tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56268068589577544072024-03-18T02:48:51.695-07:00Go Mountain GoatsFinlay Wild ///
Hill runner, mountaineer, skier ///
Supported by Norman Walsh Footwear and Mountain Equipment Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626806858957754407.post-48705697360558190082021-04-15T15:59:00.001-07:002021-04-15T15:59:49.108-07:00New website - go to www.gomountaingoats.com<p> New website - go to <a href="http://www.gomountaingoats.com">www.gomountaingoats.com</a></p>Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626806858957754407.post-16991849254981653912019-11-06T12:44:00.000-08:002019-11-06T12:46:26.607-08:00Train to Run - a trip to the Basque Country<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Published in The Fellrunner Magazine #124 (Oct 2019)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhS0aNOZsRKToP4BOBLRWjo49AbCMHTKaTkCNnh0Iu8TfYV21Stv2Yw50BZJAcL-QYgMv1JvF1R0DiCvVq6lsEQEYKoHVrntcSoI63y8ggPUSJGBPbHLYPsztOrsXeoGpevF-dmkZB6fM/s1600/zegama+aizkorri+80001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhS0aNOZsRKToP4BOBLRWjo49AbCMHTKaTkCNnh0Iu8TfYV21Stv2Yw50BZJAcL-QYgMv1JvF1R0DiCvVq6lsEQEYKoHVrntcSoI63y8ggPUSJGBPbHLYPsztOrsXeoGpevF-dmkZB6fM/s320/zegama+aizkorri+80001.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finlay competing in Zegama-Aizkorri race 2019 (13th)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="UZ-CYR"><br /></span></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">We live in an age of ever increasing opportunities for our running. Trail running and ‘skyrunning’ is booming with many new races springing up all over the world. There is more media coverage, more prize money, and more choice. Over the past few years I have been lucky enough to compete with some of the world’s best hill runners in races which have taken me to new and exciting places. We also live at the exact time in human history where our global response to the man-made climate crisis is critical: science is telling us that we now have just a small window in which to make rapid and unprecedented societal changes to quickly reduce our greenhouse-gas emissions and limit future catastrophic warming. I will often talk of how important the mountains are to me but increasingly I have been worried about how our mountain-chasing lifestyles are damaging the planet. </span></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">In 2018, I flew to Sichuan Province in China to compete in a ‘World Series’ mountain running skyrace there and I had a superb experience. At the time I reasoned that going for a month to maximise the personal benefit to me relative to the environmental cost of flying was a reasonable balance. But looking back now I’m not so sure. Running is something I love but I don’t depend on it for my livelihood. I didn’t need to fly halfway across the world to enjoy my running, but flying is a surefire way to massively inflate your carbon footprint. Couldn’t I have had just as much enjoyment running somewhere closer to home, without flying? Of course for huge numbers of people it is not possible to avoid flying in our current globalized system as their livelihood or family responsibilities demand it. But what about when the trip is - basically - a holiday?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">Increasingly runners are being offered financial support to travel to exotic places to run, and it’s a tough decision. There really is the opportunity to live a ‘jet setter’ lifestyle via mountain running now, but at what cost? Flying produces far more CO<sub>2</sub>emissions than other forms of transport, and non-CO<sub>2</sub>emissions like nitrogen oxides have a greater warming effect when released high in the atmosphere. This means that a typical domestic flight will produce, per person, four or even five times as many harmful emissions as a full occupancy car journey of the same distance. By contrast, public non-air transport has a much smaller footprint and can be a more satisfying way to travel as well. I haven’t boarded a plane for over a year now and have had some incredible trips to run and race abroad, without having to compromise on the quality or competitive level of those races.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">I’m optimistic about making changes that will limit damage to the planet which sustains us and feel we should consider the environmental costs of any journey set against the personal benefits. If there’s a specific race or trip that is really important to you and can’t be done without flying then maybe that is something you will do to enrich your life. But there is no such thing as a £30 cheap flight to Europe as the environmental cost to the planet and future generations has not been included in that price. Rather than a quick weekend ‘hit’ which is decided by searching plane prices we could aim towards more considered and therefore satisfying journeys to indulge our running hobby, ideally without flying. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">In March I travelled by train and bus to the Basque Mountains of Spain to compete in the famous Zegama-Aizkorri race which is part of the Salomon Golden Trail Series. It’s an incredibly competitive race with an amazing spectator atmosphere and one I would recommend to anyone who fancies a taste of European racing. The race is a whirlwind euphoric experience notable for the crazy depth of competition and the thousands of spectators spurring you onwards emphatically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">The first part of my trip involved getting to London. I booked a place on the Caledonian Sleeper’s seated coach which is a cheap option if you can sleep in a seat, but won’t suit everyone. Sleeper beds are more expensive but also more of an ‘experience’: you can set off in the Highlands, have dinner in the dining car with a pint, retire to your cabin and wake up at Euston Station the next morning. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">From London to Paris I boarded the Eurostar train which is a great experience. Rather than squeezing into your budget airline seat you have a comfortable spacious seat, views out the big train windows, and it’s easy to get up for a wander along the train or for a coffee at the buffet car. The trains are quiet, bright and smooth; a perfect chance to relax with a book or even watch a film on your laptop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">Negotiating the Paris Metro isn’t a problem with a bit of planning - google will tell you which routes to take and <a href="http://www.rome2rio.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc;">www.rome2rio.com</span></a>is another good planning resource. At Paris Montparnasse station I took the high-speed TGV train which carried me south through France in around 4.5 hours to Hendaye on the Spanish border. If you enjoyed the Eurostar then you will love the TGV: quiet, fast, sleek and comfortable. I sat on the top deck of the double decker train and alternated between reading, sleeping and watching the expanse of rural French countryside slide by. You could even stretch on the stairs to ease those DOMS on the way back!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">At the border, I switched to the Spanish rail system and a journey of about 40 minutes took me to San Sebastian. This relaxed seaside city is worth a look for its pintxos (tapas), beaches and Old Town. From here there was a 40 minute local train to Beasain and then a 30 minute final bus up to the tiny village of Zegama. Rather than rushing to the airport and battling through the stages of parking, checking in, waiting then cramming into a tight seat before jostling around in the air and repeating it all at the other end you have taken a more relaxed option. I left London in the morning and was at Zegama the same evening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">Travelling without flying does take a bit more planning and time but in my opinion it’s worth it - both in terms of having a more enjoyable and relaxed trip but also because aviation usually makes up a disproportionately large portion of our individual emissions. Life is said to be about the journey, but we need to be thinking about how the journey will impact life on our planet too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">-----------<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoSubtitle" style="break-after: avoid-page; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 23px; margin: 0cm 0cm 16pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_sodjq25yqwqy"></a><span lang="UZ-CYR">Interview<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">Es Tresidder is the current Ramsay Round record holder, a Passivhaus Designer and an environmentalist. His low-energy buildings business can be found at <a href="http://www.passivehighland.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc;">www.highlandpassive.com</span></a>. He has travelled by train in Europe far more extensively than myself and I asked him a few questions about his thoughts on travel without flying:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 30pt 0.0001pt 0cm;">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">1. What has been the longest journey you have done via public transport and how did it go?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">For our honeymoon we got the train (mixture of sleepers and day trains) to Istanbul and then travelled round Turkey on public transport. It was great! The <a href="https://www.seat61.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc;">www.seat61.com</span></a>website was invaluable in planning this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">For racing and other mountain trips I’ve travelled out to the Alps and back many times on the train. In fact the last time I flew for a race was, I think, in 2007. Since 2010 I’ve flown once for work (to Poland) and once for pleasure (to Reunion island). It takes a different mindset but I don’t think my racing experiences would have been any richer if I had flown during that time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 30pt 0.0001pt 0cm;">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">2. What do you see as the biggest changes we can make as concerned individuals when it comes to transportation?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">If you fly a lot then replacing that with trains/multiple-occupancy cars/not going makes a big difference. For day to day stuff if you can manage without a car that’s fantastic and easier than a lot of people think, especially if you live in a city and are organised about finding lifts to races with other people. If you need a car choosing a fully electric one over an internal combustion engine makes a big difference too, and is also much nicer to drive, cheaper overall and needs almost no maintenance. My family have had an EV as our only car living in the Western highlands for the last 3 years and, even disregarding it being better for the climate, I prefer it to ICE [internal combustion engine] cars.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 30pt 0.0001pt 0cm;">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">3. In a globalised world with ever-expanding race options what do you see as a sustainable approach to balancing running ambition with climate concerns?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">I think a lot of this depends on what level you are at. I’m sympathetic to those at the top of the sport who need to travel to find suitably competitive races, especially if they have to fit this around a normal 9-5 job. For those of us further down the pack we don’t really need to travel far to find competition, we can find it at local races and foreign races can be kept for a more occasional treat accessed without flying. I’ve had a lot of success doing longer trips and multiple races to satisfy my desire for sunny races amongst bigger mountains. I also like the whole ‘FKT’ movement, and that can be achieved on local stuff if you live in the mountains. Now I live in Lochaber I’m often ambivalent about travelling to races when I could just be going out for really good runs on my own. Targeting FKTs gives a bit of a race focus to an outing without all the associated travelling. As a bonus, for the same amount of time running I’m away from the family for less time. Having a go at your Mamores round record last year, and doing the Ramsay this year, were both really rewarding and involved very little travelling. Having said that there was a fair amount of travel involved for my Ramsay pacers so maybe the future is in unsupported rounds. In any case I should do more of these FKT attempts!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 30pt 0.0001pt 0cm;">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">4. What advice would you give a cash-strapped runner about to book an easyJet flight for a ‘dream weekend’ in the Alps?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">The way I look at it is that your cheap flights are being subsidised by our children’s (and their children's etc) generation without their consent. Ask yourself whether you really couldn’t have as good a time locally or go for longer and travel overland. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">Also a long weekend from England to the Alps by train is pretty feasible so look into it if you really do want to do it as a quick hit like this, but it all gets much easier if you stay for longer. Again see the seat61 website and <a href="http://loco2.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc;">loco2.com</span></a>and book as far in advance as you are able to (there’s some good guidance about how far you can book in advance here: <a href="https://help.eurostar.com/faq/uk-en/question/How-far-in-advance-can-I-book-Eurostar-tickets"><span style="color: #1155cc;">https://help.eurostar.com/faq/uk-en/question/How-far-in-advance-can-I-book-Eurostar-tickets</span></a>).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626806858957754407.post-49189574924356327332019-05-27T07:23:00.000-07:002019-05-27T08:44:53.657-07:00Welsh 3000ers Record<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For me a good challenge involves pushing myself in the mountains. For it to be really engaging it would need to involve at least some technical ground - rough tracks, scree runs, a wee bit of scrambling. It would be about speed but also stamina, a route that would push me hard. Racing is good, but an ‘against the clock’ solo adventure is often better. You’re still racing your biggest rival and harshest critic. As an example, when I first started reccying the Cuillin Ridge Traverse in 2012 I had no idea if the record was even possible for me. I’d have guessed my chances were below fifty-fifty. The unknown factor is key to the allure: daring to try, trying in the face of possible failure. Records have a magic about them too - a lifetime of experience, often days of planning, hours of exact physical and mental execution summarised to just a time. A time to strive for; to beat. And of course, the older the record the bigger the draw. With time grows a mystique: both enticing and cautionary. Colin Donnelly’s 1988 Welsh 3000ft Mountains record had all of these qualities.</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-571a27eb-7fff-794b-a918-4c0f39a8608c" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I must’ve been aware of the ‘3000ers’ record for over ten years. I didn’t know the specifics, other than it would be tough if not impossible, but it remained on some subconscious dream list. I only knew one person who had attempted the record, and couldn’t understand why I’d not heard of more attempts on such a great line. Maybe getting older and looking for different projects was a catalyst of sorts for my own attempt - I would miss some races but make a late spring trip to Wales a priority.</span></div>
<b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Between its start atop Britain’s highest mountain south of the Scottish Highlands and the endpoint touching the trigpoint on Foel-fras the route covers over 35km and around 3000m of ascent. Its unusual summit to summit course conjured images of a ‘line in the sky’, which was augmented by watching the very 80s video reconstruction of Colin’s record breaking run. The route splits logically into three sections: the rough and technical descent from Snowdon to Nant Peris via Crib Goch; the increasingly rocky peaks of the Glyderau skyline and down to Llyn Ogwen; and the big steep climb up Pen yr Ole Wen, crossing the Carneddau to the final lonely wall on Foel-fras.</span></div>
<b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Logistically, at least, these two big valley crossings were useful as it meant I could carefully recce each section on its own, and more importantly during the record attempt I could get support at the two road crossings. My parents usefully decided to come to North Wales on holiday and so were able to meet me at these points with food supplies and water during my record attempt. This meant I didn’t have to carry much at all while running, and the need for support runners to carry sustenance was removed. </span></div>
<b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Learning the route I did slowly and carefully, with reference to Roy Clayton and Ronald Turnbull’s book ‘The Welsh Three Thousand Foot Challenges’. It took quite a degree of discipline to frequently turn around and go back, checking out every small trod and alternative line as I went. I made sure to memorise my best lines before I moved on to a new section. I didn’t spend too much time looking at Colin’s splits - they worried me and made me feel tired! Running the 2.3km road section slightly downhill to Nant Peris at the fastest pace that seemed possibly reasonable I was somewhat heartened to find I was bang on record pace of 3:14 minutes/km for that short but rapid part of the route.</span></div>
<b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I had timed my trip perfectly to coincide with a long dry spell in Wales but the window was forecast to close. I had a day of complete rest then set off to walk up Snowdon for my first attempt. Often apprehensiveness can present itself as feeling physically suboptimal, slightly fatigued, and this was the case as I slowly made my way to the summit. I was intimidated but yet bursting to have a shot. At the least, I consoled myself, this would be a stunningly varied journey through the best mountains of Snowdonia done in a way that was bound to push me. The weather was ideal too - clear but with a little high cloud and wind to avoid unpleasant valley inferno conditions.</span></div>
<b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The watch hit 9am and I hit the descent. Crib y Ddysgl arrived in a little over 5 mins but already I was behind on Colin’s time. I had prepared myself for this likelihood, but I knew he felt he had lost some time later in the Carneddau, so perhaps things could change. The ridge to Crib Goch was fast but again I lagged slightly behind. I attacked the rough descent from Bwlch Goch hard on my optimal line. Arriving at the road at Blaen-y-nant I couldn’t believe it - I was ahead of the split! This spurred me into a fast road section and solid ascent of Elidir Fawr, getting there a minute faster than the record. This was the first point where I dared to imagine actually breaking it, though there was still a long way to go. Being so close to the split times kept the fire lit and I pushed hard to stay ahead through the runnable terrain to Y Garn and the Glyders. As the ground got rougher I summited Tryfan over two minutes ahead and jumped between Adam and Eve to gain ‘the freedom of Tryfan’ - it would’ve been rude not to enjoy it.</span></div>
<b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From Llyn Ogwen I had decided on the shorter but steeper south ridge up Pen yr Ole Wen instead of Colin’s east ridge route. My reasoning was that at this point in the run a rough power hike might suit my legs better than the more runnable but marginally longer variation. I pushed upwards as hard as I could, trying to remain strong where I knew Colin had confessed to feeling weakest. Touching the cairn I was ecstatic to find the tactic had worked - I was now over 7 minutes ahead of his schedule. </span></div>
<b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Carneddau now stretched out before me; runnable and broad but still rocky and interesting. Heading directly along the traverse trod to Yr Elen was a joy after faffing about reccying the best line here earlier, although I can’t explain why I was ten percent slower than both Colin and Joss on this short leg - stopping to refill water only explaining a small part of this. From Carnedd Llewelyn the Irish Sea to the north gave a backdrop to the final summits. I knew the splits and I knew the record was in grasp. But it was a mental battle to keep pushing on, breathing hard and holding psychological tyranny over my body’s physical protestations. Continuing up the final gradual climb and round the corner of the wall the lone trigpoint came into view. Slamming into it with both hands I had done it. Legs that had felt so focussed a moment earlier now were unsteady and I slumped to the ground amongst the boulders, a delicious desistance. 4hrs 10mins 48secs was my new benchmark: I made the slow journey down in elated astonishment.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6Fk56bZlPNAQyBArTJklFblo9b4PxGULwDYiJm1IzBdbhqCq4gAbsjVh2jj_1UYKVqwrITB_i-wTd0_-VoNA49ED8vJY9UulUkGmJWNdhyexQbS5-yfUjxEBJ_c1fucEti0J6ut8A-k/s1600/IMG_20190516_131453559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6Fk56bZlPNAQyBArTJklFblo9b4PxGULwDYiJm1IzBdbhqCq4gAbsjVh2jj_1UYKVqwrITB_i-wTd0_-VoNA49ED8vJY9UulUkGmJWNdhyexQbS5-yfUjxEBJ_c1fucEti0J6ut8A-k/s320/IMG_20190516_131453559.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Foel-fras (Pic: Joe Hester, who happened to be passing)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTsh4r0BegsW3aayXu2YcMNQa7p539djhby77qiyUxrhQS6PfFfO0wkDnNVPj7rlQAIE3TlGIQJpDK52FaGUBXNSU8bpTnNPPoNEaTQxSSeIoicaUmlxdVtwRsn0PTpaDb1FhuLealyyE/s1600/Screen+Shot+2019-05-27+at+15.11.40.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="1320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTsh4r0BegsW3aayXu2YcMNQa7p539djhby77qiyUxrhQS6PfFfO0wkDnNVPj7rlQAIE3TlGIQJpDK52FaGUBXNSU8bpTnNPPoNEaTQxSSeIoicaUmlxdVtwRsn0PTpaDb1FhuLealyyE/s320/Screen+Shot+2019-05-27+at+15.11.40.png" width="310" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welsh 3000ers route</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyY1q6mP1wm7UzmYwPDBandru4Np7HSPtg3iryDOxU6LMKaXZ76LlX7yfXnCjMEL8OqmTNo_Snud_tq3A8_J4jWy55TKw0bxlptviEgh9RFGoqk9cJXMlmW-Xj1SPvpAmJ8HuxqwwovT0/s1600/27306652-2be2-4505-82c5-ba76d17771e1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyY1q6mP1wm7UzmYwPDBandru4Np7HSPtg3iryDOxU6LMKaXZ76LlX7yfXnCjMEL8OqmTNo_Snud_tq3A8_J4jWy55TKw0bxlptviEgh9RFGoqk9cJXMlmW-Xj1SPvpAmJ8HuxqwwovT0/s320/27306652-2be2-4505-82c5-ba76d17771e1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the west end of Llyn Ogwen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPPiUzpmKOmsXfwpKVpFJWtjJCQZQrezFV9-xbfkR-GPRdIHvlIEjrh_tdCJi8A9hbAu881aT9AUDbo5y22RFJxCMJwqr1WLc0ZxsdQQBEvv1qnSHOLfzQ_kURNJe4bvoaMRNpcvsujD0/s1600/af7a6abe-7b6b-4328-b18c-852b240d1146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPPiUzpmKOmsXfwpKVpFJWtjJCQZQrezFV9-xbfkR-GPRdIHvlIEjrh_tdCJi8A9hbAu881aT9AUDbo5y22RFJxCMJwqr1WLc0ZxsdQQBEvv1qnSHOLfzQ_kURNJe4bvoaMRNpcvsujD0/s320/af7a6abe-7b6b-4328-b18c-852b240d1146.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting the climb up Pen Yr Ole Wen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">16/5/19 start 0900hrs 35.35km 4h10m48s</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
