Some winter left on Goatfell

Wally and I headed up in to Coire Lan today to have a look at Stacach Gully. We didn't like the look of it unfortunately- we broke trail on the approach slopes through a layer of windslab over graupel, which poured down the mountainside as we released it from under the firm layer above.  A quick dig about, and we established that the endless hailstorms that have hammered Lamlash this week, have unsurprisingly dumped plenty in the hill too.

Stacach Gully is the dogleg gully in the middle of the picture

Plan B was a good option, we headed on to the NE slopes of Goatfell, where ice covered slabs sit in shade. We spent a happy time fossicking our way up through ribs and gullies, and eventually gained the ridge. It was strange to be wearing crampons and to see folk enjoying a sunny Easter day in shorts.  The short wearers are definitely a bit premature, although we didn't need the crampons on the ridge today.  The rock is bone dry and the snow mostly softening where exposed to the sun, but winter is still hanging on up high.

Kirstie Boot Camp

I've been concentrating far too much learning to ski this winter and I'm starting to feel a little soft, so I messaged my friend, photographer and fellow Arran MRT member Kirstie Smith, with a request that she and her energetic collie dog drag me round the hills today, to remind me of what it is all about.  Now, Kirstie is a small but perfectly formed powerhouse, someone that storms around the Arran hills whenever she gets the chance, so I knew I'd be in for a fun day.....Kirstie is an awsome photographer by the way- check out her website here.  for lots of stunning photos of Arran and mountain rescue training.

After a relaxed start we headed up Glen Rosa, easing ourselves in to the day and enjoying the views at the lower levels.  Crossing the Rosa Burn was unproblematic, despite heavy rain overnight (it often runs in spate and catches people out here).

Glen Rosa

We headed up on to the Saddle, the halfway point of our day, (the easy half).  We were treated to immense views down Glen Sannox, which we took time to enjoy, as we knew we'd soon be in the clouds.

Looking in to Glen Sannox

Before long we were sweating our way up on to North Goatfell.  Its a big pull up from the saddle, and the path, always eroded, is in a treacherous state after this winter's heavy rain. 

From North Goatfell, the fun began, with a traverse under the buttresses of Stacach, in deep snow.  It's steep ground here, and the snow was soft and wet.  It was slow going along here, working from memory of where the path is- there are some nasty rock slabs on this side of the hill that we did not want to stray on unwittingly!

Traversing under Stacach- photo by Kirstie Smith

The summit of Goatfell eventually loomed in to view- although views were as usual, elusive....

Finally, we began the descent down the "tourist path" from Goatfell to Brodick, although you will see from the photo below, its not very touristy at the moment.  It may be mild in the glens, but there are still full on winter conditions on The Goat.

No sign of the path today, and lots of steep ground!- by Kirstie Smith

Stacach and Goatfell, Showers and Sunshine

Today there was a chill in the air as the wind swung to the east and brisk blustery showers rolled in from the sea. I was working today on Goatfell and North Goatfell, with a lovely high traverse of Stacach Ridge, the rocky curtain that hangs between the two peaks. Its a great scramble, due to the damp weather, we avoided the trickiest sections with a wander along a traverse path that cuts under the buttresses on the east side.  Finally we topped out on Goatfell to fantastic panoramic views. 

Mist billowing over the rim of Mullach Buidhe

Stacach from North Goatfell.

Cir Mhor, posing nicely in the Autumn light.

Looking back towards North Goatfell from the summit of Goatfell.

Mint conditions in Stacach Gully

The cold and stable spell of weather has seen unusual winter conditions building on Arran. Much of the south facing snow was stripped in the last thaw, but pockets persist on North and East facing aspects higher up and the snow is now bullet hard and ice is building.  Hope it lasts a bit!
Wally, Kirstie and I headed up in to Coire Lan and up in to Stacach Gully, just north of Goatfell summit, and found it to be in great sporting condition.  The approach slopes of snow were easy and banked out, there was a small bulge of ice, topped by bomber turf and snow.  Great fun. If you fancy getting out and doing an esoteric grade I/II route on Arran in rare condition, now is the time. I wonder what else is out there waiting to be done?

Kirstie and I approaching the route- the gully splits the large buttress above Kirstie's head.

Wally leading off. This photo is kindly shared by Kirstie Smith.

Kirstie on the ice. 

Yours truly leading through (Wally left me the easy bit..), Another great photo from Kirstie.

 Magic views from the top.

