UKH

Can anyone explained why there is a fixed rope at the cliff past le Mauvais Pas on A Chir?  It’s very confusing and goes down to a large ledge half way up the cliff which appears to be a dead end (in terms of getting down to the col).  I initially presumed this was the Mauvais Pas but realised my mistake at the bottom of the rope. I had half a mind to chop it and take it down as I don’t really like fixed ropes in the mountains but I presumed it must be important for something as it was attached by a load of fresh tat, pegs and a newish no. 5 nut.

Could be to do with this:  https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/local/dundee/945479/amazing-rescue-as-...

Could’ve been something to do with this (from Arran MRT Facebook page):

CALLOUT 26/07/2019
The team were tasked early this morning to help in the search for 23 year old male, Miroslav Novak from Dundee, thought to be missing in the Arran hills.
After gathering information and getting an idea of his intended route, team members split into groups to start searching for him in different locations.
Rescue helicopter 199 was tasked to assist along with Police MRT.
A wallet was found belonging to the missing person by a member of the public on the bypass path on A’Chir ridge and handed in to local Police promptly which helped to confirm that the missing person had been/was still on the hill somewhere.
After a few hours, Rescue 199 spotted someone to the North side of the A’Chir ridge.
This was confirmed to be that of the missing person and thankfully he was still alive after falling and being out in the mountains for approximately 48hours.
The helicopter paramedic along with 7 MR team members made their way to the casualty to provide help and treated and packaged the casualty for uplift to hospital for further treatment.

We wish the casualty a speedy recovery and thanks very much to everyone for their assistance!

Scottish Mountain Rescue Maritime and Coastguard Agency St John Scotland Ayrshire Police Division

Could well be, although I'm surprised the MRT didn't de rig it if so, especially as they left some shiny gear behind! Maybe they left it to stop people down climbing to the ledge and getting stuck in a similar situation as this bloke? 

Might be that, but my guess would be that it was left more recently following a retreat

It's well fixed at both ends but goes nowhere so not a great retreat option. It's down the line of where I imagine you w would absail if that's your thing so my only other thought is maybe youd use it if you had a really short ab rope (although by the time youd done this you may be better off on the mod scramble 10 feet away!)

This is quite confusing. The guy was found on the North side of the ridge which would suggest he was close to the Cir Mhor end where it turns NE. The descent down to the ledge that turns into a sort of sloping trench is pretty much East facing. Was the gear beside the down climb?

As it's obviously cost someone a rope and some gear to place, and fixed ropes aren't at all in-keeping with the ethic in the UK, I can only imagine it's been abandoned following some sort of misadventure - possibly to be retrieved at a later date?

I did a winter traverse back in 1982. It took us ages because we did it in reverse from North to South and getting out the gap was a greasy pole. We had ropes and I had full winter gear. My second wasn't much of a climber but I made him a harness out of slings and he had a swing ball pole as a walking pole come snow dagger. It's still up there near gully three where it now rests. Anyone who finds it is welcome to it. It slipped out his hand down a gully. Guess I should of made him a wrist loop.

The rope was kind of on the north facing bit as you look over the bad step to the col there was no fixed gear on the normal way down on the short wall and sloping ledge on the east side (apart from a small cairn at the top and some very rusty pegs low down)

I wish I'd cleaned it up now but hey ho

The bad step is before this area . The wee step over a small gap. It's a bit weird his wallet  was on the bypass path when he was on the main ridge.