Strava trace at: <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/2372341367">https://www.strava.com/activities/2372341367</a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
UK Climbing writeup: <a href="https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2019/05/finlay_wild_breaks_snowdonia_mountain_running_records_-_full_report-71958">https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2019/05/finlay_wild_breaks_snowdonia_mountain_running_records_-_full_report-71958</a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Split Times (approx):</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Snowdon 0</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Carnedd Ugain 05.20</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Crib Goch 09.44 (15.04)</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Blaen-y-nant 14.01 (29.05)</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Nant Peris PO 07.19 (36.24)</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Elidir Fawr 35.33 (1.11.57)</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Y Garn 22.21 (1.34.17)</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Glyder Fawr 18.39 (1.52.56)</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Glyder Fach 09.09 (2.02.05)</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Tryfan 15.29 (2.17.33)</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Llyn Ogwen west end bridge 14.39 (2.32.12)</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Pen yr Ole Wen 31.18 (3.03.30)</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Carnedd Dafydd 10.42 (3.14.12)</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Yr Elen 22.09 (3.36.20)</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Carnedd Llewelyn 11.42 (3.48.02)</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Foel Grach 08.59 (3.57.01)</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Carnedd Uchaf 05.26 (4.02.27)</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Foel-fras 08.19 (4.10.48)</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Thanks to Es Tresidder for some route advice and use of his 2010 attempt split times. Thanks to my parents for road support.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626806858957754407.post-79266948964564792642019-05-17T15:14:00.000-07:002019-05-27T07:23:36.451-07:00Welsh 3000ers Record (split times only)Write up to follow soon...<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Stats:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Welsh 3000ers</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">16/5/19 start 0900hrs 35.35km 4h10m48s</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Snowdon 0</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Carnedd Ugain 05.20</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Crib Goch 09.44 (15.04)</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Blaen-y-nant 14.01 (29.05)</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Nant Peris PO 07.19 (36.24)</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Elidir Fawr 35.33 (1.11.57)</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Y Garn 22.21 (1.34.17)</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Glyder Fawr 18.39 (1.52.56)</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Glyder Fach 09.09 (2.02.05)</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Tryfan 15.29 (2.17.33)</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Llyn Ogwen west end bridge 14.39 (2.32.12)</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Pen yr Ole Wen 31.18 (3.03.30)</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Carnedd Dafydd 10.42 (3.14.12)</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Yr Elen 22.09 (3.36.20)</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Carnedd Llewelyn 11.42 (3.48.02)</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Foel Grach 08.59 (3.57.01)</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Carnedd Uchaf 05.26 (4.02.27)</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Foel-fras 08.19 (4.10.48)</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span></div>
Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626806858957754407.post-42288845377314801852019-05-15T05:40:00.000-07:002019-05-15T05:40:54.882-07:00Snowdon Horseshoe Record<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNZZNeMvAlh0mCk7XT5I7jrHhn8YDCezs20_ZgOwf4vyPRKJc7B78Pd5alie319V5B0sOdtEru6yYvTpDNwvLES9Ka_yy9Dq0LKN_E4SEOgnbjVnd2YwcCsWQ-ijfN3y0mN533_rtfmhc/s1600/670AED2B-7137-4D4B-A182-5D3BA39970A2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNZZNeMvAlh0mCk7XT5I7jrHhn8YDCezs20_ZgOwf4vyPRKJc7B78Pd5alie319V5B0sOdtEru6yYvTpDNwvLES9Ka_yy9Dq0LKN_E4SEOgnbjVnd2YwcCsWQ-ijfN3y0mN533_rtfmhc/s320/670AED2B-7137-4D4B-A182-5D3BA39970A2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
For years I’d wanted to make time to get to know the hills of Snowdonia, having only been down a few times before to race or climb. I also wanted to have a go at the Snowdon Horseshoe record which seemed likely to present a good mix of scrambling and fast ridge running which I was bound to love.</div>
<br />
I hit the weather right on and arrived to find the Pen y Pass carpark full at 6am on a Saturday - clearly a readjustment was required, even busy Ben Nevis seems deserted in comparison to its Welsh counterpart. Approaching from slightly further away was no hardship in the warming sun, and I enjoyed a leisurely recce of the route, finding some nice fast passages whilst exploring and discounting some alternatives. I was early enough to avoid queuing for the summit block on Snowdon, but later the sight of the orderly line galvanised me to depart for my record attempt at an early hour. The freedom of the flowing hill runner is a beautiful but selfish transience that does not deal well with external constraint: to queue would be to kill it mid-stride.<br />
<br />
Musing aside, I had a good rest and a good feed and awoke early the next morning to another summery clear day. Jogging up to the pass I hid my water bottle and travelled light - just a gel and a windproof in my pocket. I hit the scramble up to Crib Goch hard and got a more direct line than the previous day. Skipping along that airy ridge in the early morning light surrounded by space and further off impressive rocky peaks which I would soon be atop focussed me on the pinpoint of the present.<br />
<br />
After crossing Crib Goch I was at Bwlch Coch and pushed on along fast paths with the occasional scrambly section until the trigpoint of Crib y Ddysgl came into view. I didn’t have record holder Gareth Wyn Hughes’s split times from 2018 but was ahead of Es Tresidder’s numbers from 2009 so felt fairly confident that the record was in sight. Running up the main path to Snowdon’s summit now I was reminded of the terrible race I had here in 29 degrees heat many years ago - today was going much better.<br />
<br />
A scree shortcut took me to the Watkin Path and its fast rock steps before the final climbs to Y Lliwedd’s peaks. West Peak is higher but I decided to follow Es and tag them both, given that it would only cost a few seconds.<br />
<br />
Descending down to Llyn Llydaw is a bit winding and I suspect Gareth’s split was faster here. I determined to try and make up for this with a full beans effort down the final sprint of the Miners’ Track: a contrasting finish after the mountain terrain above.<br />
<br />
I finished where I had started, touching the gate into the carpark from the Miners’ Track at 1hr 20mins and 16 seconds elapsed.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVzcF1CNeSUjOojSefpEinkR7XLxhcigkbyHPgMVskWBcJ0NtheVQLPrfPDqa-NmenTSNqF3Rah6N3ol4kYzGPtZxtoxTueSxCPsBmgal5xJuZs5BeVPrEaIk2Ohx8PSh3kMTAcXmlCAo/s1600/3823E330-FF70-44A4-AB36-2B96BC02EFB1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1136" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVzcF1CNeSUjOojSefpEinkR7XLxhcigkbyHPgMVskWBcJ0NtheVQLPrfPDqa-NmenTSNqF3Rah6N3ol4kYzGPtZxtoxTueSxCPsBmgal5xJuZs5BeVPrEaIk2Ohx8PSh3kMTAcXmlCAo/s320/3823E330-FF70-44A4-AB36-2B96BC02EFB1.png" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Strava GPS trace: </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/2361927605">https://www.strava.com/activities/2361927605</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Start time: 0724 on 12/5/19</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Splits:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Pen Y Pass: 0 (cumulative)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Crib Goch: 25.48 (25.48)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Crib Y Ddysgl: 13.43 (39.31)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Snowdon: 06.01 (45.32)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Lliwedd West summit: 15.08 (1.00.40)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Lliwedd East summit: 01.33 (1.02.13)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Pen Y Pass: 18.03 (1.20.16)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626806858957754407.post-32564860755146152222018-11-30T05:05:00.005-08:002018-11-30T05:05:50.778-08:00Skyrunning 2: 'Atmosphere'Article about the famous 'Zegama' race in the Basque Country of Spain:<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.ukhillwalking.com/articles/features/skyrunning_with_finlay_wild_party_atmosphere_in_zegama-11449">https://www.ukhillwalking.com/articles/features/skyrunning_with_finlay_wild_party_atmosphere_in_zegama-11449</a>Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626806858957754407.post-4177480121835625412018-11-30T05:00:00.004-08:002018-11-30T05:01:16.617-08:00Skyrunning 1: AltitudeArticle about my trip to Yading, Sichuan Province, China in April/May 2018<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/skyrunning_with_finlay_wild_high_altitude_in_china-10952">https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/skyrunning_with_finlay_wild_high_altitude_in_china-10952</a>Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626806858957754407.post-91610944088133572702018-08-06T11:46:00.001-07:002018-08-06T11:50:40.815-07:00Cairngorm 4000ers Record<div class="normal">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">There were two factors that both worried and
excited me in equal measure as I set out to attempt the Cairngorm 4000ers
record. The first was the weather: it was fairly blustery and a familiar wall
of cloud hugged the plateau around Braeriach, as it often does. Cairngorm
itself was clear and despite a few very light showers I hoped the cloud would
blow off before I got across the Lairig Ghru. The other factor was that I
didn’t know exactly what Ally Beaven’s 2017 record was, having been unorganised
and then suffered in the morning from the frustrating technological calamity
known as “the internet is broken”. So I set off with Paul Raistrick’s split
times and the knowledge that Ally had broken this 2007 record by several
minutes, exact quantity unknown!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">I last ran the route in April 2017 when there
was a fair bit of spring snow still around. This made several parts slow going,
and some sections of whiteout navigation from Cairn Toul onwards had augmented
this. Still, I felt pretty prepared for a fast attempt when I next had chance,
and Ally’s breaking of the four hour mark last year was a good reminder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">Running from Glenmore Lodge I took a
reasonably good route up to the Coire Cas car park and then a direct line
parallel to the funicular track. From Cairngorm I glimpsed Ben Macdui, almost
entirely cloud free across the Loch Avon basin. From the head of Coire Domhain
I cut almost directly south, crossing the Feith Buidhe to reassend to the
highest summit of the day. Boulder hopping southwest it wasn’t long until I was
across the Lairig Ghru and tackling the big steep climb up into Coire an
t-Sabhail and then to Cairn Toul’s summit. There was a fairly strong breeze
from the northwest as I rounded the multiple corries of Braeriach, but I could
hardly complain as this had blown away the cloud entirely, giving me clear
visibility throughout. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">Approaching the final 4000ft summit,
Braeriach, I was over ten minutes up on Paul’s splits. I felt reasonably
confident but there was still a lot of running to do. Grabbing some more water
as I crossed the Lairig Ghru again I was pleased it wasn’t any hotter given the
unusual heat Scotland has had for much of this summer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">The short-lived boulder field through the
Chalamain Gap broke up the faster running but then it was full speed ahead down
the good track to cross the Allt Mor, and along the final kilometres of fast
trail back to the lodge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Arial;
mso-ansi-language:UZ-CYR;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="normal">
<span lang="UZ-CYR">Finishing a hair’s breadth under 3hrs
53minutes I was delighted to look up and confirm that this was a new record,
Ally’s time having been 3hrs 57minutes 52secs.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="UZ-CYR"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqk4sqYz90w3V3hbO7-k4bWUdHICvei_KEq1zAawrtD4qw-tudUI_-WOYpMgih-Y3q9zykmukqSE7HF-O-29AmUvtOKhyphenhyphen3_k4lqMmVhj_4N8MJJbf38V4cTRsl3NxCfeVW7ZMfHA_Hh4/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-08-06+at+18.14.04.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1304" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqk4sqYz90w3V3hbO7-k4bWUdHICvei_KEq1zAawrtD4qw-tudUI_-WOYpMgih-Y3q9zykmukqSE7HF-O-29AmUvtOKhyphenhyphen3_k4lqMmVhj_4N8MJJbf38V4cTRsl3NxCfeVW7ZMfHA_Hh4/s320/Screen+Shot+2018-08-06+at+18.14.04.png" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cairngorm 4000ers route</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="UZ-CYR"><br /></span>
<span lang="UZ-CYR"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px; white-space: pre;">Details:</span></span><br style="color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="color: #757575; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px; white-space: pre;">Record: 3hrs 52minutes 59 seconds</span></span><br style="color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><span style="color: #757575; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px; white-space: pre;">Date: 4/8/18</span></span></span><br />
<span lang="UZ-CYR"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px; white-space: pre-wrap;">GPS track:</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/1749371929" style="color: #2196f3; text-decoration: none;">https://www.strava.com/activities/1749371929</a></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Splits:</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<span lang="UZ-CYR"></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; color: #757575; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="background-color: gainsboro; border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 11px; padding: 4px; width: 118px;" valign="top"><span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b>Glenmore Lodge</b></span></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 11px; padding: 4px; width: 89px;" valign="top"><div align="right" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">0:00:00</span></div>
</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 11px; padding: 4px; width: 89px;" valign="top"><div align="right" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">0:00:00</span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td style="background-color: gainsboro; border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 11px; padding: 4px; width: 118px;" valign="top"><span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b>Cairngorm</b></span></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 11px; padding: 4px; width: 89px;" valign="top"><div align="right" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">0:47:25</span></div>
</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 11px; padding: 4px; width: 89px;" valign="top"><div align="right" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">0:47:25</span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td style="background-color: gainsboro; border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 11px; padding: 4px; width: 118px;" valign="top"><span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b>Ben Macdui</b></span></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 11px; padding: 4px; width: 89px;" valign="top"><div align="right" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">0:31:57</span></div>
</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 11px; padding: 4px; width: 89px;" valign="top"><div align="right" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">1:19:22</span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td style="background-color: gainsboro; border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 11px; padding: 4px; width: 118px;" valign="top"><span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b>Lairig Ghru</b></span></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 11px; padding: 4px; width: 89px;" valign="top"><div align="right" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">0:14:35</span></div>
</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 11px; padding: 4px; width: 89px;" valign="top"><div align="right" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">1:33:57</span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td style="background-color: gainsboro; border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 11px; padding: 4px; width: 118px;" valign="top"><span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b>Cairn Toul</b></span></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 11px; padding: 4px; width: 89px;" valign="top"><div align="right" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">0:35:32</span></div>
</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 11px; padding: 4px; width: 89px;" valign="top"><div align="right" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">2:09:29</span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td style="background-color: gainsboro; border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 11px; padding: 4px; width: 118px;" valign="top"><span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b>Sgor an Lochain Uaine</b></span></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 11px; padding: 4px; width: 89px;" valign="top"><div align="right" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">0:10:57</span></div>
</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 11px; padding: 4px; width: 89px;" valign="top"><div align="right" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">2:20:26</span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td style="background-color: gainsboro; border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 11px; padding: 4px; width: 118px;" valign="top"><span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b>Braeriach</b></span></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 11px; padding: 4px; width: 89px;" valign="top"><div align="right" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">0:27:29</span></div>
</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 11px; padding: 4px; width: 89px;" valign="top"><div align="right" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">2:47:55</span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td style="background-color: gainsboro; border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 12px; padding: 4px; width: 118px;" valign="top"><span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b>Glenmore Lodge</b></span></td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 12px; padding: 4px; width: 89px;" valign="top"><div align="right" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">1:05:04</span></div>
</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 12px; padding: 4px; width: 89px;" valign="top"><div align="right" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">3:52:59</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><br /></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626806858957754407.post-79972287166609845012018-04-08T14:26:00.000-07:002018-08-06T12:42:50.398-07:00Winter Tranter Round Record<span style="color: blue;">On Monday 26th February 2018 I set a new Tranter Round record.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;">Here's some of the key info, in reply to questions posed by Dan Bailey of UK Climbing / Hillwalking:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="">
<div>
<blockquote class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" type="cite">
<div class="">
<div class="" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">OK Finlay, here’s a few Qs:<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div>
<div class="" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<div class="" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">14:24:48 … wow! Did you set out from the outset to try for the winter record?</span></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="color: blue;"><br class="" /></span></div>
<span class="" style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px;">I mainly decided to go and do the round because I was aware conditions were great. I’d just read Helen Rennard’s account from her traverse the week before, and I’d been out in the hills and seen how fast and firm conditions were. I was also aware Monday was the last day I could fit in a traverse before March (and so the last day I could do it within the 3 core winter months).</span></div>
<div>
<span class="" style="color: blue;">So my main goal was having a great day out in some of my favourite mountains, but the record was of course an objective. I’ve been round faster than the winter running record on skis, with Tim Gomersall (in 17hr 35m on 28th Feb 2016) and although of course this is a different discipline, I feel I can draw several parallels when thinking about the mountaineering tradeoffs between skis and on foot in different conditions and situations. So I was pretty confident I could beat both the ski and running records in the current good conditions, body willing!</span></div>
<div>
<span class="" style="color: blue;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLKOlYpw5yjI0iKV0wRR4l8DxuTveSXxkzJ3Yf57M9GnIZCyAei-8VIkXflBiU2K9bdpca3TicgTL74yaN_5v7PAs3mgOlNxwywJW6knqwewqK5FPgXDa-fh055NXXc-55sz8-eYKUNac/s1600/IMG_0003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLKOlYpw5yjI0iKV0wRR4l8DxuTveSXxkzJ3Yf57M9GnIZCyAei-8VIkXflBiU2K9bdpca3TicgTL74yaN_5v7PAs3mgOlNxwywJW6knqwewqK5FPgXDa-fh055NXXc-55sz8-eYKUNac/s320/IMG_0003.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<div>
<span style="color: blue;"><span class="" style="color: blue;"><br class="" /></span>
</span><br />
<blockquote class="" type="cite">
<div class="">
<div class="" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div>
<div class="" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">What time did you start (on Monday, was it?)</span></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<div>
<span style="color: blue;"><br class="" /></span></div>
<span class="" style="color: blue;">4am monday. Very windy - almost bailed out actually, but decided to keep going and see if wind abated. It did ease, just enough. Which made for quite a cold, wind battered day out!</span></div>
<div>
<span class="" style="color: blue;">5am highlight on Mullach was seeing a deep orange moon which then faded behind the horizon.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: blue;"><span class="" style="color: blue;"><br class="" /></span>
</span><br />
<blockquote class="" type="cite">
<div class="">
<div class="" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div>