Descending from the summit, looking back towards Stacach ridge and the curving shape of Stacach Gully that splits the dark buttress on the left. .

Snow Day on Goatfell

Wally and I rushed back from a recent trip to the Cairngorms with rumours of snow on Arran calling us home. The Cairngorms trip was great- lots of navigation on the plateau, and cold weather with a mixture of clag and sunshine, but snow on the Arran hills is something to be celebrated especially when it comes with a promise of sunshine too.

We took the Goatfell path from Corrie, and continued up in to Coire Lan, emerging on the ridge to the north east of North Goatfell.

There was a fair breeze on the ridge and a lot of fresh snow blowing around.

We skirted underneath North Goatfell and round the side of Stacach ridge.

Ice forming on the buttresses above......

As we neared the summit, the sun started to emerge from the mist. 

The view from Goatfell on a clear day, especially in winter, has to be one of the most spectacular in Scotland.

Blue Sky Days

This week the island has been basking in unseasonal sunshine and dry weather. I've had two fantastic days in the mountains before the weather broke, in almost identical conditions of hot dry rock and a cool breeze- perfect for scrambling and climbing.

On Sunday, I was out training with Arran Mountain Rescue Team ( I am a probationary member), and we headed up on to the western slopes of Mullach Buidhe to practice some rope work and rock climbing.  Normally AMRT training sessions are hard work, but this had more of the air of jolly picnic on the beach, although we did do some top roping of some hard and highball boulder problems on the ridge, plus some abseiling and climbing on the biggest buttress. All quite leisurely really.

AMRT Jolly. 

Setting up for the ab and climb.

Top roping in the sun. 

Great views of Cir Mhor and Caisteal Abhail across Glen Sannox. 

On Tuesday a good friend stopped by on route to the highlands and we whisked him from the ferry into the hills. At this point I should provide a nice big plug for the company he represents, Mountain Hardwear, but as we lent him a load of non Mountain Hardwear gear for the day, he'd prefer to remain anonymous!

So it was back in to Coire Lan and up on to North Goatfell for a quick traverse of Stacach in perfect conditions.

The boys enjoying tremendous views from the top of North Goatfell. 

Heading off down the Stacach for Goatfell summit. 

Now it is Thursday and the rain has come at last.  It is sad to say goodbye to the sun for a bit, but the island was beginning to feel like a tinderbox in the haze from the mainland wildfires.  I'm relieved that we have survived the dry spell and the moisture will only help the wildlife. Good for gardeners too!

Alpine Day in the Hills

When I first moved to Arran I wondered if I would ever find life on a small island limiting.  There are only so many hills, routes and summits to climb, and after a while you keep returning to the same places. Yesterday, Wally and I spent the afternoon on Stacach Ridge- an exposed little scramble between the two summits of Goatfell, and proved that no matter how many times you climb something, there is always something different to enjoy, especially in winter.  We were treated to one of the most memorable and magnificent days out on the hill that we have ever had. If the following blog post seems a little over enthusiastic- this is because its very hard to describe just how brilliant the best days in the mountains can be. There are not enough superlatives!

We had the usual slow start, but this time intentionally. A round of the two peaks is not a long route and do-able in a short day.  We dropped the car at Cladach, picked up the bus round to Corrie, and set off up the steep ascent through High Corrie, past the waterworks, and up through woodland and open hill to Coire Lan.

 

Looking up in to Coire Lan.  Goatfell Summit visible on the left

The Coire was filled with snow, and we decided to strike up steep slopes to the left of North Goatfell. The conditions underfoot were a mixed bag- with firm wind scoured snow, and pockets of windslab that cracked and broke away alarmingly.  Anyone who says that avalanches don't happen on Arran is a plonker (putting it politely)- they do, I have seen the results. We picked our route carefully, and noted that in places, the snow conditions went from great to very poor quite quickly.

 

"Shooting Cracks" that fire out of footprints are a sure sign that the snow is not to be trusted. 

We arrived at a bealach between North Goatfell and the knobbly ridge of Stacach. Already breathless from the climb, we both gasped at the panorama visible from the ridge.  Peak after jagged peak was encased in crisp and sparkling snow. The bright sun picked out every gully, rock stack and summit in perfect shining clarity. The air was so clear that the snowy tops of the Paps of Jura, Ben More on Mull, the Arrochar Alps and even the Galloway hills seemed close enough to touch.  It was possible to make out headlands and bays along the coastline of Northern Ireland. Standing in silence, we could hear the roar of the Rosa Burn far below.

