PRODUCT NEWS: Cuillin Ridge - Tips for a successful crossing with Trekitt

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 UKC Gear 08 Jun 2015
Trekitt Cuillin Ridge Advice, 4 kb

Trekitt presents a lecture by Bob Thomas of Contour Outdoor on how to train and prepare for a successful traverse of the Cuillin Ridge.



Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/news.php?id=7401
 PM 09 Jun 2015
In reply to UKC Gear:
Might be useful to know what time of day the talk is (I did manage to find out what day it's on: hidden in the picture.)

("the UK's and premier mountaineering route"; I'm now wondering what 'premier' might actually mean here. Jaggiest?)
Post edited at 07:23
 NottsRich 09 Jun 2015
In reply to PM:

> ("the UK's and premier mountaineering route"; I'm now wondering what 'premier' might actually mean here. Jaggiest?)

'Most marketed' or 'most guided' would be my cynical guesses.

 BnB 09 Jun 2015
In reply to NottsRich:
> 'Most marketed' or 'most guided' would be my cynical guesses.

No need for the cynicism. Is there anything even remotely comparable elswhere in the UK? Rhum and Arran have fine ridges but not on the same scale and on the mainland only the classic Nevis ridges come close and they only afford a view of an industrial estate as well as not being a continuous traverse from summit to summit.
Post edited at 10:44
 summo 09 Jun 2015
In reply to PM:

> ("the UK's and premier mountaineering route"; I'm now wondering what 'premier' might actually mean here. Jaggiest?)

UK's longest scramble, or longest stretch where your feet stay on rock and you never go below 2000', most technical munros... there are a few possibilities.
 PM 09 Jun 2015
In reply to summo:

All fine points, none of which I'd argue against. My understanding of 'premier' is similar to the dictionary one: 'first in importance, order, or position; leading', none of which I think quite fits a ridge traverse. Best-est, most awesomest, most highly regarded, most demanding, most-sustainedly-gnarl, most all-of-the-stuff-you-all-mentioned-above. Premier means nothing to me here; I'd leave that one for double-glazing companies, taxi firms and travel agents, not mountains.

Sorry for the digression. What time is the talk?
1
 summo 10 Jun 2015
In reply to PM:

I can live with premier, Ben Nevis the UK's premier winter climbing destination? Skye the UK's premier scrambling or alpine like destination?

It's only words, if you can name any part of the UK that would compete with the Black Cuillins, I'd accept "one of the premier"..

First in importance, I bet it's top of a huge number of mountaineers tick lists, or greatest memories.
 Offwidth 10 Jun 2015
In reply to NottsRich:

Your probably right, surely most people fail due to queues, as there are so many guided parties?
2
 BnB 10 Jun 2015
In reply to Offwidth:

> Your probably right, surely most people fail due to queues, as there are so many guided parties?

I'm on the ridge at least once pretty much every month of year and have been for ten years. Only time I've ever sat in a queue was to briefly debate with Jules Lines who should go first up the Inn Pinn, he solo or me and my teenage non-climber son and our inevitable mega rope faff. He graciously suggested there wouldn't be much in it and let us go first. His traverse features in his recent film and it was a delight to watch him down climb the steep end. Hopefully the idiots in front of him are not on record
In reply to Offwidth:

If anyone has told you they've failed on the ridge due to queueing they're either lying or making excuses!

The main reason people fail on the is simply down to length and difficulty - it's a pretty major undertaking. In fact, so much so that I'm yet to do the bloody thing (but I'll blame that on weather)

The talk starts at 7pm, maybe I should go...
 PM 10 Jun 2015
In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKC:

> The talk starts at 7pm,

Great - thanks!
In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKC:

I assumed Offwidth must be being ironic ...
 Offwidth 11 Jun 2015
In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKC:
Or talk to Moff and I who did all the hard nav and tricky pitches onsight as injured bumblies. Super-light and one day is the best.

Oh and for Gordon, yes that was irony... every time I've met guides on the ridge its time for a chat not a queue. There are queues sometimes at the initial bottlenecks like the TD gap due to folk struggling to climb HVD with big sacks and too much gear.
Post edited at 11:33
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

As I'm sure you'll agree, it's sometimes hard to tell
 Offwidth 11 Jun 2015
In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKC:

Gotta keep em guessing.
 MG 11 Jun 2015
In reply to Offwidth:

> Or talk to Moff and I who did all the hard nav and tricky pitches onsight as injured bumblies. Super-light and one day is the best.