<div class="" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">You’ve also got the summer record (<span class="">10:15:30). Would you say you’re pretty familiar with the route?!</span></span></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<div>
<span style="color: blue;"><br class="" /></span></div>
<span class="" style="color: blue;">Yes! These are my local mountains and I’ve been round the route 3 times in its entirety now (ski, summer run, winter run) as well as doing sections of it many other times too. Earlier this winter I did a random ‘Tour of Stob Bans’ taking in the 2 mountains of the same name which both lie along the Tranter route. I looked at the map once to triple check something on the Grey Corries (I’ve got a thing about checking summit cairns now…!) but visibility was good for the majority and there were no route finding issues.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: blue;"><span class="" style="color: blue;"><br class="" /></span>
</span><br />
<blockquote class="" type="cite">
<div class="">
<div class="" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span class="" style="background-color: white; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><span class="" style="color: blue;"><o:p class=""></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The previous winter record of 18:59:06 must have seemed a tall order to top. How confident were you?</span></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<div>
<span style="color: blue;"><br class="" /></span></div>
<span class="" style="color: blue;">I suspected the current conditions were totally optimal - very firm neve, so no trail breaking or scree hopping - so I was pretty confident to be honest. I also had the advantage of going at the very end of ‘proper’ winter, so knew it would be lightish from about 6am till 7pm. Starting in the dark but then knowing that I should hopefully finish (just) in daylight was a bonus - the cumulative gains of seeing a clear route, not having to stop to navigate, morale boost of a view, etc. A slight concern was that I haven’t done many long runs over the winter, and had had a full on weekend skimo racing both days. Time spent on my feet mountaineering in various forms this season must have kept my endurance levels reasonable however.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="" style="color: blue;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7iYYpKG0WtIaGvSIPrq1b1wat0AoYz4A8upUMhF0Te9i5tUTx2Tt17NbU5Kpe_llv26pxVnXYtPswAVWGz5lD8C-_jvXllpPYEtJbGFaMrgJbYOQ9yM0Ja0ZPBaAeBfM_jyShLdw1x4/s1600/IMG_0004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7iYYpKG0WtIaGvSIPrq1b1wat0AoYz4A8upUMhF0Te9i5tUTx2Tt17NbU5Kpe_llv26pxVnXYtPswAVWGz5lD8C-_jvXllpPYEtJbGFaMrgJbYOQ9yM0Ja0ZPBaAeBfM_jyShLdw1x4/s320/IMG_0004.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5t-Y4u1zFpUaf1_QGcBhsTEEC78CAJfS03hBfIkNXJ-9Y9jKqZ6oO_Iv7epsLQ3BRK65eHvjd4elGk7cieLBZgRLh3SxNYNRqIzLCMOe1kEDw2bKHLjm-F8MQs3jFuNm2kREzrWpqRlU/s1600/IMG_0007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5t-Y4u1zFpUaf1_QGcBhsTEEC78CAJfS03hBfIkNXJ-9Y9jKqZ6oO_Iv7epsLQ3BRK65eHvjd4elGk7cieLBZgRLh3SxNYNRqIzLCMOe1kEDw2bKHLjm-F8MQs3jFuNm2kREzrWpqRlU/s320/IMG_0007.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi4pveklTkFRWO8ZkLZrTm2luN0BDvS8NOqmqnpkPWhyRq9BZmFicQ7_9WR-BvsY5D90oz1EPczJ1TqQSixrmuzbwBLmNCtIpoFQmxV5YR4l-anmPD07AbCD0pytHDzDmF-9E6Jv37LeI/s1600/IMG_0010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi4pveklTkFRWO8ZkLZrTm2luN0BDvS8NOqmqnpkPWhyRq9BZmFicQ7_9WR-BvsY5D90oz1EPczJ1TqQSixrmuzbwBLmNCtIpoFQmxV5YR4l-anmPD07AbCD0pytHDzDmF-9E6Jv37LeI/s320/IMG_0010.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqd15dIt82pkXlPGMMkju8SuqBI-DxQPU4193evNE8uTmPtBvcZKYVsc72R5GfUisnF7JT-NPSNdPBG28w1_HdcvpbP49Z0q0RR4Q6zjZfJC7bJE0xNxec_migEFfTqMtovGJOFWPbaw/s1600/IMG_0003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqd15dIt82pkXlPGMMkju8SuqBI-DxQPU4193evNE8uTmPtBvcZKYVsc72R5GfUisnF7JT-NPSNdPBG28w1_HdcvpbP49Z0q0RR4Q6zjZfJC7bJE0xNxec_migEFfTqMtovGJOFWPbaw/s320/IMG_0003.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div>
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: blue;"><br class="" /></span>
</span><br />
<blockquote class="" type="cite">
<div class="">
<div class="" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div>
<div class="" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Your summer record was solo and unsupported – did you have any company or support this time?</span></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<div>
<span style="color: blue;"><br class="" /></span></div>
<span class="" style="color: blue;">No.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: blue;"><span class="" style="color: blue;"><br class="" /></span>
</span><br />
<blockquote class="" type="cite">
<div class="">
<div class="" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div>
<div class="" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Did you go clockwise or anticlockwise?</span></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<span class="" style="color: blue;">Anticlockwise - finish on the Ben, then it’s ‘just’ the descent back to the Youth Hostel. The neve in the Red Burn extended all the way to the bottom of the Grassy Bank, something I’ve not seen for a long time.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: blue;"><span class="" style="color: blue;"><br class="" /></span>
</span><br />
<blockquote class="" type="cite">
<div class="">
<div class="" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div>
<div class="" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">How were ground conditions?</span></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<span class="" style="color: blue;">Firm neve, quite a bit of scouring. No soft snow. Cold. Some old frozen tracks at places; in other places blank and bullet hard.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: blue;"><span class="" style="color: blue;"><br class="" /></span>
</span><br />
<blockquote class="" type="cite">
<div class="">
<div class="" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div>
<div class="" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">For a winter round, what would you consider to be helpful snow conditions, versus unhelpful – how much difference does snow state make to your pace, basically?</span></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<span class="" style="color: blue;">The optimal conditions are something I’ve pondered quite a lot. And particularly how this would vary for skis vs on foot (it’s all mountaineering!). I think skis were the way to go for our 2016 round as there was quite a bit of soft snow that would have meant slow trail breaking on foot. Whereas this time, foot and crampon was totally the way to go due to the scoured solid conditions. I love the fact that it is so entirely dependent on conditions - a traverse earlier this year in the deep fresh snow we had would have been unthinkable either on foot (trail breaking exhaustion and avalanche danger) or skis (even more avalanche danger)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: blue;"><span class="" style="color: blue;"><br class="" /></span>
</span><br />
<blockquote class="" type="cite">
<div class="">
<div class="" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div>
<div class="" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">How about the weather?</span></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<span class="" style="color: blue;">Very windy initially, settled to just windy. But clear summits except about 30mins on Sgurr Eilde Mor when cloud passed through. The Grey Corries were in and out of cloud while I was approaching them from the glen, but pretty much cleared by the time I was on the ridge. Finally, in the afternoon, the sun came out and the wind eased further making for a glorious evening on the Aonachs and the Ben.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="" style="color: blue;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-mJnjyrnn6DpksZdTfDrLwUx45A73eoB-WAGVftkJ4e6GhQuwdM9R1d1WoEqSHFTV2zIP48PiWdmhIEd_8Tirwju1eoivNS6tGCZGfCvX4kZ1kZLCatM4ughF0KrXzufbKypwMK4-j0/s1600/IMG_0005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-mJnjyrnn6DpksZdTfDrLwUx45A73eoB-WAGVftkJ4e6GhQuwdM9R1d1WoEqSHFTV2zIP48PiWdmhIEd_8Tirwju1eoivNS6tGCZGfCvX4kZ1kZLCatM4ughF0KrXzufbKypwMK4-j0/s320/IMG_0005.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNVcDBFKyBWKMaNhbvhAqF-lcTh9-Rb7wzGoZX248aisqeRtIzNSMloorCSkUQ711a7w6eTyStElNQVS12sTeTCBhTd1bNzfL4jGe68TAiG9U4ealMNF1Q20HjzxOJ6B7HA8LvQFlNGGo/s1600/IMG_0008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNVcDBFKyBWKMaNhbvhAqF-lcTh9-Rb7wzGoZX248aisqeRtIzNSMloorCSkUQ711a7w6eTyStElNQVS12sTeTCBhTd1bNzfL4jGe68TAiG9U4ealMNF1Q20HjzxOJ6B7HA8LvQFlNGGo/s320/IMG_0008.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinSv1_QehphiIhRVvh7vkz71uzE0-nL-tIjHZtQCoJK1715QVrEHCYb1Q28Vpl6vlISni084NQgN2NecoBvsQNSxc_-KJlbjO-jVD7PgV8Eh_Uq64k-Zd9Fq_Sp83-_zLJsqEUUlVEtek/s1600/IMG_0018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinSv1_QehphiIhRVvh7vkz71uzE0-nL-tIjHZtQCoJK1715QVrEHCYb1Q28Vpl6vlISni084NQgN2NecoBvsQNSxc_-KJlbjO-jVD7PgV8Eh_Uq64k-Zd9Fq_Sp83-_zLJsqEUUlVEtek/s320/IMG_0018.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div>
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: blue;"><br class="" /></span>
</span><br />
<blockquote class="" type="cite">
<div class="">
<div class="" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div>
<div class="" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">What did you wear on your feet?</span></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<span class="" style="color: blue;">I suffer from cold feet so have tried various combos. I used Salomon XA Alpine shoes - basically a light trainer with a gaiter - and seal skin socks. Unusually for me, I didnt get cold feet! Although it was cold enough that there was so little water around and no meltage so feet stayed dry, which probably kept them warm. I used a set a aluminium strap on crampons which I took off and on multiple times. Also 2 ski poles and a lightweight axe.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: blue;"><span class="" style="color: blue;"><br class="" /></span>
</span><br />
<blockquote class="" type="cite">
<div class="" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div>
<div class="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span class="" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Can you talk us through the route a bit – how you felt at various stages, energy levels, psyche etc?</span><span class="" style="color: #ff2600; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
</blockquote>
<div>
<span style="color: blue;"><br class="" /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="" style="color: blue;">I won’t repeat the stuff Ive already said about the route, but =</span></div>
<div>
<span class="" style="color: blue;">Excited to start, up Mullach in very strong cold wind, satisfying to see the familiar mountain shapes take form around me with first light. Jogging the flatter sections felt solid and fast going on the firm neve. Often there was just enough grip to eschew the donning of crampons and continue with poles and shoes. I’d say the most dangerous part of the route was in making a continual assessment of snow firmness, terrain steepness and consequences, to allow me to travel fast but also to take the time to put on crampons or to take out the axe when needed. Energy levels waned a little going off Sgurr Eilde Mor to the geographic low in the middle of the route. I ate plenty of bars, nuts and chocolate which picked me up. I had a few gels (not classic winter mountaineering provisions!) - one of them froze so was a bit more like an ice cream! Getting onto Stob Choire Claurigh is alway a boost as after that you are basically heading in the homeward direction! Up Sgurr Choinnich Mor I was pretty tired, and was a bit fed up with the incessant wind and constant battle to keep hands warm. Luckily, that was the point where the weather improved and got better and better across the Lochaber Traverse to the Ben and down. I only looked at my watch a few times - on Sgurr Eilde Mor where it was almost 7hrs elapsed I knew it was just a case of keeping going. It was much more fun to guestimate how much daylight I had left by the height of the sun and the quality of the light, so I was confident by the afternoon that I could get in in around 15hrs or less.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="" style="color: blue;">The final few hours were quite difficult physically as I felt generally fairly exhausted - but mentally I knew what I had coming and just had to keep going. CMD arete was fun with a build up of snow filing in some of the bouldery parts and smoothing the way.</span></div>
<blockquote class="" type="cite">
<div class="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: white;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="" style="color: #ff2600; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span class="" style="color: blue; font-size: 15px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhURmAf-GrND17fSf_3jXLZiZW1gqECYkRXZGe5FbTHgrmduhtDi9GH2Ix21qFk6GpA_cJh-MTPoKM3YD901hyphenhyphen4w492DVA-_gEmTkpsWZlkdzhW_x8sujnBGNuXjBVy1tC4wpyO-1vXAWE/s1600/IMG_0022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhURmAf-GrND17fSf_3jXLZiZW1gqECYkRXZGe5FbTHgrmduhtDi9GH2Ix21qFk6GpA_cJh-MTPoKM3YD901hyphenhyphen4w492DVA-_gEmTkpsWZlkdzhW_x8sujnBGNuXjBVy1tC4wpyO-1vXAWE/s320/IMG_0022.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span class="" style="color: #ff2600; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span class="" style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="color: blue;">
<br />
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="" style="color: #ff2600; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span class="" style="font-size: 15px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHGAOqP5Ta2WZKCovajUsfZOzPhn1lmD-cdbZ82DpnYkwZnm383m3XeIhFrNs9y1-ZeJl_0X438oBRDrY-r0HMxwpPum4XpLK6v8ZjJKRzVqXj80W9tfYmFcwz43G7Z7RMh6Dhyphenhyphen2Jr5cw/s1600/IMG_0023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: blue;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHGAOqP5Ta2WZKCovajUsfZOzPhn1lmD-cdbZ82DpnYkwZnm383m3XeIhFrNs9y1-ZeJl_0X438oBRDrY-r0HMxwpPum4XpLK6v8ZjJKRzVqXj80W9tfYmFcwz43G7Z7RMh6Dhyphenhyphen2Jr5cw/s320/IMG_0023.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></span></span></div>
<span class="" style="color: #ff2600; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span class="" style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="color: blue;">
<span style="color: blue;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="" style="color: #ff2600; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span class="" style="font-size: 15px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY_eSx0SvWs5lhW2F53UISbo2ShdJkxg-rKL31r5dRN596P8rV-Cz4jbXmqEJLrhcfNB7oy6pp0tG2ZGhanmjDx-pOSmGJw88ObeRKHLguVfcU6-4zPD7dblZgt7NxfivFgCGV7bMER2k/s1600/IMG_0025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: blue;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY_eSx0SvWs5lhW2F53UISbo2ShdJkxg-rKL31r5dRN596P8rV-Cz4jbXmqEJLrhcfNB7oy6pp0tG2ZGhanmjDx-pOSmGJw88ObeRKHLguVfcU6-4zPD7dblZgt7NxfivFgCGV7bMER2k/s320/IMG_0025.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></span></span></div>
<span class="" style="color: #ff2600; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span class="" style="font-size: 15px;">
</span></span></div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626806858957754407.post-32697273228396563052018-01-06T12:09:00.002-08:002018-01-06T12:11:07.450-08:00South Glen Shiel Ridge Ski Traverse<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Many times I have passed
through Glen Shiel, looked up to the South Cluanie Ridge and wondered what it
would be like as a ski traverse. Having run it once many years ago, my memory
was of grassy amenable slopes, and with this in mind it was certainly on my
radar for a ski traverse on lightweight ‘skimo’ gear. But would I ever manage to get there when it
was in condition?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;">
On 16<sup>th</sup> December 2017 I was able to be in
the right place at the right time<span style="color: #00b050;"> </span>and
complete a traverse on ski, starting from just east of Cluanie Inn, ascending
to Creag a’ Mhàim<span style="color: red;"> </span>and then taking in all the Munros
heading west to The Saddle, before descending again to the A87 in Glen Shiel.<span style="font-family: "ms shell dlg 2" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjHOJ1uS4kI9FHTRJmri4zvMe3KhFpG9N14W9NR7yuPkfR3p09kGihgt6mCI6For7nj5MZUj0VceiQJ6tXApqOioMJVF0dVyL9PI6uj7RknPTc4RHzMQQiPUKYOSNuYrZB6ofQ9YYsqWc/s1600/DSC_0359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjHOJ1uS4kI9FHTRJmri4zvMe3KhFpG9N14W9NR7yuPkfR3p09kGihgt6mCI6For7nj5MZUj0VceiQJ6tXApqOioMJVF0dVyL9PI6uj7RknPTc4RHzMQQiPUKYOSNuYrZB6ofQ9YYsqWc/s320/DSC_0359.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skinning along the old road</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Setting off a little before
sunrise I skinned along the old Fort William road right from the car. Heading
south and up into Coirean an Eich Bhric there was some fantastic morning light
and I was amazed by how close the Nevis hills looked. A short section on foot took
me up the north ridge to summit Creag a’ Mhàim, the first of the nine Munros I
hoped to visit.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOi8S0j_nKeT0Rz8d6MpT4BeKrXpNL1v6jv6XT4SwqEBLKNSDjNiyySz8QGdTRWLgo8mEYzUW1BNoFcNUh17U7ichZfIjPx2HMv9YawQrYQqQ72r02WM30DCa0ntE6bztjtV_mnDD2IoE/s1600/DSC_0387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOi8S0j_nKeT0Rz8d6MpT4BeKrXpNL1v6jv6XT4SwqEBLKNSDjNiyySz8QGdTRWLgo8mEYzUW1BNoFcNUh17U7ichZfIjPx2HMv9YawQrYQqQ72r02WM30DCa0ntE6bztjtV_mnDD2IoE/s320/DSC_0387.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice light early on</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicUN9tHZ1DYDqRP6zDYXB9wh6aBEr-SXagfU1iqQgyYGvTlKUhQRC0_r1Pa3DenebIPimvDYg6UuaNXUJRwHv5ujuVd7i68CZBF5eLKK5miZdKTjFwEaXMu6n7jAQJ5m2oNHUekj6dYnw/s1600/DSC_0395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicUN9tHZ1DYDqRP6zDYXB9wh6aBEr-SXagfU1iqQgyYGvTlKUhQRC0_r1Pa3DenebIPimvDYg6UuaNXUJRwHv5ujuVd7i68CZBF5eLKK5miZdKTjFwEaXMu6n7jAQJ5m2oNHUekj6dYnw/s320/DSC_0395.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Creag a' Mhaim</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwrqtZRPc5gXwYpPE4OCHDG6JqGw4IHRUV537BLNWIaS19IUttNVo4UZm7pv6IeWtmkSgxNwunj-m4YNKuKExs2p2fuS0M37DFjdaqGALeSZuJXH6kqH67sLhq_2J6Dzh6iOGvtiYRkE/s1600/GPTempDownload.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwrqtZRPc5gXwYpPE4OCHDG6JqGw4IHRUV537BLNWIaS19IUttNVo4UZm7pv6IeWtmkSgxNwunj-m4YNKuKExs2p2fuS0M37DFjdaqGALeSZuJXH6kqH67sLhq_2J6Dzh6iOGvtiYRkE/s320/GPTempDownload.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skins off before the first descent</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Heading west along the broad
ridge I ascended into the mist, managing<span style="color: red;"> </span>to keep
the skis on past some narrow rocky sections. After Aonach air Chrith I ran a
short distance as again the ridge was narrow, rocky and scoured. Snow showers
would blow through making things a bit unpleasant<span style="color: #00b050;"> </span>but
then would recede as quickly, leaving me alone with the silent untracked snow
again.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6HPbW6dEZxTG64EptK_cDEYIyFHhgvS_Z3FdODBm_R33XBG9Vwv2qjtfOGA2Jv2v7PiFoJugHZ-9hKxwoNvK1AVOVZY2Ad7LBwvz8GcLbIDTN0FnjfXmfUkb-Jf6ARb6-CzVH5u0SteA/s1600/DSC_0406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6HPbW6dEZxTG64EptK_cDEYIyFHhgvS_Z3FdODBm_R33XBG9Vwv2qjtfOGA2Jv2v7PiFoJugHZ-9hKxwoNvK1AVOVZY2Ad7LBwvz8GcLbIDTN0FnjfXmfUkb-Jf6ARb6-CzVH5u0SteA/s320/DSC_0406.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking back east along the ridge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Getting further along the
weather improved and I had more expansive views down to Glen Quoich, fully
blanketed in snow. Following the old fenceline for a lot of the route made for
mostly easy navigation through the intermittent cloud, although some careful
contouring used the skis to their advantage in enabling a more direct line that
avoided several sub-summits. The snow cover was good, although the base was
variable. In practice this meant for quick uphill skinning but required careful
descending to avoid rocks, fenceposts and unconsolidated drifts. Due to the
nature of the undulating ridge it was quicker and more efficient to leave skis
in ‘uphill’ mode for some of the short, gentler descents. As anyone who has free-heeled
downhill with skins on will know, this can be pretty ungainly!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpyhRIu_1PIGgfb94p1yUjb0Y268nBZB0UQjNZyDo7XPOx9LVUnogQTrCec8KJQB2QEwSDaRDrfL_sDd69SlOlW3HmFqc_QiDyPZeRytRU5ls5bQ8PirbOycKdp7bLIQ8Ee5hvW8WwbEU/s1600/DSC_0417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpyhRIu_1PIGgfb94p1yUjb0Y268nBZB0UQjNZyDo7XPOx9LVUnogQTrCec8KJQB2QEwSDaRDrfL_sDd69SlOlW3HmFqc_QiDyPZeRytRU5ls5bQ8PirbOycKdp7bLIQ8Ee5hvW8WwbEU/s320/DSC_0417.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down to East Glen Quoich</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsnnseX8h3kf4hEV36fm_Do7T6ydczF5XvoPUXFvJNYj3JCouqwxwkehHEWOkuiv2lEB_8e1PCscDOAosSOuc8np33A56JoFPdTCORFk5uHrIa-LEpe-CjLqAwHdJASrKS5YeOZLOpuRI/s1600/DSC_0419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsnnseX8h3kf4hEV36fm_Do7T6ydczF5XvoPUXFvJNYj3JCouqwxwkehHEWOkuiv2lEB_8e1PCscDOAosSOuc8np33A56JoFPdTCORFk5uHrIa-LEpe-CjLqAwHdJASrKS5YeOZLOpuRI/s320/DSC_0419.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Approaching the top of Creag nan Damh</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;">
By Creag nan Damh<span style="color: #00b050;"> </span>the
sun was out and I had great winter vistas south and west, as well as glimpses
through the cloud to a pristine looking snowy Saileag to the north. Following
the fenceline down to Bealach Duibh Leac and up onto Sgùrr a’ Bhac Chaolais was
fun although undulating and not totally straightforward. Sgùrr na Sgine was a
beauty, its steep eastern cliffs a barrier that I would have to go around. Skis
off for a steep rocky descent, then a lovely gentle slope traversing southwest
under the cliffs. I spotted two climbers doing one of the chimney lines on the
cliff, and then startled a fox from its snow covered hideout in an old wall. I
watched with primitive delight as it shot up the wide white slope, helter
skelter, disappearing over the horizon. Following it more slowly I arrived at Sg<span style="font-family: "arial";">ù</span>rr
na Sgine and looked across to The Saddle, which was still bathed in cloud. The
snow was less consolidated here, closer to the sea, and the hills seemed rockier
too. An awkward traverse down to Bealach Coire<span style="color: #00b050;"> </span>Mhàlagain
was not free of rocky scrapes, but certainly would have been more arduous on
foot, sinking deep in the soft snow.<span style="color: red; font-family: "ms shell dlg 2" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxuxtDjfRu8NTL_TYLUTgNtqYPMRvZ9rrdQk1T4cI-oMxWg3oKjM325Acdi6VQguWuRmT7HbTfrQ6Ot6VfDSx-in9L__SUJ9_RVlp1yE08pCBxtYjkRK363t4pfWU7fn-_Ycs01NlzCk4/s1600/DSC_0427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxuxtDjfRu8NTL_TYLUTgNtqYPMRvZ9rrdQk1T4cI-oMxWg3oKjM325Acdi6VQguWuRmT7HbTfrQ6Ot6VfDSx-in9L__SUJ9_RVlp1yE08pCBxtYjkRK363t4pfWU7fn-_Ycs01NlzCk4/s320/DSC_0427.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking to Sgurr na Sgine</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirAbA75sFNJSSM4hgiYll8144lvv_0M-y9xsGmKO3pKRm4eX_-gHPIcdumILKnglMSelYeFrE04mt1FLeQPkBUYAN1vF4JSO9_E4dtbpKWE-eLo_hHP6dXx838UUgOo9pBB6myQFhVY2E/s1600/DSC_0431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirAbA75sFNJSSM4hgiYll8144lvv_0M-y9xsGmKO3pKRm4eX_-gHPIcdumILKnglMSelYeFrE04mt1FLeQPkBUYAN1vF4JSO9_E4dtbpKWE-eLo_hHP6dXx838UUgOo9pBB6myQFhVY2E/s320/DSC_0431.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading up Sgurr na Sgine (fox top right)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Heading up The Saddle I felt
