I've just got back from a another long weekend on Skye to celebrate the Royal Wedding and in weather more appropriate to May knocked off 6 munros the "In Pin" and the Clach Glas -> Blabheinn traverse.
Day 1.
Sgurr Dearg and the Inaccessible Pinnacle (In Pin) 986m
Sgurr Mhic Choinnich 948m
Participants: Mayaculpa, Stewie Webb72
Weather: Perfect (how often can you say that)
Start: NG414214 Glen Brittle Memorial Hut (07:20)
Sgurr Dearg the Inaccessible Pinnacle is the second highest peak in the Cuillin (986m), and faces the highest, Sgurr Alasdair, across Coire Lagan.
It is the only Munro with a peak that can only be reached by rock climbing, This makes it somewhat difficult for many Munro baggers, and the only peak Sir Hugh Munro himself did not summit.
The plan was to do the In Pin and then to walk over and bag Sgurr Mhic Choinnich.
For years I'd wanted to bag this one and for 24 hours i'd done nothing but think and dream of it
It was with some nervousness and apprehension that it was now about to happen that hurried me on up
Coire Na Banachdich passing the Eas waterfall without so much a glance, and on up to the head wall and the final climb up to the top of Sgurr Dearg.
We topped out right in front of the 'In Pin' and stood there amazed in the early morning light (09:20)
No one else about we had it to ourselves.
Not having abseiled for some years, we had stopped off the day before at a disused quarry on the A87 by Kintail and practiced for an hour, and were now wondering, if we had done enough.
We examined the route up, as much as we could see, and from every angle studied the profile.
The plan was to stick to conventional thinking, go up the long edge in two pitches using slings to protect the climb.
We spent another half hour considering wether to do it or not. Some doubt had set in and neither of us fancied leading it.
with that, another team arrived, and we discussed it with them and felt encouraged. We let them climb on while we put harnesses on.
Stewie chose to lead, and with that another team arrived, so he began climbing. Before long it was my turn, stewie called "Climb when ready", moments later I called back "Climbing" and started on up.
As you can see from the pics the "in Pin" is like a huge fin of rock varying in width at it's edge from 600mm to 1600mm with a horrid drop on one side and an even more horrid, giddyfying, vertigo inducing one on the other.
Luckily I was focussed and in the zone concentrating only of the immediate moves ahead of me.
,
Already the next lead climber was on route behind me and by the time I was belayed and Stewie off on the second pitch, I had his company
and he started to bring up his partner.
My turn to do the second pitch, It's shorter and more exposed, and was over all too soon. With the benefit of the rope, its easy, Stewie experienced an adrenalin rush and though pumpin' with excitement, was completely focussed, was how he described it later.
On the summit we had little room and no real opportunity for photos.
A steel chain encirles the base of the bean shaped rock at the summit and Stewie anchored our rope to it. Throwing the ends down we heard them bottom out. we used a 50m rope and the abseil is about 25m.
Stewie abseiled first, confidently and within moments had landed safely. Attaching the two strands of rope to my descender
I unclipping from the safety of the metal chain. Now my turn, leaning back and stepping over the edge a delicious moment of confidence overcoming fear. Well thats how I like to describe it. The practice had paid off.
We shook each others hands,in congratulations with huge grins from ear to ear.
Some time later we walked over and bagged Sgurr Mhic Choinnich, don't honestly remember much about it except for descending stupendous screes into Corrie Lagan on the way back.
Here's some pics of our experience:
Sgurr Banachdich from Sgurr Dearg
In Pin with left Sgurr Alasdair
In Pin Summit closeup
Another profile
View over to Sgurr nan Gillean
View over to Blabheinn
view to Rum
In Pin profile looking North
Sound of Rum. Stewie looks on
In Pin view West
Stewie on the first pitch
close up
Stewie catching up
Close up
In Pin Summit
Stewie descending. more teams have arrived looking on.
We're finished, others on the way up.
Close up
looking back to Sgurr Dearg on the way to Sgurr Mhic Choinnich
looking back to Sgurr Dearg looking from Sgurr Mhic Choinnich
Thanks for looking.
These and more pics at higher resolution are here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mayaculpa/sets/72157626649275172/