Author Topic: liathach  (Read 4250 times)

sj

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liathach
« on: 09:49:20, 16/04/08 »
 I'm off to Scotland in May to hopefully traverse Liathach amongst others. Has anyone done this, if so, how difficult is the middle section?

muymalestado

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Re: liathach
« Reply #1 on: 10:32:17, 16/04/08 »
Welcome sj.   Let us know how it goes. 

Hope you get east winds = dryer weather; and the midge hasn't woken.  It will be snow covered right now, so the ground may still be wet.
I think this next one will be the top ...

sj

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Re: liathach
« Reply #2 on: 10:42:17, 16/04/08 »
thanks, i will. i've walked crib goch, the five sisters and ben nevis via the carn mor dearg. i was just wondering how this compared to them.

Ian s

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Re: liathach
« Reply #3 on: 11:37:26, 16/04/08 »
The beauty of the Liathach traverse is you can either take the pinnacles direct or miss them out according to whim and conditions.

Approaching from the East the fist section is the hardest - you come to the col after the main summit and then the entry onto the first pinnacle is guarded by a section that is a bit like walking along a 10 foot ironing board with a 1000 foot drop either side. If it's too windy or it freaks you then straddle it and go "a cheval" with a leg either side! Getting onto the second pinnacle from here is fine but the descent to the gap between 2+3 is tricky. There is an avoiding path (unfeasable in winter under snow but should be ok in may on the s side.

Be sure to take the little detour out onto the top of Bell's Buttress. I had a photo of me with a Brocken Spectre here but sadly not on my hard drive.

After the second pinnacle things get a bit easier over the third and fourth. The avoiding path continues under these but you can join the the crest no problem after the second. The rock is helpfully grippy but the situations are very exposed.

Technically the scrambling is harder than anything on Crib Goch, or CMD Arete, and it's more exposed.
But you have options!

You'll find quite a few pics of Liathach on my site, link below.
Hope this helps.

Ian
www.mountainfreedom.co.uk
www.mountainfreedom.co.uk - Guided walking, scrambling and mountain skills throughout Scotland and further afield

Ian s

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Re: liathach
« Reply #4 on: 11:49:16, 16/04/08 »
Yes it's well and truly snowed up at the moment, was there a week or so ago. And will probably be there again this weekend. It's a very steep sided and rocky mountain so the going is usually pretty dry under foot except for the lower part of the descent down the Allt an Thuill Bhainn (unless it's raining of course!)

The best way up starts from a parking place a little east of Glen Cottage and goes up a superb path into Coire Liath Mhor. at the mouth of the upper coire you bear right and head up to a col at point 833m. Dump sacks, bag the eastern top, retrace your steps, and off you go!

Ian
www.mountainfreedom.co.uk
www.mountainfreedom.co.uk - Guided walking, scrambling and mountain skills throughout Scotland and further afield

sj

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Re: liathach
« Reply #5 on: 12:02:39, 16/04/08 »
thanks for your replies. i'm getting back into walking/scramling after a 3-4 year absence due to other commitments. i've had some trips to snowdonia in the last few years but not quite at this level.

 

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