 Looking towards a snowy Achir, Beinn a Chliabhain, and beyond, Beinn Tarsuinn. 

Achir on the left, Cir Mhor is on the centre right, and just to the right of this on the far horizon, are the Paps of Jura.

Turning left at the ridge, we set out along the series of rough granite tors that make the ridge of Stacach. In summer, this is a fun but very exposed grade 1 scramble.  For the nervous, there is a path that traverses on the east flank, under the buttresses.  In winter, this narrow path is often buried under unstable snow, and safe passage cannot be found easily.  The scramble over the top can vary from lighthearted fun, to serious climbing, depending on the conditions underfoot, therefore it may be a good idea to carry a 30m rope, a couple of slings and some nuts. On this day the snow was reasonably firm, but the ledges and cracks were hidden under a blanket of white stuff that made going slow and cautious. The crux of the ridge is a vertical tor which can either be ascended by an airy series of ledges on the west (often called The Giant's Steps), with serious consequences if you slip, or a very awkward chimney on the crest.  In summer, I prefer the delicate balancing ledges, but in winter, the fight up the chimney seems safer! The descent from this tor also follows another series of blocky ledges, which in winter can be tricky.

Wally tackling the blocky chimney. 

Looking back towards the descent from the most difficult section of the ridge. 

As always, the concentrated delights of the ridge were over far too quickly.  We dawdled on the final bealach before the summit of Goatfell.  The late afternoon light was turning an astonishing technicolour in the north eastern sky. To the west, encroaching clouds warned of a storm to come.

 Looking North towards Bute, the Cumbraes and eventually up the Clyde to Glasgow. The peaks on the far horizon are the Arrochar Alps and the Trossachs.

Climbing the final slopes of Goatfell.

On the highest point, we lingered even longer.  The view from the summit of Goatfell is absolutely breathtaking and worth the climb whatever path you choose. Finally, we dragged ourselves away, and began the descent down to the waiting car in Brodick.  The path down towards Brodick Castle is relatively straightforward, although in heavy snow conditions care is required  near the top where steep accumulations of windslab can be found. In the last of the light we saw  and heard a number of red grouse, silhouetted against the snow, giving out their low chuckling call.  Brilliant!

 A frosty Goatfell Summit.

Snow and nutella sandwiches

We have just got back from a week on the mainland visiting family in England and spent Friday night in the back of the van on the quayside in Ardrossan. We had to blow away the cobwebs and it was a beautiful snowy day so got straight out on the hill as soon as we docked.
There are a few things that I get really excited about, and these include snow, and nutella, and with a couple of well laden butties the day was looking very promising.... (sorry about the stupid photo, but you get the idea...)

We went over the ridge between North Goatfell and Goatfell called Stacach. It is an easy scramble in summer conditions and in winter a major mountaineering expedition needing axe and crampons. When we got to the ridge, the wind was very strong, so we decided to pick out a cunning traverse that avoids the narrowest part of the ridge. Again, in summer, this is a narrow but simple path to the East, but in winter crosses avalanche prone snowfields above big drops. Avalanches are not regularly recorded on Arran but that doesn't mean they don't happen. Care required! The overhanging cliffs were smeared with icicles. At the top the rocky crest was encrusted with rime ice that had grown weird formations in the damp but icy winter blast of wind that was hammering across the top.
This all added to the fun and we stopped along the way to do Stacach Gully- a grade I/II mountaineering route, with a short ice pitch half way up. Unfortunately we forgot the drive-ins for protecting turf so we top roped it. Wally set up a belay on a sheltered ledge and we took turns to lower each other into the snow filled gully. The gully was fairly open on the right, but the left wall was flanked by blank rock and ice smears, and the ice pitch up the middle was fragile, but bits were banked out enough with snow that it was straightforward on a top rope. I went second, which was a good thing, as I kicked out the bottom a bit and left very little for anyone else. Again, sorry, but it was the kind of sugary ice full of bubbles that didn't like being kicked. Fortunately we are due for a good freeze thaw this week and it should reform. Hopefully a bit better.
After all this fun, we headed for the summit of Goatfell, and enjoyed a chat with a fellow walker on the way. (Hi Tim). The half light of the sun shining through the clouds and on to the icy rocks was absolutely stunning and although it was very windy and cold, we hung around for a bit to enjoy the atmosphere (there was plenty of that!).