tired. I had only taken a litre of water<span style="color: #00b050;"> </span>and
not enough food, so I needed to concentrate. The cloud lifted as I got to the
1010m summit and I had evening views to Loch Duich and Skye. This peak is quite
complex and knowing I had only about half an hour of daylight left with which
to commit to my descent<span style="color: red;"> </span>route focussed the mind,
adding feelings of urgency to those already engendered by the lonely harshness
of the land. Skiing down the featured corrie heading east did not look totally
straightforward, but walking off by<span style="color: red;"> </span>any route
would have been slow and exhausting in these conditions. Carefully avoiding
rocks I skied the corrie and then traversed back to the base of the Forcan
Ridge. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ascending a final time I
passed Meallan Odhar and joined the stalkers track before jogging out the final
2km on foot, just as it became fully dark, and 8.5hrs after setting off. Thumb
out hopefully, walking along the road in the darkness, I was a lucky boy as the
first vehicle passing stopped for me! Thanks to Helen and Neil from Cioch Outdoor
Clothing who gave me a lift back to my car for some food and rehydration.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The next day was nasty,
milder weather, and so I had hit the end of the skiing conditions window.
Reflecting on the day gives me a lot of pleasure for a variety of reasons but
foremost is the satisfaction of using the<span style="color: #00b050;"> </span>ski
as a tool for travel in winter mountain terrain when it is also the best
option. Walking or running the same 32km route would have been implausible in
these conditions due to exhausting slow trail breaking: the skis were not
perfect but they made this journey possible in these conditions. Maybe the
resultant jubilation in part explains the allure of trying<span style="color: #00b050;"> </span><span style="color: black;">to
eke </span>out long ski traverses in Scotland, where ski conditions are very
often marginal, and the outcome is far from predictable.<span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626806858957754407.post-91214206022181080122017-04-10T11:41:00.001-07:002017-04-10T11:41:24.126-07:00Round of the MamoresOn Saturday 8th April it was fantastic summery weather and the hills were all but free of snow following the mild winter.<br />
<br />
I've run the Mamores Round twice before, as well as done it several times as part of longer linkups. Previously I'd clocked in at just over 7hrs, so was fairly sure I could get it under that. At least.<br />
<br />
Setting off from Achriabhach at noon I decided to run clockwise, therefore getting the long runnable section done on fresh legs - I ran up the road and through to Steall Ruin. Onward to the summit of Binnein Beag I was pleased to get there in around 1hr 12mins.<br />
<br />
Knowing the route pretty well made for a fairly stress free journey, keeping eating and drinking and taking in the views. I only touched snow on a handful of times, never more than a few strides to cross small patches.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKAtPY7wKbXobMGrpjc0hXbLHNibSXIbtHfODEfPizQiyYPnl_-Un_SSbA0mzKxqUxctUORTvEnezJDHX4uxZPAkg4bo4rY3ZqxWZau82f1N4GCnSk986F8BTmw0xl8E2N-Csof98gR5c/s1600/IMG_1676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKAtPY7wKbXobMGrpjc0hXbLHNibSXIbtHfODEfPizQiyYPnl_-Un_SSbA0mzKxqUxctUORTvEnezJDHX4uxZPAkg4bo4rY3ZqxWZau82f1N4GCnSk986F8BTmw0xl8E2N-Csof98gR5c/s320/IMG_1676.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking to Binnein Beag from the slopes below Sgurr Eilde Mor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
As I ran I felt pretty strong and started doing some sums from my Tranter splits to see if sub-6hrs was do-able. It seemed like it was so I keep pushing on.<br />
<br />
I loved seeing two ravens playing in the updrafts near Binnein Mor. Also bumping into Adrian and Eilidh who I've not seen for ages - just enough time for a quick hug! Coming up from Kinlochleven side was a massive line of people, I'd guess at least 50. Not sure what their story was as I didn't pass them directly.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmFzYM0mE9JLY5czAm6msUKgj9sKdpLLS6o-AtTRaniZy_heeNMgIyLcXILKegSZAITOK5FaTUGdt-6yeYQ0o906iBZpJ59jVkfZeimPzB40kQMe3pgG9HUn706mZl2W5KlW9BU0ptcD8/s1600/IMG_1681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmFzYM0mE9JLY5czAm6msUKgj9sKdpLLS6o-AtTRaniZy_heeNMgIyLcXILKegSZAITOK5FaTUGdt-6yeYQ0o906iBZpJ59jVkfZeimPzB40kQMe3pgG9HUn706mZl2W5KlW9BU0ptcD8/s320/IMG_1681.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not much snow left on the Ben</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPcpS7eJ_pMTUyWz-OHuMCZ1LM2wMKrm1Z0YJ7JUgYVETFWk3sOfuWi5OvOzxPtva6Hdpja0G1CDn2wDl-U-1nOc4qL7c4bV1Hb8hHY8OMRsDVb0RylEUVfMom98jGfXbe1ntc7mYmAI/s1600/IMG_1677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPcpS7eJ_pMTUyWz-OHuMCZ1LM2wMKrm1Z0YJ7JUgYVETFWk3sOfuWi5OvOzxPtva6Hdpja0G1CDn2wDl-U-1nOc4qL7c4bV1Hb8hHY8OMRsDVb0RylEUVfMom98jGfXbe1ntc7mYmAI/s320/IMG_1677.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Binnein Mor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Moving into the final stages of the run I was regretting not taking my sunglasses - it was glorious! Quick descent off Mullach down a short cut that I just about remembered, back to Achriabhach. Great cup of tea and proper catchup with my friends who had by now finished the Ring of Steall and were relaxing at Lower Falls.<br />
<br />
I ran <b>5hrs 18mins 38secs</b> (start and finish at Achriabhach bus stop sign). I wouldn't be surprised if this is a record although I can't see anything recorded elsewhere. Happy for any further information if anyone has any?<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW5w5Ubp7XEJQ0dB-XGAEn8HUyM7XGIlg1rVXo6Pom2HCJbBkMqfKiqMhV_p75Dwi62LY_OQ2yKWYHSF0Ef1kgvYh_Fn8ukTmQ3Hl2LTe5DeGDe2Z9gh-kkUcTQ4U9U2n0ntwDLUaXqDA/s1600/IMG_1683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW5w5Ubp7XEJQ0dB-XGAEn8HUyM7XGIlg1rVXo6Pom2HCJbBkMqfKiqMhV_p75Dwi62LY_OQ2yKWYHSF0Ef1kgvYh_Fn8ukTmQ3Hl2LTe5DeGDe2Z9gh-kkUcTQ4U9U2n0ntwDLUaXqDA/s320/IMG_1683.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Devil's Ridge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphenZ6Ddjcxv_R08iW6rEJ6fpVMX2uoMJ0p-NbHT_qGTuU70H4pU8AAW9VvisuHvi_2rf95BFCTfn0jvYiekpWL_0mcL5oUPcMMWH4aQR9VbAJkQBv5ThN4HnsRjFJeE7frOZUZhDLqyUo/s1600/IMG_1685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphenZ6Ddjcxv_R08iW6rEJ6fpVMX2uoMJ0p-NbHT_qGTuU70H4pU8AAW9VvisuHvi_2rf95BFCTfn0jvYiekpWL_0mcL5oUPcMMWH4aQR9VbAJkQBv5ThN4HnsRjFJeE7frOZUZhDLqyUo/s320/IMG_1685.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back at Achriabhach</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Strava:<br />
<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/935312640">https://www.strava.com/activities/935312640</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Splits:<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Start Achriabhach</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 19.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Binnein Beag </b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 19.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">1.11.22</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 19.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Sgurr Eilde Mor</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 19.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.32.30</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 19.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Binnein Mor</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 19.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.31.18</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 19.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Na Gruagaichean </b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 19.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.12.40</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 19.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>An Gearanach</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 19.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.29.49</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 19.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Stob Coire a’Chairn</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 19.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.14.00</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 19.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Am Bodach</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 19.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.17.32</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 19.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Sgor a Iubhair</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 19.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.12.24</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 19.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Sgurr a’Mhaim</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 19.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.17.03</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 19.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Stob Ban</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 19.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.31.34</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 19.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Mullach nan Coirean</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 19.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.24.45</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 19.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Finish Achriabhach</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 19.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.23.33</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626806858957754407.post-45123154117821267502017-03-26T11:45:00.000-07:002017-03-26T12:10:10.953-07:00All Ben Nevis Grade 1's LinkupToday I did this link that I've had my eye on for a while. The weather was stunning and it was great to be out on the Ben.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlQ_R0Gq-RoZaUW9aJVGfCuhfhnloo5o9tQyhdTuflN-k-sbtOWrhLGBIEamXu3cjxH-muDZp6QuIKlyr0IzPfTWlF1aNBPYNV7TG7rzkuFuwfC1WodJdTie3_QGW_ZjtOTP6KSedWhQ/s1600/IMG_0018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlQ_R0Gq-RoZaUW9aJVGfCuhfhnloo5o9tQyhdTuflN-k-sbtOWrhLGBIEamXu3cjxH-muDZp6QuIKlyr0IzPfTWlF1aNBPYNV7TG7rzkuFuwfC1WodJdTie3_QGW_ZjtOTP6KSedWhQ/s320/IMG_0018.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking up towards No. 5 Gully etc</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I came up with the idea while looking at the Ben Nevis guidebook and realising that there aren't that many Grade 1's on the Ben! I had a look at the UKC Logbook list too and amalgamated the two. Not much info out there about Arch Gully, on Carn Dearg Summit Buttresses - quite cool with a big chockstone.<br />
<br />
My Route:<br />
<br />
Start North Face car park<br />
Up No. 5 Gully<br />
Down Colando Gully<br />
Up Arch Gully<br />
Down No. 4 Gully<br />
Up No. 3 Gully<br />
Down Tower Gully<br />
Up East Gully of Douglas Boulder<br />
Down West Gully of Douglas Boulder<br />
Finish North Face car park<br />
<br />
I didn't include CMD Arete as I think you can argue that its not really 'on' the Ben.<br />
<br />
2hrs 51mins 08secs<br />
16.8km<br />
?1677m ascent<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipBL3oAR_X_t3_MLEqSFVMWlnXMnvt3I5-n9wcXRnrhK6BAgbaPXXLI10IPa-eGRTBp_QSCL-rJbxAmSygj9vh2rQWImHYTsjPbN_euaff6EMo0gakWBfgLyZjiocu4QyIihv3yS4PrSw/s1600/IMG_0002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipBL3oAR_X_t3_MLEqSFVMWlnXMnvt3I5-n9wcXRnrhK6BAgbaPXXLI10IPa-eGRTBp_QSCL-rJbxAmSygj9vh2rQWImHYTsjPbN_euaff6EMo0gakWBfgLyZjiocu4QyIihv3yS4PrSw/s320/IMG_0002.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Under the chockstone in Arch Gully</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBE2fdGjz-z3pel0p7GW64yjyH2tnm8LSBp7zEEdROhlS7Vah6zZjwr8wlY3m4v3jqpMjTkfkmFUtLn1Y7WNF6oKBkcylVs2p4lY3gTBKZQgCXTgPgsc3UzUfIWPkbBKBexh9v7xb7f8w/s1600/IMG_0004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBE2fdGjz-z3pel0p7GW64yjyH2tnm8LSBp7zEEdROhlS7Vah6zZjwr8wlY3m4v3jqpMjTkfkmFUtLn1Y7WNF6oKBkcylVs2p4lY3gTBKZQgCXTgPgsc3UzUfIWPkbBKBexh9v7xb7f8w/s320/IMG_0004.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the plateau</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5XcnvB3OU2u_-zZYxYFPOv2tDF2F5l_wJ9lt8ZLQmngKEPeXlHSO8luh8qbKBN2ONckUAkGUZ_RO_hCC118PsIFjD4zQCjZwOrad-l47_wmb_H2FBecybV8e-vD_BDTK_5Q0ER0Xk7Q/s1600/IMG_0007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5XcnvB3OU2u_-zZYxYFPOv2tDF2F5l_wJ9lt8ZLQmngKEPeXlHSO8luh8qbKBN2ONckUAkGUZ_RO_hCC118PsIFjD4zQCjZwOrad-l47_wmb_H2FBecybV8e-vD_BDTK_5Q0ER0Xk7Q/s320/IMG_0007.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down Tower Gully</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2R_w78gxn9I4-wLJt_O-LQeYypCc18VG4mdYbex0qpwTkR5580IRqcW16s0FruMvOJ_KT1ud3eGyIP4Ems_x2mNxC0Pv8GOd2wn1tXV-y8UwzS14cbAAEBoqaKtrjqiPNaNdOAJEXLi0/s1600/IMG_0010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2R_w78gxn9I4-wLJt_O-LQeYypCc18VG4mdYbex0qpwTkR5580IRqcW16s0FruMvOJ_KT1ud3eGyIP4Ems_x2mNxC0Pv8GOd2wn1tXV-y8UwzS14cbAAEBoqaKtrjqiPNaNdOAJEXLi0/s320/IMG_0010.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking back up Tower Gully</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOeu3vi0poqeJ6Bzy5OQntRugEokcq4NtI2qeLVMKbKLsYfv3d98yHXS-j6RM06JU2GLE8C1qTcDCfqfHt_XGU31ntIaWKtjzKVl-zh9E2kB1L_BYPxuKhOel3kTz061oFj-sD2eNq68/s1600/IMG_0013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOeu3vi0poqeJ6Bzy5OQntRugEokcq4NtI2qeLVMKbKLsYfv3d98yHXS-j6RM06JU2GLE8C1qTcDCfqfHt_XGU31ntIaWKtjzKVl-zh9E2kB1L_BYPxuKhOel3kTz061oFj-sD2eNq68/s320/IMG_0013.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Observatory Gully</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGpkcBJ9osl4ceTCYoI0v47O_is2m1KB8-hL2PWqtLJJNDMlpP9w7Q8rjmlislbg4pEE6CBtFk84HBF3ibs3tI-u3njJUl5XwBUwFZRi8VsVo95JTg6aZAQueGTUZc__Ciwg441nSS7qg/s1600/IMG_0015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGpkcBJ9osl4ceTCYoI0v47O_is2m1KB8-hL2PWqtLJJNDMlpP9w7Q8rjmlislbg4pEE6CBtFk84HBF3ibs3tI-u3njJUl5XwBUwFZRi8VsVo95JTg6aZAQueGTUZc__Ciwg441nSS7qg/s320/IMG_0015.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down West Gully of Douglas Boulder</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
I took 2 light axes and used Salomon XA Alpine boot/shoes with strap on crampons.<br />
<br />
Strava:<br />
<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/915691046">https://www.strava.com/activities/915691046</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkh7lM9xIA0mYEbIsPnY8ckJ7zQeykM0OAxE0CRueOFpIQ1W3ILICYq-1v8Zh0Q_HfgWtLHA9wXHIKYtffsH6_Y8x_HdzOZCDQI6Df-4eqMzt9j_xLhYfJAC8PVgO-2cxbqocf-XdRVTw/s1600/IMG_0016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkh7lM9xIA0mYEbIsPnY8ckJ7zQeykM0OAxE0CRueOFpIQ1W3ILICYq-1v8Zh0Q_HfgWtLHA9wXHIKYtffsH6_Y8x_HdzOZCDQI6Df-4eqMzt9j_xLhYfJAC8PVgO-2cxbqocf-XdRVTw/s320/IMG_0016.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely day!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626806858957754407.post-77829912880426739222017-03-26T11:24:00.001-07:002017-03-26T11:28:41.722-07:00Speedy Tours 1 (2016) Video<br />
<span style="background-color: #f2f4f5; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKs83b2EcUQ2Hh_j2HZlcb-9ytBDQetpPmz4ico2JkfuVijVvoT-9uAqMrZOCCKjuBNHtAqt0I52LkTWpZj1_VDrhhGI0FF9fBgosED6pl876bq-ACvBpFk7hjWbr-qUeupdX11LMMz4/s1600/IMG_0201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKs83b2EcUQ2Hh_j2HZlcb-9ytBDQetpPmz4ico2JkfuVijVvoT-9uAqMrZOCCKjuBNHtAqt0I52LkTWpZj1_VDrhhGI0FF9fBgosED6pl876bq-ACvBpFk7hjWbr-qUeupdX11LMMz4/s320/IMG_0201.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
My video from last year's trip got its 'premiere' at the Ski Night of Fort William Mountain Festival in February<br />
<br />
Video at:<br />
<a href="https://vimeo.com/195288221">https://vimeo.com/195288221</a><br />
<br />
"In March 2016, 4 British ski mountaineers set off from Menton on the Cote du Azur and headed for the snow! In 7hrs we reached it, and in 7 days we had travelled over 130 miles to reach Aiguilles in the Queyras. Next year we plan to return and continue this journey, following a route along the Grand Alpine Arc. Our hope is to continue returning over several years, finishing eventually at the other end of the Alps in Vienna"<br />
<br />Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626806858957754407.post-14084858153823252802016-10-04T11:43:00.000-07:002016-10-04T11:43:30.483-07:00Tranter's Round RecordI set out at 0805hrs on Saturday 1st October 2016 and completed an anti-clockwise Tranter's Round in 10hrs 15minutes 30seconds.<br />
<br />
I have been interested in the Tranter Round for a long time. Last February, myself and Tim Gomersall completed a Winter round on skimo ski mountaineering equipment in 17hrs 35mins (see <a href="http://gomountaingoats.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/skimo-tranter-round.html">http://gomountaingoats.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/skimo-tranter-round.html</a>)<br />
<br />
My focus over the past year or so has moved to longer races and runs. Competing in the Tromso Skyrace (3rd place, 6hrs 55mins) and Glencoe Skyline (4th place, 7hrs) as well as long runs in the hills have improved my stamina and distances. Supporting Jasmin Paris on her Ramsay Round Record (I did the third leg which was about 35km I think) was eye opening and sociable. Interest in long distance records seems to be on the increase. I like this: racing is good, but just going out and doing a long route for the challenge / fun of it is probably even more appealing to me.<br />
<br />
Looking at previous split times (mainly Jasmin and Jon Ashcroft's Ramsay splits - as I couldn't find Mark Harris's Tranter splits at the last minute!) I reckoned I could shave a bit off Mark's time. I know the route well - having done all parts of it multiple times separately. I knew Mark have been 'onsight' on the Aonachs towards the end of his round, and he had previously told me that this had cost him some time. Also, Jasmin had challenged me to a sub-10 hour record!<br />
<br />
Despite living in Fort William, it took a while for the combination of good weather, time off, and fresh legs to occur. Saturday 1st October was a glorious sunny day with some cloud in the valleys initially, but crystal clear views from the hills all around. Setting out from the Youth Hostel and up onto Mullach I was really excited to get started on what was going to be (if nothing else) an amazing weather day out in the autumnal hills. All along the Mamores, stags were roaring in the corries, nature taking its course after the first real cold night of the autumn.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqf5lnNVlRJxttjgsgOYupBenRBdgglSVhyaFT8chtCgM04DKZOY88ZeNsccw4ofmduTUY5oC9hFiTcqC2j2xM8TAELQql3ooMiJi_mGd16GGp8wjT5c_PhrrkJDcBdDAaMWWNZBTwZkM/s1600/IMG_1201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqf5lnNVlRJxttjgsgOYupBenRBdgglSVhyaFT8chtCgM04DKZOY88ZeNsccw4ofmduTUY5oC9hFiTcqC2j2xM8TAELQql3ooMiJi_mGd16GGp8wjT5c_PhrrkJDcBdDAaMWWNZBTwZkM/s320/IMG_1201.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View across from east of Mullach, towards Ben Nevis</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Having cramped badly at Glencoe Skyrace, I was determined to look after myself and eat and drink loads all the way round. I thought I was doing this, but had a mini power failure towards Binnein Mor, and took on yet more food. I loved the fast track from Binnein Beag towards Sgurr Eilde Mor, and remembered the snow conditions and skiing I had last time I was here (going the other direction). I made the top of Sgurr Eilde Mor at 4hrs 55mins. Some calculations in my head and I reckoned that the 10hr mark was potentially feasible, although would need some work!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8gQ2DSVOEMmbqtw36U2q8p2hssj4510rBXcLejqWzJQ68F_m7MBCVOkxxUYYO24PK7LLMVaJB22u0TkpXHeOQVhQX9DP2h17YKFkY3k6NjUEX2C_aRgBFD17YYwBHPgW-ugxWvzH8T0/s1600/IMG_1203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8gQ2DSVOEMmbqtw36U2q8p2hssj4510rBXcLejqWzJQ68F_m7MBCVOkxxUYYO24PK7LLMVaJB22u0TkpXHeOQVhQX9DP2h17YKFkY3k6NjUEX2C_aRgBFD17YYwBHPgW-ugxWvzH8T0/s320/IMG_1203.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking along the Mamores</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidTHdjVUJEafgrvam3FR2RaaoXkhqoqEC6QNi8lGjhyphenhyphenD_4LXn0pa5ExtNU66Phm1DGFZblwQJb1DYaLm736ZvKKKI-lA_wu9QWGEt5DkOuBGJhFUxsQ1kv4bTvKlsgkvbIsW8n6Xfc7Eo/s1600/IMG_1205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidTHdjVUJEafgrvam3FR2RaaoXkhqoqEC6QNi8lGjhyphenhyphenD_4LXn0pa5ExtNU66Phm1DGFZblwQJb1DYaLm736ZvKKKI-lA_wu9QWGEt5DkOuBGJhFUxsQ1kv4bTvKlsgkvbIsW8n6Xfc7Eo/s320/IMG_1205.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Devil's Ridge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I seemed to take a very boggy rough line down to Abhainn Rath in the glen, and felt pretty slow going up the long ascent to Stob Ban (Grey Corries). There was a Last Munro party on the top, complete with bagpipes - a funny coincidence as this was also the case when I was here last time on Jasmin's Ramsay!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWNzWI381dR9q59pTsOSXYLxQAKcLC1vjEr88CybqmKaQn1SxiOCmg-3hH77_06wUpwfFGdTpPGZprwwGX050e35T05QZYkYVNCKijJSZ0FuhErjVAUiK_ofb9rXtKOtUNjFQSzzaccRo/s1600/IMG_1208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWNzWI381dR9q59pTsOSXYLxQAKcLC1vjEr88CybqmKaQn1SxiOCmg-3hH77_06wUpwfFGdTpPGZprwwGX050e35T05QZYkYVNCKijJSZ0FuhErjVAUiK_ofb9rXtKOtUNjFQSzzaccRo/s320/IMG_1208.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking back at the river and the Mamores</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Getting to Stob Choire Claurigh felt good psychologically as I was turning the corner to head home. I managed to pick up speed a bit and loved how close the Ben looked in the clear autumn light. I bumped into Donnie Campbell who was doing a long run from Corrour, a bit of a chat was nice after a long time on my own (other than just saying 'hi' to walkers).<br />
<br />
I seem to need to eat and drink loads compared to a lot of other runners! I was running out of food! Carefully rationing myself I carried on and enjoyed the Carn Mor Dearg arete, although I felt pretty slow going up the final ascent to the Ben. Now I could just relax and get down to the Youth Hostel as soon as possible. I knew I was going to miss the 10hr mark, but not by too much.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdmoYXwLGgXUgTwKmbNv9RB_bxJZAUtP3HeYaZ4-PfBPwnbrT-tKgpPAMBtDBLgGciv5xvH9p3jN4g-ZXeTC-18plZgVwFUlGPvsYraCSp030oxb93o7ZsrZeS__vH0gWSzi8O5IvNZ4/s1600/IMG_1221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdmoYXwLGgXUgTwKmbNv9RB_bxJZAUtP3HeYaZ4-PfBPwnbrT-tKgpPAMBtDBLgGciv5xvH9p3jN4g-ZXeTC-18plZgVwFUlGPvsYraCSp030oxb93o7ZsrZeS__vH0gWSzi8O5IvNZ4/s320/IMG_1221.JPG" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ben Nevis summit</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinqw5mutxQB3DpoupvoEPDuMWEyIBYvdgMEur2TL2FtHZInbFyDzccdp9vQWVRqTYJ3pE0S5jI3-zIwyV3rFPv84XTdiUN4bza6LbJ5l92ZMRT7Qz0-Zz2V7MrrRJZ7CNjXLj5Z2WSpOs/s1600/IMG_1215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinqw5mutxQB3DpoupvoEPDuMWEyIBYvdgMEur2TL2FtHZInbFyDzccdp9vQWVRqTYJ3pE0S5jI3-zIwyV3rFPv84XTdiUN4bza6LbJ5l92ZMRT7Qz0-Zz2V7MrrRJZ7CNjXLj5Z2WSpOs/s320/IMG_1215.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Descending the Ben</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