I'll join in being smug as a first and (second) time successee

"Turn up and follow the ridge. Take water" would make rather a brief lecture though.
 Offwidth 11 Jun 2015
In reply to MG:

We are celebratory elaborators in contrast to your minimalistic caricaturism and doing it injured with our climbing ability isn't easy. We have a couple of pages of how, based on sound advice from Bob Wightman.

http://bobwightman.co.uk/climb/skye_ridge.php
 Mark Kemball 11 Jun 2015
In reply to UKC Gear:

Having just bought Gordon's book (and what a superb book it is), I'm inspired to go back and do the ridge again. I did it in '83 and it was one of my most tiring days on the hill. However, I'm thinking to make a leisurely trip, 3-4 days perhaps, and possibly extend it to the greater ridge. Has anyone done this? Any advice? Good bivvy spots etc? I'm thinking of next year, so no great rush and hopefully I'll be reasonably fit by then.
 MG 11 Jun 2015
In reply to Mark Kemball:

I've camped by Loch Coruisk once for three days and did bits of the ridge and the Blabheinn traverse. Really enjoyable in good weather. Getting on and off the ridge on that side is a bit awkward in places. Wouldn't want to carry three days camping stuff in the ridge though.
 Mark Kemball 11 Jun 2015
In reply to MG:

I was thinking just lightweight bivvy gear, not the full on camping kit (warm clothes and a bivvy bag, no sleeping bag, probably no cooking stuff) would need to know where the best places to drop off the ridge for water.
 Mike Lates 23 Jun 2015
In reply to Mark Kemball:

Good luck with getting a 3 or 4 day weather window Mark & how much fun is carrying that much food? There's a reason why 1 day is ideal and 2-day a tactic to succeed!
 Jon Wylie 23 Jun 2015
In reply to UKC Gear:

Did a one day traverse a few years ago with a mate after a couple of failed attempts carrying too much crap, not being fit enough plus weather excuses Passed a few guys on the way going for it in 2 or 3 days carrying turtle shells...I think they'd had enough ...

Never had any problems with guides/queuing ..i think I remember mike above with a few clients on the inpin letting us through to abseil down no probs. That said I do remember also bumping into him at the third belay on the old man of hoy where he spent a full five mins laughing at me caked in fulmar vomit...

Next time i do the ridge I'll bring straws...vital bit of kit for puddle drinking near the end...
 Mark Kemball 23 Jun 2015
In reply to Mike Lates:

Thanks, Mike, I'll be after some advice but it will probably be next year before I'm up your way - the ankle isn't strong enough at the moment, and I'll need to get reasonably fit once it is. The idea is that I want to take my time and not be knackered, I'll be asking you where I can drop off the ridge to pick up water with the minimum loss of height, but I suspect that is harder than it sounds! Meanwhile, I'll whet my appetite re-reading Gordon's book. (Nice pics of you and Bill!)
 PPP 23 Jun 2015
In reply to Mike Lates:

I carried food and other essentials for over 10 days in hills (200km walked, 43 Munros ticked off) and it is not that heavy. I think total weight was under 14kg which is quite good. I also tried to carry 19 days worth of food along with all other kit. I gave up after couple of days, but because of the weather. It gets quite heavy, but people carry more gear for expeditions.
I am not that fit, so carrying a heavier rucksack is not the same as big pack on a skinny guy. Also, I've got more fat to burn so I don't have to eat as much.

I think the bigger issue on Cuilling Ridge is lack of water. I have never been there, but that was something I have heard number of times.
 Offwidth 24 Jun 2015
In reply to Mark Kemball:

Moff and I looked at it the other way round. We were injured (knees) and getting older: so we thought on how to maximise chances of success and minimise further aggravating the injuries and pain. We couldnt run so we climbed large volumes of easier climbs on our local grit crags. The Offwidth site and our guidebook work was really born from our preparation for the ridge.

Being a bit stubborm we decided beta was OK but not pre-inpection... we had not done any of the tricky navigation or climbing sections before and wanted it to be effectively an onsight.

On the day it was a bit too warm and we ran out of water despite having 6 litres of isotonic and a litre of water (to drink with energy snacks) we overtook various 2-day folk rather lumbering with some impressively large sacks who either stayed an extra night (and finished in bad weather) or more likely gave up. We went super-lightweight to make it feasible but our lasting impression of the main benefit of this mode was the reduced risk of difficult and lose descents, less off-balance due to lower weight, when tired. I led the harder climbs but near soloing of HVD on good rock in approach shoes was OK wrt those descents. My knees started to give up on the last peaks so I don't think we could have done things differently anyhow.
 MG 24 Jun 2015
In reply to PPP:

> I think the bigger issue on Cuilling Ridge is lack of water. I have never been there, but that was something I have heard number of times.

