Destination Guide The Skye Cuillin for Munro Baggers
Having helped dozens of Munroists of all abilities complete their Cuillin Munros and Tops, guide Tom Lawfield outlines key considerations for would be peak-baggers keen to take on the UK's most challenging mountains.
Comments
Having guided the ridge many times, taking all or none of the described bypasses on different occasions, I would say an equally great pragmatic consideration for two-day traverses is pre-stashing of bivi gear, food and water (if weather window and schedule allows).
The difference between doing the whole thing with a light pack and a heavy one is huge, and could easily make the difference between having the energy to take more aesthetic direct lines and not. I often find people's bodies and brains are fried by the time it comes to confront the Basteir Tooth, and both Lota Coire Route and the walk around on the screes feel like significant and fairly painful compromises to the line (it's also important to note that taking Lota Coire Route still leaves arguably the hardest moves on the whole ridge to gain Am Basteir).
I'd back what Andy Moles says, regarding pre-stashing gear for a 2-day traverse, and weight. I did it a few years ago with a guide and a friend. We stashed some water, mats, stove etc halfway and it made a big difference. But even then, having missed out the TD Gap on the first day, due to it being wet, we also skipped Naismith's Route at the end, because my friend was knackered. As the author says, it's not just the sheer physicality of the whole thing (inc. a horrible walk-in on a wet dawn, and a chunky walk-out at the end) it's also the mental drain of concentrating so hard all the time. There are few places where you can genuinely walk along simply admiring the views. With the constant exposure you spend so much time making sure where your hands and feet are. After we'd finished my friend and I promised ourselves we'd go back and do it again, just so we could actually try and enjoy it!
PS. If it's wet or damp, take and wear leather gloves. I didn't on the first day and the constant holding onto wet gabbro split 6 of my finger pads. The gabbro also trashed a new'ish pair of synthetic approach boots.
Fried-brain was my exact experience back when I went for a 2-day traverse many years ago... a single day traverse felt much easier (thought I had improved at climbing somewhat)!
I was planning to do a 2 day traverse at the end of May, after getting my better half round some of the more challenging scrambles in North Wales in April. Hoping we get a good September for a go now!
I've got great memories of a September 2 day traverse. If you get the weather, September is a great time to be on Skye, with the ridge usually a good bit quieter than May/June (but perhaps not this year!).