One really interesting part of the run was realising how fast Jasmin and Jon's Ramsay splits are. On the Mamores I was mostly faster than these splits by a few minutes for each peak, but on the Grey Corries I had run out of some steam so was about the same. The fact that the Ramsay is 20 miles longer speaks for itself. That said, with more long runs my stamina can only improve - this was my longest run to date. I'm sure it will go quite a bit faster, I felt like I slowed down a fair bit in the second half so I'm keen to have another go at some point.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKDeO5OUBIh1VYLVFzeQpDfwuBb6CS1oQcAC30ggKXWykmr5RbCoxXeMgt0P1BnIMeVGD9zRygnVVxHlOGVAntUouiZd5nQmIEbPqXsvmkv7OQq2NzWTUt8Vf88KBxoGH7tSk35NfJ5bg/s1600/IMG_1220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKDeO5OUBIh1VYLVFzeQpDfwuBb6CS1oQcAC30ggKXWykmr5RbCoxXeMgt0P1BnIMeVGD9zRygnVVxHlOGVAntUouiZd5nQmIEbPqXsvmkv7OQq2NzWTUt8Vf88KBxoGH7tSk35NfJ5bg/s320/IMG_1220.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I was solo / unsupported. I ate about 3 bars and 9 gels, as well as jelly babies and some nuts. I seemed to drink a lot - maybe 6 litres! Lots of places to fill up.<br />
<br />
Link to my Strava trace:<br />
<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/731086077">https://www.strava.com/activities/731086077</a><br />
<br />
My watch said:<br />
59km<br />
6080m ascent<br />
10hrs15mins30secs<br />
<br />
Split times:<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Start Glen Nevis YH</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.00.00</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 13.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Mullach nan Coirean</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 13.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">1.00.44</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Stob Ban</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.26.21</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Sgurr a’Mhaim</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.31.48</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 13.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Sgor a Iubhair</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 13.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.15.35</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Am Bodach</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.13.42</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Stob Coire a’Chairn</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.16.25</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 13.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>An Gearanach</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 13.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.14.19</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Na Gruagaichean</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.36.41</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 13.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Binnein Mor</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 13.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.19.02</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Binnein Beag</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.23.45</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Sgurr Eilde Mor</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.36.46</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 13.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Stob Ban</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 13.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">1.17.04</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Stob Coire Claurigh</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.28.39</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Stob Coire a' Laoigh</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.25.32</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 13.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Sgurr Choinnich Mor</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 13.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.21.37</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Aonach Beag</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.45.52</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Aonach Mor</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.14.58</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 13.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Carn Mor Dearg</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 13.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.36.26</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Ben Nevis</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.33.04</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 144.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;"><b>Glen Nevis YH</b></span><br />
</td>
<td style="background-color: #bfbfbf; border-color: #000000 #000000 #000000 #000000; border-style: solid; border-width: 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px 1.0px; height: 12.0px; padding: 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px 4.0px; width: 259.0px;" valign="top">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; line-height: normal;">0.37.04</span><br />
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br />Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626806858957754407.post-24860331392241518302016-08-22T11:32:00.001-07:002016-08-22T11:33:49.564-07:00Nevis Five Ridges Record<b>15th August 2016</b><br />
<br />
A classic mountaineering link-up I have wanted to do for years, but never gotten around to (I've done each ridge several times, but never linked them together).<br />
<br />
Really very enjoyable - such a lot of climbing!<br />
Enjoyed on a lovely afternoon in August<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2EYY0VP8eOiIuHcILO_gf8ZdQLbTUfoeEUuMk6x10J80L214iGsf9SQUjxJj7eREtdOkJoU4EOVeg67lFyQtl2qW0J-cWM5iFABeCGAUV35X9mi6vWlXeT87UgR9tktr7j-u6MCCU6_g/s1600/IMG_1018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2EYY0VP8eOiIuHcILO_gf8ZdQLbTUfoeEUuMk6x10J80L214iGsf9SQUjxJj7eREtdOkJoU4EOVeg67lFyQtl2qW0J-cWM5iFABeCGAUV35X9mi6vWlXeT87UgR9tktr7j-u6MCCU6_g/s320/IMG_1018.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH0cVa86SBVOeeEAPcpbIhpj93QdLfVVQQY7iJpRsw2XQD5zzu-uA1R2f8bKDlZpLVz3diils7-UAn7JLPjlPUQPneXkzjNH02dQypCAEHB43e0APei_F2AXVQTrG8WLZSkGk3zFw8DYc/s1600/IMG_1019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH0cVa86SBVOeeEAPcpbIhpj93QdLfVVQQY7iJpRsw2XQD5zzu-uA1R2f8bKDlZpLVz3diils7-UAn7JLPjlPUQPneXkzjNH02dQypCAEHB43e0APei_F2AXVQTrG8WLZSkGk3zFw8DYc/s320/IMG_1019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
3hrs39mins36secs<br />
From North Face Car Park<br />
- up North East Buttress (standard route traversing in from the left to above First Platform)<br />
- down Tower Ridge<br />
- up Observatory Ridge<br />
- down Ledge Route<br />
- up Castle Ridge<br />
- return to North Face Car Park<br />
<br />
c. 2091m ascent<br />
18.9km<br />
V. Diff climbing standard<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/677178793">https://www.strava.com/activities/677178793</a><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSok0m_vP-1BYkRjJIDOm3Nyveu4Jn_LOgdzVKfJa8XCoK2pEN5y6NY9ljLhsQxOGXebgn3aiTfOFYwWWmsw_QPmf6qXgvIbCzRgDoonhtqy0jtmpasEUlTpxSTatONiq-5OBxKNIw_uQ/s1600/IMG_1020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSok0m_vP-1BYkRjJIDOm3Nyveu4Jn_LOgdzVKfJa8XCoK2pEN5y6NY9ljLhsQxOGXebgn3aiTfOFYwWWmsw_QPmf6qXgvIbCzRgDoonhtqy0jtmpasEUlTpxSTatONiq-5OBxKNIw_uQ/s320/IMG_1020.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Tower Ridge and Ledge Route seen from North East Buttress</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxHJPUUjOxZM8gZVj35GcyrVErbA_JIbpEC9CSbVk4K9fAINzzQf7NdcxlNBkE9yctM7nyfufWTuNisungzhx9WwjAzid61ciOUhgE60XIi4jGUjp_O4PAKFM2evG6FBHDVtYNwOXpEDk/s1600/IMG_1022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxHJPUUjOxZM8gZVj35GcyrVErbA_JIbpEC9CSbVk4K9fAINzzQf7NdcxlNBkE9yctM7nyfufWTuNisungzhx9WwjAzid61ciOUhgE60XIi4jGUjp_O4PAKFM2evG6FBHDVtYNwOXpEDk/s320/IMG_1022.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">On Castle Ridge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDxIWpzkxUtZAlMo3No-b7aZ7jsrxwtcvIt4XIhH53dVi1lpY99Tcxkc1HELk4UDxRf_hnouV3UQctjMjrxju5OFcCTvaMlIdVz841XDYDJewV683MeUqoKzAbvR3alhD6aV2iK0FcCPU/s1600/IMG_1023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDxIWpzkxUtZAlMo3No-b7aZ7jsrxwtcvIt4XIhH53dVi1lpY99Tcxkc1HELk4UDxRf_hnouV3UQctjMjrxju5OFcCTvaMlIdVz841XDYDJewV683MeUqoKzAbvR3alhD6aV2iK0FcCPU/s320/IMG_1023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT5RaxSfThjPFMZkva7vy-Ke6MrEOkNgeonpetN4EDIUJY1fCQUw6vK9rinWjzbRFCVgoWW7naHmUDJGugV6-agmOKgowH7xEmY3jad2g58WMCa_Ta-vmsYfS2AYLvncs3zvtmwqe_UrI/s1600/IMG_1024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT5RaxSfThjPFMZkva7vy-Ke6MrEOkNgeonpetN4EDIUJY1fCQUw6vK9rinWjzbRFCVgoWW7naHmUDJGugV6-agmOKgowH7xEmY3jad2g58WMCa_Ta-vmsYfS2AYLvncs3zvtmwqe_UrI/s320/IMG_1024.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626806858957754407.post-51540516360228735292016-08-22T11:28:00.004-07:002016-08-22T11:31:06.510-07:00Tromso Skyrace<b>6th August 2016</b><br />
<br />
56.5km<br />
4700m ascent<br />
6hrs 55min<br />
<br />
Third place (to Tom Owens and Jonathan Albon)<br />
<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/666460489">https://www.strava.com/activities/666460489</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Amazing race, it had everything - technical terrain, fast runable stuff, and everything in between. An adventurous journey in awe inspiring terrain!<br />
Great exploring in Tromso region afterwards - especially the ridge off the back of Store Blamen<br />
<br />
<br />
See here for a flickr album of the trip:<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/132199272@N05/albums/72157669594424273/page1">https://www.flickr.com/photos/132199272@N05/albums/72157669594424273/page1</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSODPJ6H9wbPOVM_5fDXvEM2UVVIuEPGbt7iyJmGZFgrtJGO2uOZOBmH9Lwgf4V3oz31Q-_rtmq2uYHYZLyoZGdNpieiUQrtvdV1Cof6eumNMus2RAXgyAJbV20RYRFcCWg6MMyR9gyDo/s1600/IMG_0012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSODPJ6H9wbPOVM_5fDXvEM2UVVIuEPGbt7iyJmGZFgrtJGO2uOZOBmH9Lwgf4V3oz31Q-_rtmq2uYHYZLyoZGdNpieiUQrtvdV1Cof6eumNMus2RAXgyAJbV20RYRFcCWg6MMyR9gyDo/s320/IMG_0012.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626806858957754407.post-17670485257098345002016-08-22T11:28:00.001-07:002016-08-22T11:28:18.385-07:00Lightweight AlpinismTrip with Tim Gomersall July 2016<br />
<br />
13th July<br />
<b>Grand Paradiso (4061m) - West Flank (PD-)</b><br />
<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/641940046">https://www.strava.com/activities/641940046</a><br />
<br />
5hrs 33m return from Pont<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdMZOTw4qMCOZ9G6UTvM3RD7mluItlEj51OPle7d5nUys3Al2WzN_gviIh0z2TBWN99U11pv-YzXiDqcD6IUqLqHxKqyovDFvpRkx6yNRH_8xj-Oflg38s0elwqLFpeCk55Sj3noe2Np4/s1600/IMG_0631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdMZOTw4qMCOZ9G6UTvM3RD7mluItlEj51OPle7d5nUys3Al2WzN_gviIh0z2TBWN99U11pv-YzXiDqcD6IUqLqHxKqyovDFvpRkx6yNRH_8xj-Oflg38s0elwqLFpeCk55Sj3noe2Np4/s320/IMG_0631.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmrQsbQbFIk4FMRas2GBjz3Qu4FqqOHFHdzwaCeC-pFlvKxS4JKi5ETA9naSUUN17qMM3GembTbXGbxpbcITBGDOXwv_9ZxHsAqu0RBM8XCIa4s9sUz8TmWujTkIgzDpNMNe_IGKjVxl0/s1600/IMG_0632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmrQsbQbFIk4FMRas2GBjz3Qu4FqqOHFHdzwaCeC-pFlvKxS4JKi5ETA9naSUUN17qMM3GembTbXGbxpbcITBGDOXwv_9ZxHsAqu0RBM8XCIa4s9sUz8TmWujTkIgzDpNMNe_IGKjVxl0/s320/IMG_0632.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1eclT5gbdXDl9taVLSw251PiHqhQ_ofgsthxwJUksPdoluVTvWmtSvnzbb3x_a7T2XkxM7L9Fr25hRMJz-c0NxWfxDyDSjECDCzNnh5ZOhRE6GFdDt-HIQW7GOC-4ALPjVAQ1FV-V2Po/s1600/IMG_0633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1eclT5gbdXDl9taVLSw251PiHqhQ_ofgsthxwJUksPdoluVTvWmtSvnzbb3x_a7T2XkxM7L9Fr25hRMJz-c0NxWfxDyDSjECDCzNnh5ZOhRE6GFdDt-HIQW7GOC-4ALPjVAQ1FV-V2Po/s320/IMG_0633.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
15th July</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>Rimpfischhorn (4199m) North Ridge </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/641933005">https://www.strava.com/activities/641933005</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
11.5hrs including walking back to Saas Fe</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAbVXGlofnHx491BQU_vGIvgNFgEdXI6Zsj_xqaIPPawChVAkOEVI3WFZU0W6dAF1Y0gY-P5B22pCdYBcDY2GVkbBW01h9JUPYGEaVpTclsLF4LraOEGORy0nEV0UnQnELiauI2C7TWE/s1600/IMG_0635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAbVXGlofnHx491BQU_vGIvgNFgEdXI6Zsj_xqaIPPawChVAkOEVI3WFZU0W6dAF1Y0gY-P5B22pCdYBcDY2GVkbBW01h9JUPYGEaVpTclsLF4LraOEGORy0nEV0UnQnELiauI2C7TWE/s320/IMG_0635.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2lOvGF5TVEe-wqMv8BlvjY14vJ7r1H5D0JFwWoW96enCjZyEuQWrRCUfbI6HjfstIDEgAIuQbrJ00xXSVkVK5n4JN-3C08Zwt50MlJ2IfsrjAfVLoKD9Y2Jrn3KhaBZP-ps4VWRTvOS4/s1600/IMG_0636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2lOvGF5TVEe-wqMv8BlvjY14vJ7r1H5D0JFwWoW96enCjZyEuQWrRCUfbI6HjfstIDEgAIuQbrJ00xXSVkVK5n4JN-3C08Zwt50MlJ2IfsrjAfVLoKD9Y2Jrn3KhaBZP-ps4VWRTvOS4/s320/IMG_0636.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rYV87YlS93F-EeaFau2JVeLj0yH4spnuZkh2uy8LUb7seBkro-Yt4xN5SrCb2spieKAeN-N5XJscOmbj5o1A7L3QXnqIgxE2wygYE-17C4NR6Obtab0qIKv5rhxK0senYXgh-0-3oA8/s1600/IMG_0637.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rYV87YlS93F-EeaFau2JVeLj0yH4spnuZkh2uy8LUb7seBkro-Yt4xN5SrCb2spieKAeN-N5XJscOmbj5o1A7L3QXnqIgxE2wygYE-17C4NR6Obtab0qIKv5rhxK0senYXgh-0-3oA8/s320/IMG_0637.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNvBa4ZBLW8JaQ9O0yMYksz8c8HI5PpgGBrAJWc7ZrXvTJVVdVlGerkL6rgYReaYsKRhSRtCQiPg7ponTQa05FPLc_yi2CvzuYXl8zbvhuk745usK-LwwLf9LlEbeqqwpDr0TEVrnEoYo/s1600/IMG_0644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNvBa4ZBLW8JaQ9O0yMYksz8c8HI5PpgGBrAJWc7ZrXvTJVVdVlGerkL6rgYReaYsKRhSRtCQiPg7ponTQa05FPLc_yi2CvzuYXl8zbvhuk745usK-LwwLf9LlEbeqqwpDr0TEVrnEoYo/s320/IMG_0644.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNeuzyVaeWKpTLZaggOr1ztnRl6iuLA1sL9XlZNXOaN2q8d32AHqtOU17o8f58vFD10nGFEluI5THgakRL0BRe_BDf0xVdPRF6T_4W_81YSCrFU10tLXaVosJ4upZCEYJxJCH46iJ38gY/s1600/IMG_0645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNeuzyVaeWKpTLZaggOr1ztnRl6iuLA1sL9XlZNXOaN2q8d32AHqtOU17o8f58vFD10nGFEluI5THgakRL0BRe_BDf0xVdPRF6T_4W_81YSCrFU10tLXaVosJ4upZCEYJxJCH46iJ38gY/s320/IMG_0645.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-wtzyRnvFHQI4dEMozENuLryzGnltNp4_lZHiRaiCejQrFSfAAJYOxrhYlndmzxoQavfY4z5hBKrGdeg_zpjQvC0vXXVhS5EhrzZX9BDZGFEbKQHyXDzGOHKCGlCERdbJDO9hvUpFLtw/s1600/IMG_0773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-wtzyRnvFHQI4dEMozENuLryzGnltNp4_lZHiRaiCejQrFSfAAJYOxrhYlndmzxoQavfY4z5hBKrGdeg_zpjQvC0vXXVhS5EhrzZX9BDZGFEbKQHyXDzGOHKCGlCERdbJDO9hvUpFLtw/s320/IMG_0773.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kkNCASJED910NDfpPX07xovj8QpnLPslVWPhKy6VNiGxvvghZtdpuFDF3c28iPMTeyBXM9_iRWIYRLXiHPmmXNSYQYuptNGKRX6gDr2j929kBmT_A7YifTb4mGnG6bzv0JGHnjUI9a8/s1600/IMG_0649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kkNCASJED910NDfpPX07xovj8QpnLPslVWPhKy6VNiGxvvghZtdpuFDF3c28iPMTeyBXM9_iRWIYRLXiHPmmXNSYQYuptNGKRX6gDr2j929kBmT_A7YifTb4mGnG6bzv0JGHnjUI9a8/s320/IMG_0649.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKbfGut_8KiBw38nm3s3gLCxdlbYUEUUF7HvSkHcA5Pa4NPhoWimu-oZJo857BvqDic-dffLt96GWBcNHEp0hc9222Hn8wAPwsnz1XFNkiEQCWULz-XS_vy54oqp2tulHHq3hFS90Yjgo/s1600/IMG_0652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKbfGut_8KiBw38nm3s3gLCxdlbYUEUUF7HvSkHcA5Pa4NPhoWimu-oZJo857BvqDic-dffLt96GWBcNHEp0hc9222Hn8wAPwsnz1XFNkiEQCWULz-XS_vy54oqp2tulHHq3hFS90Yjgo/s320/IMG_0652.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpRW_kNteEfM9i2ZmOLq8Qg66c14j2eyWiHQysa5-IaFGp9ox6g_UwnYwRc77NsoeYJQeM5IjbYlOkUnSqIVbbpntWhH4ndJ55eFZNBw9fwUNr1I5ItzYStwryLMNLGkV3m7dc0LL7w1Q/s1600/IMG_0658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpRW_kNteEfM9i2ZmOLq8Qg66c14j2eyWiHQysa5-IaFGp9ox6g_UwnYwRc77NsoeYJQeM5IjbYlOkUnSqIVbbpntWhH4ndJ55eFZNBw9fwUNr1I5ItzYStwryLMNLGkV3m7dc0LL7w1Q/s320/IMG_0658.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
16th July</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b>To Dent Blanche Hut from Ferpecle</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/642841704">https://www.strava.com/activities/642841704</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
2hrs22m</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha2mKSdt2XWyly6TQTOYk9r5yaFLggT5CysUFvitsHhyRPm5aUbMtszdoJXUOvhTotC1EG3FJ3b8ox_Di3hmz15-HjN4eC53j8CC1VNZ7ojqKgsAwKzQoA8lZVib9YpYBtSC1dEtR0gj0/s1600/IMG_0662.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha2mKSdt2XWyly6TQTOYk9r5yaFLggT5CysUFvitsHhyRPm5aUbMtszdoJXUOvhTotC1EG3FJ3b8ox_Di3hmz15-HjN4eC53j8CC1VNZ7ojqKgsAwKzQoA8lZVib9YpYBtSC1dEtR0gj0/s320/IMG_0662.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrhONDjziDMJ738OZiZX16rGCV_TnAzJi8bn8HWTyK-Tsjrf_wUo-z_-zCbUk7GaV3f0pzNnwtDPNkz9vx4w4mnJS5EsJm9WeCU8Tafv2uJEamiKPXGLLHdnoSGu55niW8ySrtkgryYWg/s1600/IMG_0665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrhONDjziDMJ738OZiZX16rGCV_TnAzJi8bn8HWTyK-Tsjrf_wUo-z_-zCbUk7GaV3f0pzNnwtDPNkz9vx4w4mnJS5EsJm9WeCU8Tafv2uJEamiKPXGLLHdnoSGu55niW8ySrtkgryYWg/s320/IMG_0665.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxRdxMsViBLRjmFn0NASKfhkrF_3vD1liBcd2YP7Jr4p-OnjDkL5KNQayrSMTDfQDW5a0AP7TdfOgDmIZHOThjD2jHi5N6lmntpoV8AJKv-20BevVNOCFZOduBHLJCIlfsf1xt8gzaeDs/s1600/IMG_0666.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxRdxMsViBLRjmFn0NASKfhkrF_3vD1liBcd2YP7Jr4p-OnjDkL5KNQayrSMTDfQDW5a0AP7TdfOgDmIZHOThjD2jHi5N6lmntpoV8AJKv-20BevVNOCFZOduBHLJCIlfsf1xt8gzaeDs/s320/IMG_0666.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrt5IsKCg307BXhW9GnSuAlcppO2FyQk-SI72yHrchyo9trLlOH-T8mOlJbFUtd9LPVGW8xERc6eblazmYwghc3mMJ-vEa5JOGC1vZQf4HCtKM2ERqSdTGOP6O1n0CgPrzxSnb8JjYCVc/s1600/IMG_0668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrt5IsKCg307BXhW9GnSuAlcppO2FyQk-SI72yHrchyo9trLlOH-T8mOlJbFUtd9LPVGW8xERc6eblazmYwghc3mMJ-vEa5JOGC1vZQf4HCtKM2ERqSdTGOP6O1n0CgPrzxSnb8JjYCVc/s320/IMG_0668.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWNPFxFrYGoJTLuD2CXNsEUKN0WXpZ1yYT4J1Cwa3SI_x4RPv9sFL-tB3TnR-M0ltWgd_UKrCGYXQv9LYyJj_N2yG1g-PUBnu9O-8wsIChVtAa6uLsBPM60BhJtZ3QG3w7-EQtD9IUyLs/s1600/IMG_0669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWNPFxFrYGoJTLuD2CXNsEUKN0WXpZ1yYT4J1Cwa3SI_x4RPv9sFL-tB3TnR-M0ltWgd_UKrCGYXQv9LYyJj_N2yG1g-PUBnu9O-8wsIChVtAa6uLsBPM60BhJtZ3QG3w7-EQtD9IUyLs/s320/IMG_0669.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
17th July</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>Dent Blanche (4357m) South Ridge (AD)</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/643752598">https://www.strava.com/activities/643752598</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEienWFvRiMgcZFcLccI_8aVkikwOaiKfvXGQsV-bFCdtc3W6a6zdm4mM4CGMvvO4mAo0ldjgzkWPKCEjqCLSA9wx1ST_0OvNaQWMljAMrxN2uc9Oi8UHr_ZmRDcLCpJIfZd2KDXWaNvS4A/s1600/IMG_0673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEienWFvRiMgcZFcLccI_8aVkikwOaiKfvXGQsV-bFCdtc3W6a6zdm4mM4CGMvvO4mAo0ldjgzkWPKCEjqCLSA9wx1ST_0OvNaQWMljAMrxN2uc9Oi8UHr_ZmRDcLCpJIfZd2KDXWaNvS4A/s320/IMG_0673.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVKxg0si633RH1iu9RYxJszlO_zLu7g3UsE_KM7vW4Z8gY7XQDBA8GQg_SqOCFqppa1iHGXMIQL8uhqbyqFu59TteYpzBhmEY-aWGH9qOBUew78V5ah6pW_exUXMeN3h1V3vd0o1nFwOw/s1600/IMG_0675.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVKxg0si633RH1iu9RYxJszlO_zLu7g3UsE_KM7vW4Z8gY7XQDBA8GQg_SqOCFqppa1iHGXMIQL8uhqbyqFu59TteYpzBhmEY-aWGH9qOBUew78V5ah6pW_exUXMeN3h1V3vd0o1nFwOw/s320/IMG_0675.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh00MQlk4hp4ei0ui6fi4jxZu2AIE-Yy4-okPm5hrSr3Rp6sJsgFGBWeyVW77McUOD-4Dfv2q8FsIT-fUznQVTnxDLlHnSQAPybA0wyK-pQA5W7GWJVBkP4Nf24DNjmrZUppQ115G4bSCI/s1600/IMG_0676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh00MQlk4hp4ei0ui6fi4jxZu2AIE-Yy4-okPm5hrSr3Rp6sJsgFGBWeyVW77McUOD-4Dfv2q8FsIT-fUznQVTnxDLlHnSQAPybA0wyK-pQA5W7GWJVBkP4Nf24DNjmrZUppQ115G4bSCI/s320/IMG_0676.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3K2yz72tsOIvl8Kvd72fMEFWQugAhcAR2SSu_YmyncIccMBSxQ8eruiCj5LxL03iTl0mtYwTOJweimG3ARLClpejHs_Vj4Qcf88F7Iz3N-z23EpxzEoh6Zf4LgpIzYE-9-sxcbcMmBRE/s1600/IMG_0677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3K2yz72tsOIvl8Kvd72fMEFWQugAhcAR2SSu_YmyncIccMBSxQ8eruiCj5LxL03iTl0mtYwTOJweimG3ARLClpejHs_Vj4Qcf88F7Iz3N-z23EpxzEoh6Zf4LgpIzYE-9-sxcbcMmBRE/s320/IMG_0677.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ULX3jZy9QL3Mf0ygiV23EEwmlH952S52xQBzqcYB-FNf0Vl5XRG_6jFh20lWF58Oq9IZJ4cXGZexpOCCilbUi9l7cOW8kNdueVU76KW7eFG97e_Qg_mGbcFoouGX0TUSv1iDC9LdUog/s1600/IMG_0678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ULX3jZy9QL3Mf0ygiV23EEwmlH952S52xQBzqcYB-FNf0Vl5XRG_6jFh20lWF58Oq9IZJ4cXGZexpOCCilbUi9l7cOW8kNdueVU76KW7eFG97e_Qg_mGbcFoouGX0TUSv1iDC9LdUog/s320/IMG_0678.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE9qRdJBq9C-V7h8vz3LZI1wmkvKOcGr1S2MfbBrZbBut9fSER6WDdW0Js9eht9w9q8pOQf5V4arzFGYlEOtI7n2vXvgpEvhyphenhyphen9AUZ_rchndaZPX7b3fLVeqQIO-6XKaGLcytk6oCwZvPs/s1600/IMG_0680.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE9qRdJBq9C-V7h8vz3LZI1wmkvKOcGr1S2MfbBrZbBut9fSER6WDdW0Js9eht9w9q8pOQf5V4arzFGYlEOtI7n2vXvgpEvhyphenhyphen9AUZ_rchndaZPX7b3fLVeqQIO-6XKaGLcytk6oCwZvPs/s320/IMG_0680.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcE6usKr5a7eIxh2jXzOg2-a_iBiCiMOw3Ibe2IMcm4un9unXHgzeJ_SjpchyXkhpjQuANtBIZd7vaBI1JbbAL9fgvDQR_jXqR8msmZsTbgHhUtNFh7DmiAOWjuk4bCGuqCn1qRDunmFc/s1600/IMG_0681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcE6usKr5a7eIxh2jXzOg2-a_iBiCiMOw3Ibe2IMcm4un9unXHgzeJ_SjpchyXkhpjQuANtBIZd7vaBI1JbbAL9fgvDQR_jXqR8msmZsTbgHhUtNFh7DmiAOWjuk4bCGuqCn1qRDunmFc/s320/IMG_0681.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp5cnjCj803SJnQtXoTETzI45NIH0zQOQOny_6rY-zSLtiOseU-oRjLxnxiTuem3tnTbf9tfVcElj8kKLwe1EZ8-MrnZojxvSHoDM0u2VRBiRfTfCNVUEvLf1xWedS09TWWZcHM9o5Xfw/s1600/IMG_0684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp5cnjCj803SJnQtXoTETzI45NIH0zQOQOny_6rY-zSLtiOseU-oRjLxnxiTuem3tnTbf9tfVcElj8kKLwe1EZ8-MrnZojxvSHoDM0u2VRBiRfTfCNVUEvLf1xWedS09TWWZcHM9o5Xfw/s320/IMG_0684.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjODmuk5yxAmq1zdc9M9DveDkW3Il_WeUdop7SYPT3fdzSqocIDEo-sH2_x8UUaMnhkZlEIHvtRmR0Tb6nSzSZMK0ZUJShQM8OGyVAxUdu0F3Btdjh8yaP-AOvCMDx_bmLIrwnZ5ow5OBw/s1600/IMG_0691.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjODmuk5yxAmq1zdc9M9DveDkW3Il_WeUdop7SYPT3fdzSqocIDEo-sH2_x8UUaMnhkZlEIHvtRmR0Tb6nSzSZMK0ZUJShQM8OGyVAxUdu0F3Btdjh8yaP-AOvCMDx_bmLIrwnZ5ow5OBw/s320/IMG_0691.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4WEgxg55n3zqbzf5X_LK6HczcgOOZhlXyLflsVhvsk8odb3RkYwySzZ5mLTItSB_cybLIb-Pnq914Sz42tsgq95TU4iUdMXGGpheB1aS0f_P_2j9BcdxBnX6VMbDuxiC-p8bm5_O1lq4/s1600/IMG_0692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4WEgxg55n3zqbzf5X_LK6HczcgOOZhlXyLflsVhvsk8odb3RkYwySzZ5mLTItSB_cybLIb-Pnq914Sz42tsgq95TU4iUdMXGGpheB1aS0f_P_2j9BcdxBnX6VMbDuxiC-p8bm5_O1lq4/s320/IMG_0692.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9DO8vWKJ-pEthl6i-QhkkRoAa2IpfQFtOBcR0s-nV-i1UdzGVi-PJCYUcaA8ZkbnYK116hAbPdbp_6fn_YgW76U2Osjlq_51Px-1Tixhkg4ByLhUAG5SBz2n8WzQgbWVYDW_aH7NeP0/s1600/IMG_0694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9DO8vWKJ-pEthl6i-QhkkRoAa2IpfQFtOBcR0s-nV-i1UdzGVi-PJCYUcaA8ZkbnYK116hAbPdbp_6fn_YgW76U2Osjlq_51Px-1Tixhkg4ByLhUAG5SBz2n8WzQgbWVYDW_aH7NeP0/s320/IMG_0694.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
19th July<br />
<b>Midi to Kuffner Arete to Mt Maudit to Mt Blanc down Gouter route to Les Houches church</b><br />
<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/646167918">https://www.strava.com/activities/646167918</a><br />
<br />
7hrs 57mins<br />