It is but not quite to the extent of the reputation - take plenty and a drinking straw to suck any dribbles that you find.
Adanmoo 24 Jun 2015
In reply to UKC Gear:

What gear need to prepare for climbing ?
In reply to AdanClinton:

50m half rope or a lightweight single.
Couple of slings, a few nuts, 2,4,6,8,10 maybe a hex, four extenders.

TD Gap and Naismiths are the main challenge. InPin is a romp.

Route finding in clag the biggest problem.... or running out of water if very hot.



 Mark Kemball 24 Jun 2015
In reply to Offwidth:

I just don't think my legs are ever going to be up to long hard walking again - right knee is playing up - occasionally locks, right ankle knackered from ancient injury, left Achilles partially ruptured last October and still weak... So, I think slow, steady but as light weight as possible is the way to go. Also, I did the ridge years ago when I was young and fit, so I don't feel the need to do it in one day or anything like that. I just want to get back up there and experience the whole place again, preferably this time with reasonably clear views (last time, it was clag from Alaisdair onwards).
 Mike Lates 25 Jun 2015
In reply to Offwidth:

Love the way this thread is diversifying into so many opinions & experiences. It shows quite how many elements are involved and also how there are many rights and (more?) wrongs.
After years of trying to perfect tactics & theories my biggest (& not very useful) conclusion is that the Cuillin Ridge is bigger than me, the weather's something I can't change and shit happens.
There are major cock-ups to avoid though-
Underestimation is no.1- (Urgency a la Grand course Alpin, not a wee UK hill jolly approach)
A "purist, on-sight" mentality like its some oversized boulder problem. (Is this common attitude on, for eg, the Chamonix Aiguilles? If it is I'll rein the neck in).
Partner imbalance (and not knowing how to deal with it)
Large teams (never succeeded with more than 3:1)
Going for it in the wet
Not knowing the route in mist but "givin it a go ayway" Baaad option!
Wrong ropes & too much rack- plenty beta on ukc threads. (If need a rack and 8QD's to lead Severe in big boots learn to climb better or find out about the bypasses of TD Gap , Kings & Naismiths.)
Hope it all helps someone out there...
PS Mark Kemball- water sources all listed in the SMC Cuillin guidebook of 2011 available from a supermarket near you or a certain guide in Skye
 Mike Lates 25 Jun 2015
In reply to Mark Kemball:

Dedicate a week or more to Scottish hols & wait for a perfect forecast of easterly/northerlies. Head up with bivvy kit that can be left for a few days & ideally do the Gap end of day 1. 12 hours to Gillean in perfect weather should be possible without any need to break into a trot. Drink lots overnight & carry 2 litres, refilling in Fionn Choire with 10 min detour. Piece o ...s
 Offwidth 25 Jun 2015
In reply to Mark Kemball:

Best of luck whatever. Another issue for us was of course that perfect forecast vs availability combination even for the one day attempt (it didnt happen the first summer). As it was when we finally got the right slot it unexpectedly rained as we did the approach at 4.00am and that made us more than a bit nervous. The idea of doing it in clag is beyond me as I know from experience its easy enough to get lost just on a small section of the ridge unless you know it well. Various friends tried to force it on less than ideal weather days and gave up (one got off route on a reccee in clag and some holds broke and he fell down slabs for the time it takes for a non religious man to say nearly all the lords prayer... very very lucky to live). Support all of Mikes's points (including the critique of our bouldering mentality.. but hey, its the games we play)
 Mark Kemball 25 Jun 2015
In reply to UKC Gear:

Thanks, Mike and Offwidth , I will certainly be buying a guide for the trip up to Skye, when it happens - my 1980s guide is not the most up to date! One of the advantages of being retired is that I can afford to wait around for a weather window. Last time, we lost the way a couple of times in clag, but managed to work out where we were and retrace our steps. Even with the best forecast, clag is likely. Not being able to use a compass was a complete pain, but I'm thinking that GPS would solve this, has anyone found it useful on the ridge?

Cheers,
Mark.
Adanmoo 03 Jul 2015
In reply to mountain musher:

Thank you ,these tips are helpful to me , I will go to climb the mountain next month.

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