun went down, were beyond stunning.

Nice. Twisting Gully is great and that corrie deserves more traffic.

Maybe the new Winter Climbs North will put it on the radar of some more people