Kuffner Route (D) (about 2hrs 20m from glacier to Mt Maudit summit)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJiqWtUHnr4zkw3a4Wgf9cy3QHkXLdw17LmMq4FCLuBxFE6gs9ynA4Pl-iqEngbbC2IXtXRxZ0Ip0HiSx6xKmJVpUX6x64RwaZy0SnISeTNuHro1eRw5EOuu5quRWs1tV9mhE32TMSZw0/s1600/IMG_0720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJiqWtUHnr4zkw3a4Wgf9cy3QHkXLdw17LmMq4FCLuBxFE6gs9ynA4Pl-iqEngbbC2IXtXRxZ0Ip0HiSx6xKmJVpUX6x64RwaZy0SnISeTNuHro1eRw5EOuu5quRWs1tV9mhE32TMSZw0/s320/IMG_0720.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil3Y7SVRenwz-t37qUE3VPAtXGaecqCnJbNaKGPAc6WRDt88LLLdr_I3mInpLC6afftVRTewYJ9ure6sTT2AYKidZPXxZr-3wf7EB94tmGInZT0vx-qx9xKmaekYVfBpZ5JVbMyE4bDko/s1600/IMG_0726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil3Y7SVRenwz-t37qUE3VPAtXGaecqCnJbNaKGPAc6WRDt88LLLdr_I3mInpLC6afftVRTewYJ9ure6sTT2AYKidZPXxZr-3wf7EB94tmGInZT0vx-qx9xKmaekYVfBpZ5JVbMyE4bDko/s320/IMG_0726.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ530J8o1sa9ewYtCD4lWkDXdXy33Y4RW4B_6atF_h0OfjwRbMsftiASiDQJNiPuBAi3p6D1VGICx9WI9Es82TM_oXsMUPYV7TUsI64M-n9eKqe_vQIdaq-mSlqQBpZfqtSmMhm4dXoaw/s1600/IMG_0727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ530J8o1sa9ewYtCD4lWkDXdXy33Y4RW4B_6atF_h0OfjwRbMsftiASiDQJNiPuBAi3p6D1VGICx9WI9Es82TM_oXsMUPYV7TUsI64M-n9eKqe_vQIdaq-mSlqQBpZfqtSmMhm4dXoaw/s320/IMG_0727.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxgWIffRUvVXmqddybCqHka1psYWc1s9J4xRkNUFvk1rqsNHKncooFHt0hiYc4Wil9z2lDzl_wlpWKeeLbnVbfSPwOlFJRYIzvwngjPCyX_sYzoXe4SwpjiRlBy2Y2rAEUnz2kDdbeZg/s1600/IMG_0728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxgWIffRUvVXmqddybCqHka1psYWc1s9J4xRkNUFvk1rqsNHKncooFHt0hiYc4Wil9z2lDzl_wlpWKeeLbnVbfSPwOlFJRYIzvwngjPCyX_sYzoXe4SwpjiRlBy2Y2rAEUnz2kDdbeZg/s320/IMG_0728.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4xCIvVYAB6hu5wyOM0oqdVxKfYFwc30bS99ovp-DfqoHn4Gy3fCWdUHiqinVDG4NryAqOp51MLWeqnf6JDgfGUHYzDUrANMx_GSKkLEY9t9JfbOXzo39LaLsoGAT_zdSgafqjfe1FdTY/s1600/IMG_0730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4xCIvVYAB6hu5wyOM0oqdVxKfYFwc30bS99ovp-DfqoHn4Gy3fCWdUHiqinVDG4NryAqOp51MLWeqnf6JDgfGUHYzDUrANMx_GSKkLEY9t9JfbOXzo39LaLsoGAT_zdSgafqjfe1FdTY/s320/IMG_0730.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6K4nyqpnUo4eweOJjabCWrpdq5pUfelmpdxMw9uiSfm7DLgVtYXi8WJNpIyncU53DZ199ynslzlN9Wa6NKTfQWChNuSmu3yGOUs75QD6JstoJxEVcXxzY4y5uBEdjqJUXfaCEtI6en3Y/s1600/IMG_0731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6K4nyqpnUo4eweOJjabCWrpdq5pUfelmpdxMw9uiSfm7DLgVtYXi8WJNpIyncU53DZ199ynslzlN9Wa6NKTfQWChNuSmu3yGOUs75QD6JstoJxEVcXxzY4y5uBEdjqJUXfaCEtI6en3Y/s320/IMG_0731.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnoxWpec3A7-bmpGJbJtVEIbPfo8N3hBOI83fELdUTowKwtPgSCDSL2OYDFgqx6Ku-9vOcOdozRy7bCNBDqcks05af7jSAv8RMqIqGiLfAPx6NRBcOSMGdJCb-efmPIqnlds0tsdIMp_4/s1600/IMG_0733.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnoxWpec3A7-bmpGJbJtVEIbPfo8N3hBOI83fELdUTowKwtPgSCDSL2OYDFgqx6Ku-9vOcOdozRy7bCNBDqcks05af7jSAv8RMqIqGiLfAPx6NRBcOSMGdJCb-efmPIqnlds0tsdIMp_4/s320/IMG_0733.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDQUFcSCzvxbHear57e-lH_RWipO5l0NbTWMXcQ_wQxJTqLrF5hFc-3F1LAJ0MhFccUddqI4xH0n8jCBa5Jhl5P0yc9N3rF8EGQAPSrMzGFUvMStMWtZ3T-4KS4KsjyiiKd79ogw2RX4U/s1600/IMG_0738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDQUFcSCzvxbHear57e-lH_RWipO5l0NbTWMXcQ_wQxJTqLrF5hFc-3F1LAJ0MhFccUddqI4xH0n8jCBa5Jhl5P0yc9N3rF8EGQAPSrMzGFUvMStMWtZ3T-4KS4KsjyiiKd79ogw2RX4U/s320/IMG_0738.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuD3g-UK5gfZdDuon0L7IMfuk_NtiYuw8seAwN8CvzG5ZFyaBGRETzqU-w3Ol_Ki2uWPlswllnDwx3d-isfT5U9aQdyi75umOwtk10YR5r0oqXghupqSnYDXyc2vZEcXmx0rmcCH65W4s/s1600/IMG_0746.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuD3g-UK5gfZdDuon0L7IMfuk_NtiYuw8seAwN8CvzG5ZFyaBGRETzqU-w3Ol_Ki2uWPlswllnDwx3d-isfT5U9aQdyi75umOwtk10YR5r0oqXghupqSnYDXyc2vZEcXmx0rmcCH65W4s/s1600/IMG_0746.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc1Nc_J5uxB7WglofKRR4UqmUCpPXp6MiY7Pl70sAgc8AMwi9FTSbxWCANxeoOIUZ16cVyuvmMSh2aZLicJSd0-tA86orLQmRrAzv0tP4tforb8PXMtE7MZaWxEGGvhI4GLxWJpi6L-O4/s1600/IMG_0753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc1Nc_J5uxB7WglofKRR4UqmUCpPXp6MiY7Pl70sAgc8AMwi9FTSbxWCANxeoOIUZ16cVyuvmMSh2aZLicJSd0-tA86orLQmRrAzv0tP4tforb8PXMtE7MZaWxEGGvhI4GLxWJpi6L-O4/s320/IMG_0753.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieU6iTYSBB84uOrvPO6M1Xrx7rSD5U3LhYNmzES-2QMv2bKUIPRItDb2RvQhdUTvL_kNKJQO0rui6W9Fsi4Jczre51v7_BywB2Px4gUURR6WOPeZPjQHca5uenZEplFcwO1KYqff2xlgI/s1600/IMG_0754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieU6iTYSBB84uOrvPO6M1Xrx7rSD5U3LhYNmzES-2QMv2bKUIPRItDb2RvQhdUTvL_kNKJQO0rui6W9Fsi4Jczre51v7_BywB2Px4gUURR6WOPeZPjQHca5uenZEplFcwO1KYqff2xlgI/s320/IMG_0754.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsnO1ZRbXimMOPIJo7iXUHDCkFu6txzQ_myOn7U2Mq1L2il4mVVQ7x_Xe9-SNsxcdWEbNoW-eNNLmPvtUyoW3UQqHIGANq29nCcPI6CQ4u4LHr5zdGHor7o-nDOXt5ME_VlrkxXqf91E4/s1600/IMG_0756.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsnO1ZRbXimMOPIJo7iXUHDCkFu6txzQ_myOn7U2Mq1L2il4mVVQ7x_Xe9-SNsxcdWEbNoW-eNNLmPvtUyoW3UQqHIGANq29nCcPI6CQ4u4LHr5zdGHor7o-nDOXt5ME_VlrkxXqf91E4/s320/IMG_0756.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRMJSjxA8cM8F0q3Z_pRbgxDpo61OgMVSohApgcooUR2pmOTAYeo6LRTda8571LIYO0lFrRhJfyzgJkm8OYLjwuJUJLqsvZ6XGhEJHVtKYDUvogkJBw-mTDarnvRG1iF_WtmCiaOgz8M/s1600/IMG_0760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRMJSjxA8cM8F0q3Z_pRbgxDpo61OgMVSohApgcooUR2pmOTAYeo6LRTda8571LIYO0lFrRhJfyzgJkm8OYLjwuJUJLqsvZ6XGhEJHVtKYDUvogkJBw-mTDarnvRG1iF_WtmCiaOgz8M/s320/IMG_0760.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxC2pxAu-XTx8m8u2o5W81Dl7tWz15ELIGXwcgqn3H7QCyl5MbnYDASuMXXNFox318Di02eiafLNP8WsCT9NkLeYZpDBdhFn8x3sk-stNNZBDJfG3zSpT_q4kf8f1zI_96qRxo5F0hss/s1600/IMG_0762.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxC2pxAu-XTx8m8u2o5W81Dl7tWz15ELIGXwcgqn3H7QCyl5MbnYDASuMXXNFox318Di02eiafLNP8WsCT9NkLeYZpDBdhFn8x3sk-stNNZBDJfG3zSpT_q4kf8f1zI_96qRxo5F0hss/s320/IMG_0762.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlo4a8T_SQJRRzde8UtJ5SprDSMZFjkh4chDd0QqNhz-wfNLk69NuFiY8xg2jxFRxYE2K5ygWnwzaUKKlFf0tefk9M9ya-5u3BRhmAh_EtJlt9_UGQDPQSKbAgpNDjthjLsipFCM7KUjY/s1600/IMG_0765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlo4a8T_SQJRRzde8UtJ5SprDSMZFjkh4chDd0QqNhz-wfNLk69NuFiY8xg2jxFRxYE2K5ygWnwzaUKKlFf0tefk9M9ya-5u3BRhmAh_EtJlt9_UGQDPQSKbAgpNDjthjLsipFCM7KUjY/s320/IMG_0765.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0EnF5SHEHAgkOdaLpAhXgT2HT3-IQvCoPI2KXjbTnR1-XiRIq3s7UOBk5cn_kTxK86ixDLVoDru5qRyQev6JsRhDdutBlo9jlFggO6pBzA6PTJdAqk4LW7roHt5GEoIEfd4qUpZvfXME/s1600/IMG_0769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0EnF5SHEHAgkOdaLpAhXgT2HT3-IQvCoPI2KXjbTnR1-XiRIq3s7UOBk5cn_kTxK86ixDLVoDru5qRyQev6JsRhDdutBlo9jlFggO6pBzA6PTJdAqk4LW7roHt5GEoIEfd4qUpZvfXME/s320/IMG_0769.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ThqaGF0yoqHmBGRFPQIpNNvr81RdnxKxVKbh2qsOW6Kw6T0Wm6WvtiaJuufBYDxB0IeAGj4Tzowd0qBwcxs5B1weVAR2Wp9aiAfraDrqO5UVPusOyR7rGSlsMYBG7hAEZVBgSeR8Kig/s1600/IMG_0771.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ThqaGF0yoqHmBGRFPQIpNNvr81RdnxKxVKbh2qsOW6Kw6T0Wm6WvtiaJuufBYDxB0IeAGj4Tzowd0qBwcxs5B1weVAR2Wp9aiAfraDrqO5UVPusOyR7rGSlsMYBG7hAEZVBgSeR8Kig/s320/IMG_0771.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span id="goog_437747094"></span><span id="goog_437747095"></span><br />Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626806858957754407.post-89035141183209175752016-08-22T02:42:00.001-07:002016-08-22T02:43:26.972-07:00Speedy Tours 1March 2016<br />
<br />
7 day Lightweight Ski Mountaineering Trip<br />
With Es Tresidder, Jon Morgan and Ben Bardsley.<br />
<br />
From Menton (French south coast) to Aiguille (near Briancon)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-PhgNldJon3XsagRaCtmiM8kcwUtBbEAb-zViRRYaTPw_oz5Kmxapn-JcZrmlIyqNH47bqtQ-74ynNmtpT8_UCohxPyNrj8Kib-52cV01umVA3rNIh6q7sMEEXMmrZ1WM2tZInoSi3AA/s1600/IMG_0201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-PhgNldJon3XsagRaCtmiM8kcwUtBbEAb-zViRRYaTPw_oz5Kmxapn-JcZrmlIyqNH47bqtQ-74ynNmtpT8_UCohxPyNrj8Kib-52cV01umVA3rNIh6q7sMEEXMmrZ1WM2tZInoSi3AA/s320/IMG_0201.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
See trip report from Es:<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10156786800110145.1073741836.594220144&type=1&l=ac626d4bcf">www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10156786800110145.1073741836.594220144&type=1&l=ac626d4bcf</a><br />
<br />
and from Jon Morgan:<br />
<a href="https://jonmorgandotcom.wordpress.com/">https://jonmorgandotcom.wordpress.com</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
Hopefully a video of the trip coming soon(ish!)<br />
<br />Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626806858957754407.post-63175231101120371012016-03-01T13:03:00.000-08:002016-05-16T11:34:05.503-07:00Skimo Tranter RoundOn Sunday 28th Febuary myself and Tim Gomersall completed the Phillip Tranter Round in a time of 17hours and 35minutes. This is a classic running Round of 40miles and circa 6000m ascent along the Ben Nevis, Aonachs, Grey Corries and then Mamores ranges in Lochaber. We set off from Glen Nevis Youth Hostel at 0421hrs and finished there at 2156hrs. As far as I can see this is faster than the winter running record of 18hrs 59 mins and 6 seconds recorded by Dan Gay, Jon Gay and Paul Manson in February 2009. We used 'Skimo' lightweight ski mountaineering equipment, as well as trainers for the first approach and last run out. We were unsupported and had no gear or food caches. We estimate we were 'on skis' around 70% of the time.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj88T3RBs_UcurlJIhVl8ogpI5idrJWiilyu9C61OyRN6SUBf2BoH76o4t2l5FNPpKZol7jUeUiQd1XAcMe-CL3sy9NC33_pH6hw6fb1MInPtpEQ5pdt-S2uBICE37P0ba8CTEoMRQZFq4/s1600/IMG_0002+%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj88T3RBs_UcurlJIhVl8ogpI5idrJWiilyu9C61OyRN6SUBf2BoH76o4t2l5FNPpKZol7jUeUiQd1XAcMe-CL3sy9NC33_pH6hw6fb1MInPtpEQ5pdt-S2uBICE37P0ba8CTEoMRQZFq4/s320/IMG_0002+%25286%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tim Gomersall setting off</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Setting off up Ben Nevis in the dark we were very excited - the forecast for the day was perfect, and the snow cover looked good too. We had debated whether to do the round as a run or a ski, and even now I am not sure what the fastest option would be. The benefits of running are of course lighter gear and less kit faff, whereas the ski mountaineering benefits would be ease of travel over (some types of) snow, as well as faster descents which would likely save the legs compared to running downhill. Snow conditions would be a huge factor as skis would have the edge in soft conditions, whereas on this day conditions were set to be fairly firm and scoured, so would the skis be a hindrance or a help? I have long been fascinated with the idea of doing this Round using skimo kit - would it be possible?<br />
<br />
The problems of doing a round like this with traditional ski mountaineering kit are mainly the weight of equipment and also the faff time for 'transitions' from uphill mode to downhill; from skis on to cramponing, etc. With modern lightweight skimo equipment these problems are largely overcome as transitions can be made very quickly with functional 'race' systems, and also the skis are light and short allowing them to be easily carried on the back without much detriment.<br />
<br />
First light on top of Ben Nevis. Perfect clear skies and no wind. Moonlight and stars. I let out a whoop skiing some nice snow down to the Carn Mor Dearg Arete. Crossing this on foot we continued into the rising dawn. Very firm down to the Carn Mor Dearg - Aonach Mor col. Steep cramponing up firm neve to the plateau. After this things started warming up a bit in the sun and we made steady progress along the Grey Corries, mainly on skis with some foot sections when steep or rocky. Off Stob Ban (Grey Corries) we had a fantastic spring-like ski down east of Meall a Bhuirich and grass hopped right to the river Abhainn Rath. A quick barefoot river crossing wasn't so bad as the sun was out and we got a breather and a chance to take on water.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZu9EE5lakmjhNTbQ596tFNZykUT3rI1xReAVmFmQO1_QNYhipSgYV01LgEi12VvQAVLX7MJzJ2IVqkmmRyyWa5TXgDb3kU6G-4B06lCXJpSVqOs-zvfIAcmL9g7svuA0o4BnxaEg3hE/s1600/IMG_0014+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZu9EE5lakmjhNTbQ596tFNZykUT3rI1xReAVmFmQO1_QNYhipSgYV01LgEi12VvQAVLX7MJzJ2IVqkmmRyyWa5TXgDb3kU6G-4B06lCXJpSVqOs-zvfIAcmL9g7svuA0o4BnxaEg3hE/s320/IMG_0014+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tim skiing off Ben Nevis towards CMD Arete in the half light</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DU7dPbYngKa28d2_8jB4GQ-lHV0ks_PvHqv6hhRm4-Ca7mBb8vC4jyoT781TK8mfx1_YPxkhxNFrGZ7RN5Togj7zZaQlSsyTDoVrdwVtuGPV9V8pChb0lT5dpp5fM-JOMPn6aIw4v_4/s1600/IMG_0016+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DU7dPbYngKa28d2_8jB4GQ-lHV0ks_PvHqv6hhRm4-Ca7mBb8vC4jyoT781TK8mfx1_YPxkhxNFrGZ7RN5Togj7zZaQlSsyTDoVrdwVtuGPV9V8pChb0lT5dpp5fM-JOMPn6aIw4v_4/s320/IMG_0016+%25282%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fast conditions on CMD Arete</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkIPOujBWpuEg1kw8Rn-2osWuhCMV29EgnBrm2Z5goZQsH10KhyGzyfbTUsSSG0ze_Ri3MDFlx7NwUk4jmR12yf_VyiOQ8YZBY2C46fMhyphenhyphen7eY9YB-ntgMFFvHQGmHreyvguk10rdpvyQ/s1600/IMG_0031+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkIPOujBWpuEg1kw8Rn-2osWuhCMV29EgnBrm2Z5goZQsH10KhyGzyfbTUsSSG0ze_Ri3MDFlx7NwUk4jmR12yf_VyiOQ8YZBY2C46fMhyphenhyphen7eY9YB-ntgMFFvHQGmHreyvguk10rdpvyQ/s320/IMG_0031+%25282%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skiing down to CMD - Aonach Mor col by moonlit dawn</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HF8zjsDhjUMFL_LIriiWzNoftRJcMyKCSMlNkfgq3vl4ybdsqAB1_SEloFHLC334r8BppRMtOIYXXA-sWse-Yq73flQMIiIZe5R9Dg-PbybeolDGiHgVTtBbq75Xt5spJxd4fX1mLvk/s1600/IMG_0038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HF8zjsDhjUMFL_LIriiWzNoftRJcMyKCSMlNkfgq3vl4ybdsqAB1_SEloFHLC334r8BppRMtOIYXXA-sWse-Yq73flQMIiIZe5R9Dg-PbybeolDGiHgVTtBbq75Xt5spJxd4fX1mLvk/s320/IMG_0038.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up to Aonach Mor plateau</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2GbwlSLzG_gBrjC4EIJZrsQdovfsv_Y-8m664slkZE8EB6jHLjA90k4MuVwbgeXrAvk3Y6i3EKEbUcCrhpVcqjTvr3tFjhbNu6DRMZbmtsc_iMiqVpaRGiZJi-TDlv3MGkJiAJK3U_QY/s1600/IMG_0041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2GbwlSLzG_gBrjC4EIJZrsQdovfsv_Y-8m664slkZE8EB6jHLjA90k4MuVwbgeXrAvk3Y6i3EKEbUcCrhpVcqjTvr3tFjhbNu6DRMZbmtsc_iMiqVpaRGiZJi-TDlv3MGkJiAJK3U_QY/s320/IMG_0041.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Approaching Aonach Mor plateau with Ben Nevis and Carn Mor Dearg behind</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTGCueqk-YI0LCpzUxLUN2W7t0bvFsojjc1u9-Xb24KiZPdkeWWTKqMtZGlP5HE0HOXkWLsyhkZX9Y9peJNbP-nJeUdxxHaXBQFa1LbgGvQMkQVLjBiGKz59K1e6FoTLTjNLZ2QZVHvU/s1600/IMG_0042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTGCueqk-YI0LCpzUxLUN2W7t0bvFsojjc1u9-Xb24KiZPdkeWWTKqMtZGlP5HE0HOXkWLsyhkZX9Y9peJNbP-nJeUdxxHaXBQFa1LbgGvQMkQVLjBiGKz59K1e6FoTLTjNLZ2QZVHvU/s320/IMG_0042.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise: descending Aonach Mor for Aonach Beag</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBGhBNWSdMR3bjQuxEBjx-IH_C6aPjJj7fFK4Sw1DWsrrOS_obZh71nw4ms-gm-wi5GiAoV8JfADTIchlnev7dPR9dm3NZ3g5RJmlDh0UPnqX0oy8lNTcAfQEo4J4MpNPrkdFL7kkO9LM/s1600/IMG_0052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBGhBNWSdMR3bjQuxEBjx-IH_C6aPjJj7fFK4Sw1DWsrrOS_obZh71nw4ms-gm-wi5GiAoV8JfADTIchlnev7dPR9dm3NZ3g5RJmlDh0UPnqX0oy8lNTcAfQEo4J4MpNPrkdFL7kkO9LM/s320/IMG_0052.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stob Coire Bhealaich gully off Aonach Beag</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG4CPtEqk4Pjk23Rh-gmYe5xOo6Zamm42FvHtMfLuPJB2zrtNErQuyOsWxjarittPMpBtO4H_ghw_JbkrupyzAivblamlnlXs7_np5yhQoVQzdn60l63dTwGwUJ5_vZgyRItfI1Ib9Gpg/s1600/IMG_0059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG4CPtEqk4Pjk23Rh-gmYe5xOo6Zamm42FvHtMfLuPJB2zrtNErQuyOsWxjarittPMpBtO4H_ghw_JbkrupyzAivblamlnlXs7_np5yhQoVQzdn60l63dTwGwUJ5_vZgyRItfI1Ib9Gpg/s320/IMG_0059.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grey Corries traversing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEgH7CJW9fBkV4acIpBrhrNz9WYjc75Iz6DmKB2GutPSLpA4VyNZKdaY61Revx1J8yyknte9mR4jrExl61mw0wFAzs9LrVYXAghhIojuX7g8w4LEgNsgahreWOarg6WBFRMbObvGxH4i4/s1600/IMG_0063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEgH7CJW9fBkV4acIpBrhrNz9WYjc75Iz6DmKB2GutPSLpA4VyNZKdaY61Revx1J8yyknte9mR4jrExl61mw0wFAzs9LrVYXAghhIojuX7g8w4LEgNsgahreWOarg6WBFRMbObvGxH4i4/s320/IMG_0063.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stob Choire Claurigh</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhad43y2wIUoXg7SUClaAP9rCP6pWRQ3Vxm65a04ZxWkdVZmcNLhFQ9WkQpVDovHw8rlJFYlNxdv2CR82p4HHveo_0NG6F9plWX-1NVyJaileMlQYGCyv6eG3bBUzmt4QFafhL80bvsTik/s1600/IMG_0001+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhad43y2wIUoXg7SUClaAP9rCP6pWRQ3Vxm65a04ZxWkdVZmcNLhFQ9WkQpVDovHw8rlJFYlNxdv2CR82p4HHveo_0NG6F9plWX-1NVyJaileMlQYGCyv6eG3bBUzmt4QFafhL80bvsTik/s320/IMG_0001+%25284%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Descent all the way to the river Abhainn Rath on ski</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDr1wLbzQkvgEV4b0IMVrfKrsc-zAYqQgge33PuS51tbo1LztNgUkCaB-LYOatNVMlaoVQ626ZwEisCvwE5sAH8A1AtjGaa0NyNmOGmKHWENBzUzglbvUEqe8e7_6LNB4eLTz0J-zYUKI/s1600/IMG_0007+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDr1wLbzQkvgEV4b0IMVrfKrsc-zAYqQgge33PuS51tbo1LztNgUkCaB-LYOatNVMlaoVQ626ZwEisCvwE5sAH8A1AtjGaa0NyNmOGmKHWENBzUzglbvUEqe8e7_6LNB4eLTz0J-zYUKI/s320/IMG_0007+%25285%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">River crossing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Crossing ranges, we now skinned up the long and lovely northeast ridge of Sgurr Eilde Mor. From this summit we crossed to Binnein Beag and found a brilliant half pipe gully of soft snow near the crossing of the Allt Coire a' Bhinnein's southernmost fingers. For Binnein Beag we left the skis and bags for an out-and-back. Skiiing off Binnean Mor and traversing Pt 1062 to descent to the col east of Na Gruagaichean was rewarding, but the descent from Na Gruagaichean itself was icy and chattery on skis. Another out-and-back to An Gearanach as the evening light was deepening. From Stob Coire a' Chairn down was a fun ridge-ski, and up Am Bodach felt steep. The last out-and-back along the Devil's Ridge to Sgurr a' Mhaim was a final 'crux' and we again left the skis and proceeded on foot for this. Darkness finally descended on arrival back at the skis and a surprisingly good headtorch ski down to Lochan Coire nam Miseach and some opportunistic water.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhttzPLXdA58uoW15IOZ6NpPBHldLKOeA5wPNw6J5LD89rt0nTBjbipbT2rsIX4U2nV-eZwGMuYc-q-MWLmkuqstwap8xeKxvkUw9BiF9KxiKpzzHa0Y7PWAjK8Q4XAddGF1fbquDWYGyw/s1600/IMG_0011+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhttzPLXdA58uoW15IOZ6NpPBHldLKOeA5wPNw6J5LD89rt0nTBjbipbT2rsIX4U2nV-eZwGMuYc-q-MWLmkuqstwap8xeKxvkUw9BiF9KxiKpzzHa0Y7PWAjK8Q4XAddGF1fbquDWYGyw/s320/IMG_0011+%25285%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking from Sgurr Eilder Mor NE ridge towards Binnein Beag and Ben Nevis</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaY2I8ci0_oTHnXX8daWcRftjuV_qbiMYme-dan4n348AyUwfkmT77Nz-eVFxgnnPBBzKGI3v-F95EsGS1J3vH7apc9JnDS-vs63k1Iits8522J9WGfNfwJJtTWoXUxtLyXA8xMXBsTno/s1600/IMG_0018+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaY2I8ci0_oTHnXX8daWcRftjuV_qbiMYme-dan4n348AyUwfkmT77Nz-eVFxgnnPBBzKGI3v-F95EsGS1J3vH7apc9JnDS-vs63k1Iits8522J9WGfNfwJJtTWoXUxtLyXA8xMXBsTno/s320/IMG_0018+%25282%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice snow gully below Coire an Lochain of Sgurr Eilde Mor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxx-0h4tSZNAdG2ZCt0w_aDpI7eGB60V3jIGNCKrC8RYkhJv-PbZlIHMoprUFitCtzb2rqVSrAicNC8t63tpblGim91_edhxozrvsq_sTHnYb2vUAdO1HSuqOJk3roZ168PDh9f16mi-M/s1600/IMG_0024+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxx-0h4tSZNAdG2ZCt0w_aDpI7eGB60V3jIGNCKrC8RYkhJv-PbZlIHMoprUFitCtzb2rqVSrAicNC8t63tpblGim91_edhxozrvsq_sTHnYb2vUAdO1HSuqOJk3roZ168PDh9f16mi-M/s320/IMG_0024+%25283%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rising traverse towards Binnein Beag</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Tc3xLHFMAqir2_ZHi6WDtcpd3RCl7Qpa9fzKDC_SU6EcJMoIeixxkKx7n9LOa1Yej24EKMtNckQ_iBeDjs7b5A-LWmGSAG7dh1F3ZNl74uNcTOAnVKKknoET59U8BcXwXEU_PPWLBbg/s1600/IMG_0032+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Tc3xLHFMAqir2_ZHi6WDtcpd3RCl7Qpa9fzKDC_SU6EcJMoIeixxkKx7n9LOa1Yej24EKMtNckQ_iBeDjs7b5A-LWmGSAG7dh1F3ZNl74uNcTOAnVKKknoET59U8BcXwXEU_PPWLBbg/s320/IMG_0032+%25283%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Descending into evening light towards Am Bodach</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Skiing off Stob Ban (Mamores) was unconsolidated and rocky so we had a short walk, but then got skinning again along the final section to Mullach nan Coirean. Chat was fairly minimal by now with necessary information communicated in grunts. After descending down the final northeast ridge a ways on foot we had a nice ski down beside the fence and then switched to trainers for the final 4km run out to the Youth Hostel.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH4FIYdn31LcLWDymbaHKj9x6OJUyNu3f9ukq5K0mzRXPgDQIYmHNsgu04UFwmpUObXsX9vO3Gb9ZY-CkO64RfzkrKNax7pV3xhYD9VCFS1-CqHSlWOyERiwRm9yOL3pbJMJWlJDKpr1M/s1600/IMG_0037+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH4FIYdn31LcLWDymbaHKj9x6OJUyNu3f9ukq5K0mzRXPgDQIYmHNsgu04UFwmpUObXsX9vO3Gb9ZY-CkO64RfzkrKNax7pV3xhYD9VCFS1-CqHSlWOyERiwRm9yOL3pbJMJWlJDKpr1M/s320/IMG_0037+%25282%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dark again: somewhere near Stob Ban (Mamores)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8itM50r5y6F35h7pWEFmOASKBZ9CquRst0GMZCQEizoEX-7XaerNsA1M_G82s6ucf7V5bGomze5boI-AiKY57ZdC4GFpNN-uPKT59toprRPD5dQSvtyho6NrlyZ50BW0u2FTItu1ysY/s1600/IMG_0038+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8itM50r5y6F35h7pWEFmOASKBZ9CquRst0GMZCQEizoEX-7XaerNsA1M_G82s6ucf7V5bGomze5boI-AiKY57ZdC4GFpNN-uPKT59toprRPD5dQSvtyho6NrlyZ50BW0u2FTItu1ysY/s320/IMG_0038+%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished: at Glen Nevis Youth Hostel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This was another unforgettable hill day - for pure length; for variety and interest; for perfect winter weather. From being barefoot in the warm(ish) sun at the valley river crossing, to being fully layered in the dark with increasing wind going up Stob Ban (Mamores) many hours later. I had long thought that this Round could be done utilising skis as a tool for travel in the winter mountains, and I'm very pleased that we managed to turn this into a reality.<br />
<br />
GPS trace here:<br />
<a href="http://www.strava.com/activities/505203436">www.strava.com/activities/505203436</a><br />
and<br />
<a href="http://www.strava.com/activities/505204149">www.strava.com/activities/505204149</a><br />
My watch battery was running low so I switched to my phone at Sgorr an Lubhair (being careful to take this into account in the timings). Annoyingly the GPS trace for some reason hasn't worked between starting at the Glen Nevis YH and Aonach Mor.<br />
<br />
Split times:<br />
<br />
Start Glen Nevis YH 00:00:00<br />
Ben Nevis 1h53m50s<br />
Carn Mor Dearg 32.42<br />
Aonach Mor 51.04<br />
Aonach Beag 17.27<br />
Sgurr Choinnich Mor 56.02<br />
Stob Coire a' Laoigh 38.53<br />
Stob Coire Claurigh 46.01<br />
Stob Ban 28.46<br />
Sgurr Eilde Mor 1.56.18<br />
Binnein Beag 58.40<br />
Binnein Mor 1.00.19<br />
Na Gruagaichean 23.46<br />
An Gearanach 1.04.40<br />
Stob Coire a' Chairn 32.35<br />
Am Bodach 32.42<br />
Sgor a Iubhair 30.23<br />
Sgurr a' Mhaim 39.19<br />
Stob Ban 1.18.21<br />
Mullach nan Coirean 52.31<br />
Glen Nevis YH 1.13.27<br />
<br />
(as detailed, timekeeping switched device at Sgor a Iubhair due to low battery, so split times from there on are approximate. But total time for the round was accurate)Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626806858957754407.post-4936319405267937862016-02-15T14:39:00.000-08:002016-05-16T10:54:30.454-07:00A Fast Winter Cuillin Ridge TraverseOn Sunday 14th February 2016 myself and Tim Gomersall completed a Winter Cuillin Ridge Traverse from Sgurr nan Gillean in the north to Gars-bheinn in the south. Our route took in all 11 Munro summits, Bidein Druim nan Ramh, and included the TD gap. We started at Sgurr nan Gillean at 07.40am and touched the cairn on Gars-bheinn at 1.54.17pm. The summit to summit traverse took 6hrs 14minutes and 17seconds.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5odphRzYGg2pPPSq8KVBbJv68BSNSFf8Gr36V-unzbN_4l4t14VhDY3NCV6BFeDYKJbHjKvi43FIdOV-Pj9xyBhV7V0-pcEqLBPbQbZ2fO1_qO2o8FUc3CKjN51-w3HOhoIb8qBNXv8/s1600/IMG_0029+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5odphRzYGg2pPPSq8KVBbJv68BSNSFf8Gr36V-unzbN_4l4t14VhDY3NCV6BFeDYKJbHjKvi43FIdOV-Pj9xyBhV7V0-pcEqLBPbQbZ2fO1_qO2o8FUc3CKjN51-w3HOhoIb8qBNXv8/s320/IMG_0029+%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tim and myself in Glen Brittle after our traverse</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We had heard that the Cuillin traverse was in excellent winter condition, and were aware of several parties who had completed traverses in the past few days. The weather looked to remain good for Sunday, if a little windy, so we arranged to drive up to Sligachan and sleep in the van. I was excited to share this adventure with 23 year old Tim who already has many impressive mountain feats to his name including sixth place in the Glencoe Skyline race last year, the Cuillin Greater Traverse record, and an eight hour winter round of Glencoe to name just a few.<br />
<br />
Setting off at 05.25am to walk in up the South East ridge of Sgurr nan Gillean we were brimming with enthusiasm. The weather was clear and we could gradually make out the familiar mountain masses as the dawn developed. Popping out on the South East ridge and seeing the main Cuillin spread out before us in its winter coat lit by early morning light was breathtaking, beautiful and incredibly exciting. We have both spend a considerable amount of time in the Cuillin in summer conditions - what would it be like in winter?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_BDFjH7-3vI6VHZctmFykQ9McRwdHlOfo6cG6ZZxwQiHnkhtExD-erl8_WeGqbvZ_X6GZM_ByZqfRPSriGi3UqQZZS_oNJ1tQb-7A3uvy8A4B8M7BMXhKwk216NhFa_K-KydyjmUAmxA/s1600/IMG_0010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_BDFjH7-3vI6VHZctmFykQ9McRwdHlOfo6cG6ZZxwQiHnkhtExD-erl8_WeGqbvZ_X6GZM_ByZqfRPSriGi3UqQZZS_oNJ1tQb-7A3uvy8A4B8M7BMXhKwk216NhFa_K-KydyjmUAmxA/s320/IMG_0010.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking south from Sgurr nan Gillean to the rest of the Cuillin </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZWzqJPij4izuPAJoeXFvh-UrPFMu6uiC8yONdKlG1ynQS7fV6YwoWqwCpJ_-5WnMCkHh8PqKkG4AOYR0GriB7Rqo2DmHSp5dgi1YOTtYucz9r1hfnneW8Wp4lGvpzmJIWI9U21OcLF8/s1600/IMG_0011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZWzqJPij4izuPAJoeXFvh-UrPFMu6uiC8yONdKlG1ynQS7fV6YwoWqwCpJ_-5WnMCkHh8PqKkG4AOYR0GriB7Rqo2DmHSp5dgi1YOTtYucz9r1hfnneW8Wp4lGvpzmJIWI9U21OcLF8/s320/IMG_0011.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking from Sgurr nan Gillean to Am Basteir and the Northern Cuillin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Several factors were key to our fast and light approach. The snow conditions were excellent, with both a decent base and a forgiving fresher covering on top. The weather was clear and the wind not too persistent. Several parties had been along the ridge in the past two days and so there was a trail already broken - which took a very good line for at least ninety percent of the route. We also had the advantage of light equipment. In particular, we both wore Salomon X-Alp Carbon GTX boots - which at 500g each are essentially a stiff running shoe with an outer gaiter. These take a crampon remarkably well. We decided to take two ice axes each, to allow a maximum of soloing, and used one technical and one super light axe each for the majority of the time. For the multiple abseils we took a 38metre length of 8mm rope, and a 26metre length of 6mm cord. We took multiple slings and abseil tatt although as hoped all but one of the abseils we made were already equipped by recent teams. In addition we had a small rack of nuts and 4 quickdraws, for use on the Inn Pinn and TD Gap. We took just over a litre of water each and ate mostly gels and jelly babies.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpaCTI0VORwAYxTLC4uRQG9DQs4Jh54XXSE-O485-sBNPKiWXVPHn1DoBN0AL8-_FOQs2smHiOMqP3QgYyOY8un2OFXeDs5G5-Rf-LZmPZDEaJCcMMJa05rLaJFWrbjnSfocxTrewzXVg/s1600/IMG_0031+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpaCTI0VORwAYxTLC4uRQG9DQs4Jh54XXSE-O485-sBNPKiWXVPHn1DoBN0AL8-_FOQs2smHiOMqP3QgYyOY8un2OFXeDs5G5-Rf-LZmPZDEaJCcMMJa05rLaJFWrbjnSfocxTrewzXVg/s320/IMG_0031+%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Equipment used</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Setting off from Sgurr nan Gillean we were incredibly excited. Getting the timing right with days off work, weather, snow conditions and partner had all come to pass: now we could get on with the task at hand. Tim set a blistering initial pace and fell back on his alpine experience to rig the first abseil extremely quickly. From then on we developed an efficient partnership, soloing and running between the more technical short sections or abseils.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_AuGQb2XKMEVZm1DUxVE3MgnFVixuIbFm7Vdw_WjN6J_gq66wcHMs4iXjq00BKsfW8l9HYBsbiOuOQcJDOrA25CYmSoH3pq8FjP-1EqGu5nTQRHBBJdpGe0YGjR-tfCFmPlM7OeQvdqY/s1600/IMG_0015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_AuGQb2XKMEVZm1DUxVE3MgnFVixuIbFm7Vdw_WjN6J_gq66wcHMs4iXjq00BKsfW8l9HYBsbiOuOQcJDOrA25CYmSoH3pq8FjP-1EqGu5nTQRHBBJdpGe0YGjR-tfCFmPlM7OeQvdqY/s320/IMG_0015.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tim on Sgurr nan Gillean just before starting the traverse</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd4FpaBWByGsE1W8uFCuo7vJsOrYr4qTH3P-jk1SPWzb3-QiZa-jyhvrGO03wthTWBdDRwucaLePVx_2RdT76Z30ENLO4hinECLUg8lMbCzrPYyeM18DStdliqC8bRTDcrdfeAlOh6-nY/s1600/IMG_0014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd4FpaBWByGsE1W8uFCuo7vJsOrYr4qTH3P-jk1SPWzb3-QiZa-jyhvrGO03wthTWBdDRwucaLePVx_2RdT76Z30ENLO4hinECLUg8lMbCzrPYyeM18DStdliqC8bRTDcrdfeAlOh6-nY/s320/IMG_0014.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finlay on Sgurr nan Gillean</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkt8r0O6wc5QXtFRrNqhmYEVslkiyydgF39ZWuXaHJR1xwskT2heds85KHJCByklRdG-QsfRbfBa4MnuTfsKBTj6qVijZr_nmKvnOk_ZBWsuSXmmTuolawMtMvh8_BsRJGkePt9_uER4/s1600/IMG_0031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkt8r0O6wc5QXtFRrNqhmYEVslkiyydgF39ZWuXaHJR1xwskT2heds85KHJCByklRdG-QsfRbfBa4MnuTfsKBTj6qVijZr_nmKvnOk_ZBWsuSXmmTuolawMtMvh8_BsRJGkePt9_uER4/s320/IMG_0031.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ideal conditions: Tim on Sgurr a' Ghreadaidh with the southern half of the Cuillin beyond</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF56UbPLcMeomWLbpKYoiGr-pzRflslyEwB4IwFJlvaaTPAGXqkl5fyFW6L5kiZxxonM-k6QTa95tyhbE82FUY5HBkf6uKzpsVAkbF93Dn6RAQBTgvgdOAu_c9vn1-_jdMKAjUuaH06Kk/s1600/IMG_0027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF56UbPLcMeomWLbpKYoiGr-pzRflslyEwB4IwFJlvaaTPAGXqkl5fyFW6L5kiZxxonM-k6QTa95tyhbE82FUY5HBkf6uKzpsVAkbF93Dn6RAQBTgvgdOAu_c9vn1-_jdMKAjUuaH06Kk/s320/IMG_0027.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tim powering on up</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Having a broken trail which was in the right place was key to our speed. Also the recently used, visible abseils were quick to find and safe to use - they didn't need dug out, re-equipped or hunted for. We moved very quickly between the abseils on Sgurr nan Gillean, Am Basteir, Bhasteir Tooth; the second and then third tops of Mhadaidh. At times were were overheating in just a single thin top layer, but as we got to Sgurr na Banachdich and the change of general ridge direction, it got a bit colder in the wind. Reaching a wintery Inn Pinn Tim took the lead and we simul climbed up to the summit block at about 3hrs 15mins elapsed. After a quick abseil and another gel we continued on, and warmed up. Abseiling Kings Chimney we should have used both ropes, but didn't and had a short awkward downclimb.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFzmJ69eJwQ0JYJLEqu6bSyyrwiUXO05ZQY95C07NmPh4IwP8TaJY1oguFB2Jilq8Zy-pWF_2s-Sp4s9wNavw0QH5K9H03aejpzZWGFGjTCLyo_3h3-rCiVxylMGekAG_gz0h3mkkpoIs/s1600/IMG_0037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFzmJ69eJwQ0JYJLEqu6bSyyrwiUXO05ZQY95C07NmPh4IwP8TaJY1oguFB2Jilq8Zy-pWF_2s-Sp4s9wNavw0QH5K9H03aejpzZWGFGjTCLyo_3h3-rCiVxylMGekAG_gz0h3mkkpoIs/s320/IMG_0037.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Climbing the Inn Pinn</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlN2VbLwWIQhB2pW5SjHxBafNnpf4O6UOTYcLTRP2yhwIirxYM28DsdTvF1dz5avPjKWNt4sQsXZHnh1J9zC5BQMpNLJwnGpXXX_gOp17f1nw6o4g58rjhwQNd3CujUtV0OJXR3pe6MU/s1600/IMG_0002+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlN2VbLwWIQhB2pW5SjHxBafNnpf4O6UOTYcLTRP2yhwIirxYM28DsdTvF1dz5avPjKWNt4sQsXZHnh1J9zC5BQMpNLJwnGpXXX_gOp17f1nw6o4g58rjhwQNd3CujUtV0OJXR3pe6MU/s320/IMG_0002+%25281%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">King's Chimney abseil</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Approaching the TD Gap I was apprehensive. Things were going well but we still had this final technical obstacle to overcome. Many winter traverses descend into Coire a' Ghrunnda from the gap, but we felt that the ideal aesthetic was to include the climb out of the gap. After a brief pitiful attempt at some lassoing of the top of the gap from abseil, we descended and I set off on an anxious lead. To my delight, I found several positive hooks which I had no idea were there, despite knowing this short section well in summer. It's pretty steep with poor feet and my forearms were screaming, but at least it is short and fairly soon I was up and out. Me delighted, Tim seconded up and we continued on.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijTftrKq8YUFKowOBIeYxnIN5hsKIY4njLMSFRdx7pymKjyzBRuGixWAOH73CPI2oo4tA2HjDyY10FPsn15LunYvnmb5awb5-PQCGs98XQ8D25LboDrFanRRwqoiGUCUyUiijZkhyJj-A/s1600/IMG_0005+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijTftrKq8YUFKowOBIeYxnIN5hsKIY4njLMSFRdx7pymKjyzBRuGixWAOH73CPI2oo4tA2HjDyY10FPsn15LunYvnmb5awb5-PQCGs98XQ8D25LboDrFanRRwqoiGUCUyUiijZkhyJj-A/s320/IMG_0005+%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finlay leading out of TD Gap</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The sun came out now again and it was getting hot. We also picked up the pace slightly and enjoyed a brilliant romp up Sgurr Dubh Mor. Racing down the snowy gully towards Caisteal a' Garbh-Choire was certainly easier than ascending it in summer, although we had to make a few minor route changes in these winter conditions. From Sgurr nan Eag we stayed close, pushing each other on, and finally reached Gars-bheinn and its eagle's eerie view in a pretty knackered state. We took in the ridge and that favourite view across to a snow topped Bla Bheinn, before stumbling our way down the south west screes to the track and some water. A friendly family on holiday squeezed us into their car at Glen Brittle and dropped us back at Sligachan, for a much needed cup of tea.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEumIoTFQYt16WY5595oZ_JoGvjfz3fn9_DSNi-bp-A3SvF5x-Od6NbSVSA-YKISWFHUgqdCn4mvC4Ocoy8hOMnecdeYWKikDxBAGJSuf-BEMpX8iEFtL6cycBjmaxCtm840qnBawW200/s1600/IMG_0016+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEumIoTFQYt16WY5595oZ_JoGvjfz3fn9_DSNi-bp-A3SvF5x-Od6NbSVSA-YKISWFHUgqdCn4mvC4Ocoy8hOMnecdeYWKikDxBAGJSuf-BEMpX8iEFtL6cycBjmaxCtm840qnBawW200/s320/IMG_0016+%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished: At Gars-bheinn</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg70SEW1ibTAJrLtgmqHzjeaK9t0CvyRWJ3J8hhDTvdJ9eZVbZITt5dura3mRQDrrcg6_vr7jpsYZfWAqK80YepkhSGpjCmqpseITPxYQIPbqQzyCvGoUpy_I7qZrjhaDfDc1d3bQzusuE/s1600/IMG_0012+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg70SEW1ibTAJrLtgmqHzjeaK9t0CvyRWJ3J8hhDTvdJ9eZVbZITt5dura3mRQDrrcg6_vr7jpsYZfWAqK80YepkhSGpjCmqpseITPxYQIPbqQzyCvGoUpy_I7qZrjhaDfDc1d3bQzusuE/s320/IMG_0012+%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view back along the ridge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
See here for GPS watch trace:<br />
<a href="http://www.movescount.com/moves/move93421916">http://www.movescount.com/moves/move93421916</a><br />
<br />
Split times:<br />
<br />
Sgurr nan Gillean 00.00.00 <br />
Am Basteir 16m37s<br />
Bruach na Frithe 20.57<br />
Bidein DNR 38.45<br />
Sgurr a’ Mhadaidh 43.24<br />
Sgurr a’ Ghreadaidh 11.00<br />
Sgurr na Banachdich 22.33<br />
In Pin 40.53<br />
Sgurr Mhic Choinnich 25.19<br />
Sgurr Alasdair 26.58<br />
Sgurr Dubh Mor 1.17.04<br />
Sgurr nan Eag 28.50<br />
Gars-bheinn 21.51<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626806858957754407.post-51005725041288320502016-02-15T10:47:00.000-08:002016-02-15T10:47:12.674-08:00KaleidoscapeA few weeks ago we headed down to the John Muir Trust 'Wild Space' in Pitlochry, to hang my first art exhibition 'Kaleidoscape'. It will run in the Alan Reece Gallery there for the next two months. It was great to see so many of my painting all up in the same space - 15 framed canvases and 5 framed prints.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijnk5CdJ_UxZJhzirr62Q5qMHVryFqexlgDPXUSRm32yCUzc2xNh6FdiKlpMXohEE-zSV6zIfHbJholL2yyhyxYTWsAUihk1DPCE5s0UO1knc1NRoGmtvDOLxehqdTofuBPCwsfUjvDTU/s1600/IMG_2060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijnk5CdJ_UxZJhzirr62Q5qMHVryFqexlgDPXUSRm32yCUzc2xNh6FdiKlpMXohEE-zSV6zIfHbJholL2yyhyxYTWsAUihk1DPCE5s0UO1knc1NRoGmtvDOLxehqdTofuBPCwsfUjvDTU/s320/IMG_2060.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqg1ADH2E_qkJN0WbY_1okW2FBBz1x2mjbu4_jf9x9siIVfA7lUa917Q1w0AUbVK_abUaKN04Sh_mnoO2ajGV3qjQHtgDfRRYyoYjmST9hixhANAgAR-VPWfeqcvVGHIIMlxnVgUFClE/s1600/IMG_2067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqg1ADH2E_qkJN0WbY_1okW2FBBz1x2mjbu4_jf9x9siIVfA7lUa917Q1w0AUbVK_abUaKN04Sh_mnoO2ajGV3qjQHtgDfRRYyoYjmST9hixhANAgAR-VPWfeqcvVGHIIMlxnVgUFClE/s320/IMG_2067.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span id="goog_1335001525"></span><span id="goog_1335001526"></span><br />Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626806858957754407.post-72660750020335874282016-02-04T13:44:00.000-08:002016-02-04T13:44:12.894-08:00Skimo British Champs washoutThe 2016 Skimo British Champs were set to take place at the Roc et Pic race at Thollon les Memises on the slopes above Lac Leman (Lake Geneva). I've done the Roc et Pic before, and remember some great sections with sunny slopes and expansive views down towards the shimmering lake with bluebird skies above. Unfortunately this weekend was not to follow suit.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Things started badly for me as I expertly procrastinated on getting packed, and then for one reason or another ended up spending a pretty uncomfortable time in Glasgow airport as far from ideal race prep. Arriving in Amsterdam airport I was totally disorientated as I woke up to being climbed over by the guy next to me who was rushing to catch his connection. I just made mine, despite being in a sleep deprived, caffeine-addled, dehydrated suboptimal state.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
That done I was in Geneva. Or rather stuck at the outsized baggage area in Geneva airport. Eventually it transpired that my bag was delayed until the evening, so I abandoned it and got a lift with the patient Neil, Andy and Tim to Thollon. </div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwu8xdNcWBWnRQKALySH5GUlaz1Zu7WAwij1XKGFR6fz1Z_yBopw9_j3oMoR3bvEjcFG90EqD7zXWIzVnPEA88HdKoAAO2avVVEBoTyxZqZGaWaEpPvM1VCPxQf9eOqKohG1rvZyc0ksI/s1600/20160130_152908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwu8xdNcWBWnRQKALySH5GUlaz1Zu7WAwij1XKGFR6fz1Z_yBopw9_j3oMoR3bvEjcFG90EqD7zXWIzVnPEA88HdKoAAO2avVVEBoTyxZqZGaWaEpPvM1VCPxQf9eOqKohG1rvZyc0ksI/s320/20160130_152908.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Impromptu lunch break in Thollon Les Memises (Pic: Bjorn Verduijn)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div>
Getting there it was decidedly Scottish - mild, damp and windy. There wasn't an awful lot of snow to be seen either. The race organisers had worked tirelessly to try and put on a 'C' course despite the conditions, but the briefing was noticeably devoid of racers, with the Brits making up more than 10% of those assembled. This wasn't really a good sign. Adding to this my lack of any ski kit led to a general uncertain atmosphere. A message came to the hotel that my bag wound arrive at midnight - well we would see I suppose but I wasn't for staying up hanging around for it so set the alarm and had a much needed sleep. Waking early we were greeted by an apologetic message from the race committee - the poor guys had been out at four am checking the course, and had decided to pull the plug. Looking out the window this was entirely unsurprising as the wind had now increased and it was raining and mild in a way that even Skimo Scotland might struggle to race in. Feeling fairly deflated we met the other Brits and I found that my lost bag had indeed made it. Just in time for the 'annuler' message.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
After some moping about, commiseration and general indecision we decided to go for a skin anyway and - not being as hardy as the GB girls who went for a skin up the icy wet race course in the soaking rain - we headed fairly en mass to Grand Montets at Argentiere and skinned up the marked track to the ski area and down the home run. This was still pretty soggy but at least the wind was lighter, we were in the trees, and there was even some reasonable snow. Thoroughly soaked through we hit one of the Chamonix cafes for many coffees and frites.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkrFroAHK2kE9loBzU53EXLoC3ud8FyEQbVhtg2xuWfHD5nicTbGgWGgm8dhsKXZ_YE3geylq9N_u-oDG3Jk3d3c53qtqKfsBeHluCNnE_qt7yoHKmWXAfPj_jkK_A6d-6GawnMR1Xjc/s1600/20160131_140059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkrFroAHK2kE9loBzU53EXLoC3ud8FyEQbVhtg2xuWfHD5nicTbGgWGgm8dhsKXZ_YE3geylq9N_u-oDG3Jk3d3c53qtqKfsBeHluCNnE_qt7yoHKmWXAfPj_jkK_A6d-6GawnMR1Xjc/s320/20160131_140059.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4owy7SBkdw10Daag7RDszKZcXkfnaKdw_fB-cLEx88jmkYftbVnTGWSiW06K8BNKWz27zw1ZWkOQ_RFMgSFS56Ibol9UfMVe1EAl8wTmawoXZA08JGn9q8kulKjaopzXmu_onwI4Y6UQ/s1600/20160131_140114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4owy7SBkdw10Daag7RDszKZcXkfnaKdw_fB-cLEx88jmkYftbVnTGWSiW06K8BNKWz27zw1ZWkOQ_RFMgSFS56Ibol9UfMVe1EAl8wTmawoXZA08JGn9q8kulKjaopzXmu_onwI4Y6UQ/s320/20160131_140114.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neil and Anthony at Grand Montets</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Next day I went skinning with Colin, Guillem, Naila, Ben B, John and Alasdair at Les Houches. It started cloudy and mild and we headed up to Le Prarion before skiing some heavy snow and then down the pistes. Some folk headed up for another lap but some of us had other business - namely getting the entries in for Glencoe and Tromso Skyline races, which both opened that day at noon. Turned out this was a good idea as they sold out in minutes! Then I headed back to Scotland and the wild gales blowing lorries off the road in Glencoe.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt422XjlKY5BEzpuKiutRTfju0bWyw03yTTWBzE16IkPYkw5qVYRxpER9GmWWsqbpEHSVbSGWkZ_UboSYXqkLsBJibelOdMFlWaD3E_7nbwRZZGS__H-RyKJ15HZNg4Sq80PxOdnARwLg/s1600/20160201_094244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt422XjlKY5BEzpuKiutRTfju0bWyw03yTTWBzE16IkPYkw5qVYRxpER9GmWWsqbpEHSVbSGWkZ_UboSYXqkLsBJibelOdMFlWaD3E_7nbwRZZGS__H-RyKJ15HZNg4Sq80PxOdnARwLg/s320/20160201_094244.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lycra at Le Prarion summit</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div>
Cheers to Ben Bardsley for all his work setting up the British Champs - no one could have predicted just how unhelpful the weather was going to be. There's always next year...<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/485199415">https://www.strava.com/activities/485199415</a><br />
<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/485199422">https://www.strava.com/activities/485199422</a></div>
Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626806858957754407.post-67226963879118481442016-01-25T14:43:00.002-08:002016-01-25T14:43:14.602-08:00Once upon a time when there was snow..We've had a few weeks of reasonable snow, followed by the devastating thaw on Sunday.<br />
<br />
On 16th January myself and Suzy decided to head up into the Mamores. From the forecast it looked like Lochaber could be a better bet than the Cairngorms, although the opposite was true in the end and the cloud came in early.<br />
<br />
The Mamores isn't really an obvious choice for ski touring, excepting spring skiing the bowls off Sgurr a Mhaim and a few others, as it's pretty rocky and scree topped, with a fair few narrow ridges. I have always wanted to head up there on skis however as the idea of travelling on skis along the ridge traverse appeals to me. There are also some pretty remote slopes which look like they would be amazing to ski in the right conditions. Also with an eye on the Tranter round, it was worth a reccy.<br />
<br />
We headed up from Achriabhach onto the slopes of Mullach nan Coirean. Getting the skis on it was straightforward to start with, but then as it got more rocky it became more awkward. The basic problem was the lack of any significant base! There was quite a bit of soft snow, but not much between it and the (many) rocks. We made our way up into the mist as the wind picked up...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijVSZmY9jukSTSRjWzxAhOHK-VaKr_va1Ez9Kz-eCvlwghSa4oN9URfTk1pHGlAJZYHJX6gWqFzCpxbCDsnNSTDqETrAWCJd18pXdycgqkgm2iSnIQ1i8uAaLAtFDNtc7eJGotzCjuTgw/s1600/IMG_0002+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijVSZmY9jukSTSRjWzxAhOHK-VaKr_va1Ez9Kz-eCvlwghSa4oN9URfTk1pHGlAJZYHJX6gWqFzCpxbCDsnNSTDqETrAWCJd18pXdycgqkgm2iSnIQ1i8uAaLAtFDNtc7eJGotzCjuTgw/s320/IMG_0002+%25285%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFwu0qzrL9L8Ta2Xik_c572uFBc-i58ffh07l-U_zZrCuInGVDUEgSrDdqD6cW5RH5ncYPCFqs-4R6lIv87Sl1rO5K-0_DXRXGoTSTO2loVw1HIw-JoyaIthIETIPNQO0L7a_VuVKkg20/s1600/IMG_0003+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFwu0qzrL9L8Ta2Xik_c572uFBc-i58ffh07l-U_zZrCuInGVDUEgSrDdqD6cW5RH5ncYPCFqs-4R6lIv87Sl1rO5K-0_DXRXGoTSTO2loVw1HIw-JoyaIthIETIPNQO0L7a_VuVKkg20/s320/IMG_0003+%25284%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
The cloud had come in much earlier than expected. We picked our way along to Pt 917 and then to the col where the north ridge of Stob Ban heads off. We decided to bag Stob Ban, in the mist, then descended back to the col.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinuBOZmI2GXAV0O1lLrUIyCqarHFYJpjxYjgPecDz99L-fNgiNFYnm68YanoY0dgGj2Rw2s9rpXM_CtH8VGGjIuTXZIPKqtTn7DtL_43Avvpo2cCGFI9dg6qXJbCKALH42Kq_0rOzBg9c/s1600/IMG_0005+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinuBOZmI2GXAV0O1lLrUIyCqarHFYJpjxYjgPecDz99L-fNgiNFYnm68YanoY0dgGj2Rw2s9rpXM_CtH8VGGjIuTXZIPKqtTn7DtL_43Avvpo2cCGFI9dg6qXJbCKALH42Kq_0rOzBg9c/s320/IMG_0005+%25283%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This was a fairly ski wrecking sort of descent with what tantalisingly looked like enough snow, but which really wasn't, and the rocks scraped through far too often! Thankfully no major damage was sustained. That done we got the skis on the packs and came down the North Ridge. It was all soft snow so reasonable to just pick our way down the scramble carefully. From the bottom of this there were some nice turns (between the rocks) down the long ridge, and then it got silly as the grass to snow ratio increased.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoijjZFmFDnG2W6XUnU_fXDDvG3rbKogX4D0ObEBbVlsybd3WFuPnafjGdUfW9ypoBmF2tyvkencN8p11YzS5CkA7ByqZWRJcvFblGsB0S4MTyQQB2JAE0fYp9wCFNdtdaplcOGn_NRCE/s1600/IMG_0011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoijjZFmFDnG2W6XUnU_fXDDvG3rbKogX4D0ObEBbVlsybd3WFuPnafjGdUfW9ypoBmF2tyvkencN8p11YzS5CkA7ByqZWRJcvFblGsB0S4MTyQQB2JAE0fYp9wCFNdtdaplcOGn_NRCE/s320/IMG_0011.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkyWujx-w6nXRBIMYibzyZz-L8k67IqaoJuH7719SLxHybmtoCqBgH1MNXTzWqa-nvIp8khGV8fm8ZZg0-L2mEQYPNyed9ffUuxSOFF3EnLiIpTzGgfhwSvMHj_dF_RnfkUgidJQKMpU/s1600/IMG_0015+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkyWujx-w6nXRBIMYibzyZz-L8k67IqaoJuH7719SLxHybmtoCqBgH1MNXTzWqa-nvIp8khGV8fm8ZZg0-L2mEQYPNyed9ffUuxSOFF3EnLiIpTzGgfhwSvMHj_dF_RnfkUgidJQKMpU/s320/IMG_0015+%25284%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhuKQb1lssqOcLZt408touu3hIejQGxd0sr6-UOBj4WHl_sS530tkVxjQtP_jIgMBgtE_YU0llzXfrPRXf4pdDnmVW5k7k0x8E_7H7K_NeN3vNYtcq6APqJTGTYwvn7sLWJoiwwmP6Sc/s1600/IMG_0019+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhuKQb1lssqOcLZt408touu3hIejQGxd0sr6-UOBj4WHl_sS530tkVxjQtP_jIgMBgtE_YU0llzXfrPRXf4pdDnmVW5k7k0x8E_7H7K_NeN3vNYtcq6APqJTGTYwvn7sLWJoiwwmP6Sc/s320/IMG_0019+%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibE1Pf-yC67ZPPUGDr2Hf_6WMJb87p2QDJRrxEja8wwV9WSKblNqUSKUgNax4F0MrCKXvNyDK3rpB0gLM063neCXMB9KidGMQMb9Om-HYSaZ2vrkTOSqkRBfdHrVOOysYGqYF-Ocnt5yE/s1600/IMG_0025+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibE1Pf-yC67ZPPUGDr2Hf_6WMJb87p2QDJRrxEja8wwV9WSKblNqUSKUgNax4F0MrCKXvNyDK3rpB0gLM063neCXMB9KidGMQMb9Om-HYSaZ2vrkTOSqkRBfdHrVOOysYGqYF-Ocnt5yE/s320/IMG_0025+%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/471610279">https://www.strava.com/activities/471610279</a><br />
<br />
In Glen Nevis, the wind had dropped and fluffy snowflakes were falling straight down onto the road, turning it white. We enjoyed that silence you get when snow is falling straight down, muffling the earth.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT1Fbw7yLFEGe_StIE1YZBIzi1W_kbDloW6szfoOmBiFBkjr1QbZYhIPBEu2OM3nBt-YSu-Mg35QNpEczTcKVz1lH5ezYRYiRd5EyjYGkLO9WYRz7mHXYIE3ojBfeJiUw5z-YcQAkp2j4/s1600/IMG_0027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT1Fbw7yLFEGe_StIE1YZBIzi1W_kbDloW6szfoOmBiFBkjr1QbZYhIPBEu2OM3nBt-YSu-Mg35QNpEczTcKVz1lH5ezYRYiRd5EyjYGkLO9WYRz7mHXYIE3ojBfeJiUw5z-YcQAkp2j4/s320/IMG_0027.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4sYMUfA5364mz5oOvh5Ugbwfh8l4B36TB9q03C6UnhrBj-aVqy5nYTeaRVIK2fr75OMhR3c5rPq4o7U8NZFbJDJvJw8gi8YO4ao3j_ZCVFNnTNYilwDgFKnrH3fJrw-Se-I5oVLZvA6o/s1600/IMG_0028+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4sYMUfA5364mz5oOvh5Ugbwfh8l4B36TB9q03C6UnhrBj-aVqy5nYTeaRVIK2fr75OMhR3c5rPq4o7U8NZFbJDJvJw8gi8YO4ao3j_ZCVFNnTNYilwDgFKnrH3fJrw-Se-I5oVLZvA6o/s320/IMG_0028+%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_Xs-fVSzndJ2BHpaFOo2NbrlonysK4nbWKy5kEhlzAUkbCo2xeeEKNTTJ_FbYKoo2DbqJruB-pxFvZZhgRpeyYMzxGYBh1Zd9GueZ32LWxGfX-lqhsBnjKboDfo-cBuwKJC98MVttDE/s1600/IMG_0029+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_Xs-fVSzndJ2BHpaFOo2NbrlonysK4nbWKy5kEhlzAUkbCo2xeeEKNTTJ_FbYKoo2DbqJruB-pxFvZZhgRpeyYMzxGYBh1Zd9GueZ32LWxGfX-lqhsBnjKboDfo-cBuwKJC98MVttDE/s320/IMG_0029+%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
It was a useful day as information gathering for the Tranter - some sections were definitely quicker using the skis, but of course a better base and more consolidated snow were sorely needed. It's potential ski trashing terrain up there - but then again using the ski as a tool for travel, getting all the way along the Mamores would be worth quite a few ski gouges.<br />
<br />
<b>Cairngorms Navigation</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
For Sunday I headed to the Cairngorms. The weather apparently had been brilliant on Saturday so I was kicking myself a bit. I got a reasonably early start going up Cairngorm into the mist, which I felt was likely to clear from the forecast I had read. The snow cover was much better here and I couldn't wait to get a glimpse across the Lairig Ghru. Unfortunately the visibility just got worse and I spent a slow 2 hours on map and compass work to Ben Macdui and back. Finally the cloud lifted a bit at Coire Domhain and I headed down into a fantastic looking Loch Avon basin. Its been ages since I saw the Shelter Stone so gliding down to the base of it and then onto a frozen Loch Avon felt pretty special. It was a quick ski along the flat and then up to the saddle back into the mist. I skied towards the Ciste car park but then thought better of it as the snow gave out, and came over the An t-Aonach back to Coire Cas carpark.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/473070414">https://www.strava.com/activities/473070414</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="color: #0000ee;"><u><br /></u></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/473070414"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrof3HU171BupInJO88JXkNsrkaIzfUVe97yHOOmOpcWUonGzSfDXH9zotbpNySRrHMegUasWaY04ODGBSZGWa-DkokYRkQbKDu5P6-qgz2fDeIvfF5nBmf52gn5tD0xvByhvnmN41Orc/s320/20160117_112401.jpg" width="180" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/473070414"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdGLV7Y-xmeO102TtHwdty1_z8wdvIAXZUihHaapAmaKOOc-Xf3srKBT3J2y1fXiYJNwVIcDopQTioCyFVos1C-6pPpK7qKpLpa7DcgdBoIWwx-M4Q9Ahyphenhyphen9gi20pCIwPkl7N4MqEwRz8/s320/20160117_123117.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/473070414"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jyo_G0Wx_B7MbpgM2bTUi46-VsaXJlumfcWN4EeD33HIhyUvvH_4fu-e9o8AjNguY3krQk6_53npGiGNSLmqoAhBwjJISH6kiPMRcGcOIdD9FaZF5dBliFaTeAoVqFwt0hGICppWOjE/s320/20160117_123121.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/473070414"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK_5bJDDX9qlzj3bN5raKSWnOIdnVX5fWNhAKG_XeFw0K-W5VhZqSc-4OCRVx3QS0o103IZdjrM8GsV82EgSDpgQ9ABM99YnOuin2Qxf5nfLn7dlOGmGu_6NU-lDJf3oEHaGJNxLzSTqo/s320/20160117_123243.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/473070414"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBFpfeyBWwlqKRrFQo77Hr83qicnu3pC4VZe5PJjnbY9kjHIng2cNxmQ7-hlY7uX0eIKhNzI5UD02OrNrllRmpQax26rSCcmy78gmrM2sAd2k6gVgdq4WpcXG_FidIVhrhdheMunDlOX0/s320/20160117_124117.jpg" width="180" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/473070414"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jo9IgWcFONrh6vIX4mE6AYxts9Y9Et1OrsLjfz0NMJWGjDNwbI62DIKQM8QumvqPjjb1Nj7xuSfOS4jAZArxxMXStzIklpz2YRB0seDPHO0ToDNsEtf8hZ9OdXLRj35qocTrD9ds2qg/s320/20160117_124619.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/473070414"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATgeuMocZdEKtISYdwdgIxald0iqJy7Q7U1kfqxglJYF4fJWfvM8kWq29HbOQbuVQRcrWFNYkyPCWIB9KpA3znaUMsSdc0Z419jTeu-H2fOxZmcj_n-5Xat9U-SygVC9KfqVMkezo9Ts/s320/20160117_135520.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/473070414"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXDYxXFaqcDng6wLwCxOulP8XGdbuhE5pTZRdvJ8Yj3x31s_ex3awnaR64UZSc_B3xCWh2ElkpSJzpe2VMz5XzI5zpjHXBTobFHDWjYxd25QjoIXYF-Wvh0ahkGixvbvZzm_vXn3TMJyM/s320/20160117_135526.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>Glenshee Skimo Race 23rd January</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
There was a record turnout of about 50 skiers for the second race of the season. Although there had been a bit of a thaw, there was still plenty snow around and a course was set on the east side of the resort.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCd_qbDqBw07WG70R-k88-gUiAQJNnF7nXP-aUwJJParMyfsn0pgcW6jeORjTZCipX-Kr5OwA-NJtERq4m-kfWeH00Q6RfMctPbvMbX8gGbeUJgxUwfSQs-kaTbvR68oHr7tp0NxFC2uw/s1600/P1000788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCd_qbDqBw07WG70R-k88-gUiAQJNnF7nXP-aUwJJParMyfsn0pgcW6jeORjTZCipX-Kr5OwA-NJtERq4m-kfWeH00Q6RfMctPbvMbX8gGbeUJgxUwfSQs-kaTbvR68oHr7tp0NxFC2uw/s320/P1000788.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glenshee start line (Picture: Fiona Wild)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I really enjoyed the course, which mostly ascended at a relatively gently angle with pretty fast open piste descents. I managed to break away from Ben Bardsley and then keep my lead to come in first after 48mins. It was great to see so many folk out racing, and some more lycra speedsuits too. As dusk approached the wind increased, and by Sunday the mega thaw had set in.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/477639688">https://www.strava.com/activities/477639688</a><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5m9JzmYxO5PVH-xCvj99z5vZx6bwir-FdKDwPD7iLD9LJNPQMc-Oon3SLvKHWiGkuUJit7ve3LXzYCQ-we39RLB5trDqQ5UP-Oq-3AIYNRAspZibVIk6OtskRCETgeLs-span7iOKkjo/s1600/P1000791.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5m9JzmYxO5PVH-xCvj99z5vZx6bwir-FdKDwPD7iLD9LJNPQMc-Oon3SLvKHWiGkuUJit7ve3LXzYCQ-we39RLB5trDqQ5UP-Oq-3AIYNRAspZibVIk6OtskRCETgeLs-span7iOKkjo/s320/P1000791.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ben Bardsley crosses the finish in second place (Picture: Fiona Wild)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGT_bTCDdDpduAcBaGtFntJHtsIEnTwqAlIAGIIB5Zr-SNtandEquMNNClouOP7YadxG1Q6F238Wh5Tr8BUW8Q6DJhjmlUUKRdFIxov7f2VhnWozid5_KtkECsL6qRyEj2GfKmecCq1JA/s1600/CZe-a-BWcAA3I6U.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGT_bTCDdDpduAcBaGtFntJHtsIEnTwqAlIAGIIB5Zr-SNtandEquMNNClouOP7YadxG1Q6F238Wh5Tr8BUW8Q6DJhjmlUUKRdFIxov7f2VhnWozid5_KtkECsL6qRyEj2GfKmecCq1JA/s320/CZe-a-BWcAA3I6U.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Myself (1st; centre), Ben Bardsley (2nd; left), Jon Morgan (3rd; right)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626806858957754407.post-81860254987645282732016-01-12T15:27:00.000-08:002016-01-12T15:27:34.993-08:00Heading EastThis weekend I had a couple of good days out. Although the weather wasn't great it was brilliant to see the hills looking much whiter.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpsOz6DSAFSvn3I3z69NY7a508tP5LUR2g-WwJ3aFu0Jg4ZXL72UsYRikfVI0kb8IFj-7hYQMpOmuY7w5iSVFeTRm_My8Cqurb2-EFOXk1z3Ia5IxT6wazxcKPndIjTxkEeTxhd6IHJzw/s1600/IMG_0014+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpsOz6DSAFSvn3I3z69NY7a508tP5LUR2g-WwJ3aFu0Jg4ZXL72UsYRikfVI0kb8IFj-7hYQMpOmuY7w5iSVFeTRm_My8Cqurb2-EFOXk1z3Ia5IxT6wazxcKPndIjTxkEeTxhd6IHJzw/s320/IMG_0014+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
On Sunday I skied in the Cairngorms with James W. It was fairly windy with clag and a predicted wee window of clearer weather around noon. We managed to coincide this clearing with getting to The Saddle between Cairngorm and Bynack Mor, for great views of a snowy Shelterstone and a mostly frozen Loch Avon.<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_394601692"><br /></a>
<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/468109538">https://www.strava.com/activities/468109538</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3ZZ3DJJLbLwu9gTvGBvE3QbYCUIYL2haD0MY0_1cEUjNM118TyWiYTc7PtoMEEK41E7Sp6C_N7QJrw3dTBHc0qDVnkyi2SFEsyLhTVsu06qkG10NZInR-zpppA83b8Hk79exzqnXOXo/s1600/IMG_0003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3ZZ3DJJLbLwu9gTvGBvE3QbYCUIYL2haD0MY0_1cEUjNM118TyWiYTc7PtoMEEK41E7Sp6C_N7QJrw3dTBHc0qDVnkyi2SFEsyLhTVsu06qkG10NZInR-zpppA83b8Hk79exzqnXOXo/s320/IMG_0003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNzbuOmL1r6-3SC7sd6wv-5nC__KH7Hnz16L2W9M3l5av3nUa-D1sVYiGyYAC4n-mqnjPBbeZTJG1x8B3IDSyaqAGjpd7uo6CueqrTH-0Tza_-T2ng2mVUji73jLw4NxcHTy8ieSbKRoQ/s1600/IMG_0005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNzbuOmL1r6-3SC7sd6wv-5nC__KH7Hnz16L2W9M3l5av3nUa-D1sVYiGyYAC4n-mqnjPBbeZTJG1x8B3IDSyaqAGjpd7uo6CueqrTH-0Tza_-T2ng2mVUji73jLw4NxcHTy8ieSbKRoQ/s320/IMG_0005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The ski down to The Saddle was actually pretty rocky and scoured, but at least it was a safe slope - with this much fresh snow around we were thinking carefully about which aspects to ski, especially when visibility wasn't great either. Going up Bynack Mor was rocky initially but skin-able and then the snow improved. We skied down Allt a Choire Dhuibh with some comedy snow topped heather skiing down into Strath Nethy, then back up and over west to the Ciste car park, with a few minor but illuminating navigational issues.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAOV4fHMyazteCaf648G1xkI2nB0CLynotH_9BjzsHRxVjxLGi4vqipk4D_EGckp8MIlCKnqPYRIznC-q9lnapqjC232RBxBHGJGQEtth5Wz24EjQBo8R3mccpwzIX37FMQ7LWj4pj2s/s1600/IMG_0008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAOV4fHMyazteCaf648G1xkI2nB0CLynotH_9BjzsHRxVjxLGi4vqipk4D_EGckp8MIlCKnqPYRIznC-q9lnapqjC232RBxBHGJGQEtth5Wz24EjQBo8R3mccpwzIX37FMQ7LWj4pj2s/s320/IMG_0008.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Skiing down Allt a Choire Dhuibh</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWestsAa7xpfOCvvXs9Q1wwcYNXNLjZ0q1QsWUTh9TBlbUh10C10FBbVKmUPEppwWpN9H8pBujOMHk2OtP9cb9cJPxlTkUDijpiHlAG4YKXw_jihb0zVKeVSB76lclClLAJw1xQ03EVI/s1600/IMG_0010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWestsAa7xpfOCvvXs9Q1wwcYNXNLjZ0q1QsWUTh9TBlbUh10C10FBbVKmUPEppwWpN9H8pBujOMHk2OtP9cb9cJPxlTkUDijpiHlAG4YKXw_jihb0zVKeVSB76lclClLAJw1xQ03EVI/s320/IMG_0010.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In Strath Nethy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Technical Issues</b><br />
On the final descent one of my new bindings was playing up - it kept releasing at the back piece despite being clipped into downhill mode. This wasn't such an issue immediately as, well, the skiing wasn't that great in heathery hummocks with not (yet) enough base. But it was more of a concern in general, as effectively made the ski useless for proper downhill use.<br />
<br />
Back in Aviemore I headed to Mountain Spirit to consult with the guys about what could be going on. My Dynafit Low Tech Race Auto 2.0 bindings are pretty new to the market, so a bit of an unknown, and they don't come with much mounting info. We eventually worked out that probably a crucial metal bar should be mounted the other way round - so hopefully it was just a quick fix.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgdNUtqTqVjkqKT6lrO-kkiUPH_UyW3rimC4FHZEuqNs-WTFoyImcCnoOUYOMMODiPW2YTP6WWb3iKf_3jVF7E2ql8Swr06Q4e7_Dbhm2I_P0Ec4dVVwcIWeiesoD-pyjh7MHvKhpzay4/s1600/IMG_0001+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgdNUtqTqVjkqKT6lrO-kkiUPH_UyW3rimC4FHZEuqNs-WTFoyImcCnoOUYOMMODiPW2YTP6WWb3iKf_3jVF7E2ql8Swr06Q4e7_Dbhm2I_P0Ec4dVVwcIWeiesoD-pyjh7MHvKhpzay4/s320/IMG_0001+%25285%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Rear part of binding showing the metal bar which was initially mounted the other way up.<br />
<br />
I will try and clarify this with Dynafit as one picture on their website shows a pair of bindings with the crucial metal bar mounted a different way round on each binding! Presumably the way it is now mounted is far more robust as it holds the plastic rear piece in place solidly.<br />
<br />
If you are interested, look at the picture of the pair of bindings on this page, zoom in and compare the bar position on each binding and you will see it's different. <a href="http://www.dynafit.com/en/low-tech-race-2-0-automatic-binding.html">http://www.dynafit.com/en/low-tech-race-2-0-automatic-binding.html</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Lochnagar</b><br />
With a fixed ski and a Monday off I debated what to do. There is more snow east currently and I was already half way there from Fort William. With an optimistic eye at the forecast it looked like it could possibly turn good over Lochnagar way. I had seen a glimpse of Beinn A'Bhuird direction from The Saddle which looked plastered. The only concern was that it seemed a few degrees warmer than forecasted - maybe this was a sign that the weather wasn't going to play ball.<br />
<br />
Monday morning was snowy and a bit damp. I set off with the first light from Loch Muick up the climbers path towards Lochagar. I managed to get my skis on low down, just after coming out of the forest.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/468109510">https://www.strava.com/activities/468109510</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAXpp48YBVt2jbflkL2s6fMalXd9FiwoX5gwGSH5E8DGCijvlmz_RCxvQ4VpoU9QLYOB-wVFv4wBL4Eq70iyeGTBchOwYSmRiA1Rktbd7WS4JExVoy6m-s5PQPHCfMLgpA4bkJfJTAzY/s1600/IMG_0012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAXpp48YBVt2jbflkL2s6fMalXd9FiwoX5gwGSH5E8DGCijvlmz_RCxvQ4VpoU9QLYOB-wVFv4wBL4Eq70iyeGTBchOwYSmRiA1Rktbd7WS4JExVoy6m-s5PQPHCfMLgpA4bkJfJTAzY/s320/IMG_0012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I hoped the weather would clear and I could get up onto the plateau and continue around in a big day loop but sadly the wind increased and the weather just got worse. At around 1050m going up Lochnagar from the Lochnagar-Meikle Pap col I decided to call it a day as I couldn't see much except the thin line of the cliff edge. It was getting gusty with no sign of clearing. Heading down there was lots of deep fluffy snow around, but I had to avoid it as I couldn't see without the rocks to guide me! Skiing down my binding worked fine and I think the problem is now fixed. The hills are staying white this week and the weather looks good for next weekend!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2aiNetyzZCqsb_hTiHvEzqRjWb7PEj79WFHVsW4BAlXp-enjMckeWzvSBTwPv1w-0InrUq77cmdw7M71H1Aok2hqezMuHbA3BiOca-2KG60fNhbgPWDZZKImvE73BGHyY6N5oABmnAk/s1600/IMG_0014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2aiNetyzZCqsb_hTiHvEzqRjWb7PEj79WFHVsW4BAlXp-enjMckeWzvSBTwPv1w-0InrUq77cmdw7M71H1Aok2hqezMuHbA3BiOca-2KG60fNhbgPWDZZKImvE73BGHyY6N5oABmnAk/s320/IMG_0014.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkeRkFZrMyZnTw75xidLpjA4-r9Ros14qX8pmjH01Xv89RWzTOKmYGyhODGMtl8QXADAdvJ6KPV5uU2TNIfRqU79V323ytfmx6eHtYqounBtG6dIIXf7mxkkMbWrwhf_QcrcPz0daK0ao/s1600/IMG_0015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkeRkFZrMyZnTw75xidLpjA4-r9Ros14qX8pmjH01Xv89RWzTOKmYGyhODGMtl8QXADAdvJ6KPV5uU2TNIfRqU79V323ytfmx6eHtYqounBtG6dIIXf7mxkkMbWrwhf_QcrcPz0daK0ao/s320/IMG_0015.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626806858957754407.post-31765795780537479262015-12-29T11:36:00.001-08:002016-01-05T14:19:37.402-08:00Lecht SkimoAfter some more wet and windy mild weather we did finally get some snow, and pictures of the snow conditions looked great at the Lecht on the 27th Dec. I missed the chance to get out as I was on a cyclocross mission with Gary Mac - linking Glen Creran to Glencoe via a route I've wanted to do for a while.<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_1836066808"><br /></a>
<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/457309432">https://www.strava.com/activities/457309432</a><br />
<br />
Unfortunately the mega thaw was set to come in on race day for the Lecht 2090 Skimo race - the first of the 2015/16 season.<br />
<br />
And thaw it certainly did. Arriving at the Lecht there were two immediately obvious issues - a) there really wasn't very much snow and b) it was really very windy. Despite these fairly major issues Di and the Skimo Scotland team battled through Plan A, B and C to come up with a race course.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/458215985">https://www.strava.com/activities/458215985</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBRFdicWhFOQKR4J-RjuWda3CbxDJ38Jh2NykrZRcedazF5cOBBA8FlCAWJgGa1KHlHjjvHDvh-T-EBG6yiiX9S3gZRGYXdmD8oWhZjp6WT-EslRAfFI37zqhw6j3G0hq3WLR5HWRTwWg/s1600/IMG_5782.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBRFdicWhFOQKR4J-RjuWda3CbxDJ38Jh2NykrZRcedazF5cOBBA8FlCAWJgGa1KHlHjjvHDvh-T-EBG6yiiX9S3gZRGYXdmD8oWhZjp6WT-EslRAfFI37zqhw6j3G0hq3WLR5HWRTwWg/s320/IMG_5782.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
All pictures: Mr Drew Photography</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW2OWzDaj1GybGmp0F3VmCieovng33jLAmDC-DWS8FW9gZ8efkU8O6p6VvwmyYh7ZlobC1DWjLd4B5iS9l_cQuzqOHKnDLghpsfG832rZB58YBo5YTx0qVKwy69F7TzyoSpb13Fri2Mb0/s1600/IMG_5795.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW2OWzDaj1GybGmp0F3VmCieovng33jLAmDC-DWS8FW9gZ8efkU8O6p6VvwmyYh7ZlobC1DWjLd4B5iS9l_cQuzqOHKnDLghpsfG832rZB58YBo5YTx0qVKwy69F7TzyoSpb13Fri2Mb0/s320/IMG_5795.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Around 29 racers set off on the muddy soggy bootpack across towards the Buzzard tow, then skis on and up a short and steep climb to another transition. Then it was down a dwindling-before-our-eyes piste to the bottom of the bootpack again. The race was in a laps format over 90 minutes - I did 12 laps in total, although I had lost count after the first few. Because they were such short laps (between 7 and 8 minutes for myself) there were only a few minutes between each transition and I was drawn into working really hard as I knew I was getting a (brief) rest each downhill, which was never far away. Skins got soaked, as did boots. Despite real worries about catastrophic skin failure, I raced the whole thing on one pair which thankfully held out - although I had another 2 sets spare, and emergency tape too.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUf1KsTYieM9uWMzNrnvM-4Fit3b9B37dWtmG0l7GdvUBvLwU7qx4kp9X_-lf0_nHnX6Ja9UsBurRZqhx4z3UZl1CgSMwVu5Onpsun8o2Ue9LjFuE85l73qEeCbQDmvzLi1UYz36Fl9kg/s1600/_MG_6459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUf1KsTYieM9uWMzNrnvM-4Fit3b9B37dWtmG0l7GdvUBvLwU7qx4kp9X_-lf0_nHnX6Ja9UsBurRZqhx4z3UZl1CgSMwVu5Onpsun8o2Ue9LjFuE85l73qEeCbQDmvzLi1UYz36Fl9kg/s320/_MG_6459.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikhz-mlbZOpy-o9Ke1TAtBX1aR8YD2k8C9Hyu6OFvc9nXKXOwOvtkdBVh4nDvhdEj9x_AbfExx-d0Z5aJhulJVoGQpT1ALDj7FEON9d7aX2tGRZ7pmfcCsm1DMPozjvVrNRCF7vQmiTlE/s1600/_MG_6627.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikhz-mlbZOpy-o9Ke1TAtBX1aR8YD2k8C9Hyu6OFvc9nXKXOwOvtkdBVh4nDvhdEj9x_AbfExx-d0Z5aJhulJVoGQpT1ALDj7FEON9d7aX2tGRZ7pmfcCsm1DMPozjvVrNRCF7vQmiTlE/s320/_MG_6627.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The downhill was pretty comedy. You had to skate against the howling wind to get going, then basically straight line it until you started to slow as the heather patches got bigger and the snow receded. By the end it was pretty muddy and grassy down at the bottom! The marshals were amazing as it must have been pretty cold and grim watching us all loop around forever.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQmowg-bm2Z9Wi9htH_7OGmbEPLWa8sDD867k1w85Z32uFvuYtsKkp53gecXUEyGS9fg3LvyDum6j9SLsFKb1asXziug5FHDMchhC_om6pib5HcnoGak-x_i3FoteyjNKur1ALApZAtX4/s1600/IMG_5848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQmowg-bm2Z9Wi9htH_7OGmbEPLWa8sDD867k1w85Z32uFvuYtsKkp53gecXUEyGS9fg3LvyDum6j9SLsFKb1asXziug5FHDMchhC_om6pib5HcnoGak-x_i3FoteyjNKur1ALApZAtX4/s320/IMG_5848.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
We had managed to start a little early so got finished just before dark. Then it was straight in for some much needed food and a generous prizegiving. Everyone seemed to still be smiling.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-XTpk_cgmoR7rmc-a7QY3sZBGL36ijJmWk1vJDcG0klip39BtGwc6ejnLGFl9tFmFo-j8F6TVihAsUQSFEKtxSGIa8KA7ZB_GZrM0o_5Zp4ifGUMPF-8KbvmOuIxJRhAdw-vSnfb0io/s1600/IMG_7168.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-XTpk_cgmoR7rmc-a7QY3sZBGL36ijJmWk1vJDcG0klip39BtGwc6ejnLGFl9tFmFo-j8F6TVihAsUQSFEKtxSGIa8KA7ZB_GZrM0o_5Zp4ifGUMPF-8KbvmOuIxJRhAdw-vSnfb0io/s320/IMG_7168.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR0ntWqEpTWdF1QfZPPsI9nIjGfNsgXYqmUcuFyR8o3H2EWs_IdWER7q_2CGb2uTm4wB8UdbrIHV0zacx5vQYXrAF28GiQOlMUNPuJvRjrUCJjU6Q_CUrydqqR959JzI1HLNVcEN7iutc/s1600/_MG_6842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR0ntWqEpTWdF1QfZPPsI9nIjGfNsgXYqmUcuFyR8o3H2EWs_IdWER7q_2CGb2uTm4wB8UdbrIHV0zacx5vQYXrAF28GiQOlMUNPuJvRjrUCJjU6Q_CUrydqqR959JzI1HLNVcEN7iutc/s320/_MG_6842.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
So, the race conditions were certainly extremely Scottish! I would love to have seen the look on a French or Italian Skimo racer's face if they had turned up. A few things that were highlighted however were that light race kit and skins are fairly adaptable and resiliant even in pseudo conditions, and that it doesn't take much actual snow to have an enjoyable and successful skimo race!<br />
<br />
Hopefully we will get some more of the white stuff for some touring and adventures before the next race in January at Glenshee.Fin Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06281033957416796890noreply@blogger.com1