The view up Glen Tilt as I descended Luib Mhor was truly spectacular, and quite possibly the best of the Challenge so far. The near-vertical sides of the valley of the Allt Fheannach coming in from the right make it pretty obvious where the descent route is to be found; but there is no path as such until you are pratically in the valley floor, despite its being an obvious route onto and off a ridge with two fine Munros on it. This, and the fact that it is a convext slope would make a descent in poor visibility particularly hazardous; and as I was descending it dawned on me that this meant my route choice for today had in fact been particularly poor. For although I had provided a suitable Foul Weather Alternative (which was simply to follow Glen Tilt all the way up from Blair Atholl), I had not really given any thought to my options if the weather turned against me once I had gone high. Normally there is some sort of a viable escape route back to lower levels. But this ridge has none. It is spectacular, and I enjoyed being up there immensely. I shall doubtless return, some time, with a lighter pack and nothing better to do that tackle Beinn a'Ghlo. But was it a sensible way to go on a Challenge? In retrospect, I am beginning to think not!Tuesday, 16 November 2010
The 2010 Challenge, day 9: Blair Atholl to Upper Glen Tilt (8)
The view up Glen Tilt as I descended Luib Mhor was truly spectacular, and quite possibly the best of the Challenge so far. The near-vertical sides of the valley of the Allt Fheannach coming in from the right make it pretty obvious where the descent route is to be found; but there is no path as such until you are pratically in the valley floor, despite its being an obvious route onto and off a ridge with two fine Munros on it. This, and the fact that it is a convext slope would make a descent in poor visibility particularly hazardous; and as I was descending it dawned on me that this meant my route choice for today had in fact been particularly poor. For although I had provided a suitable Foul Weather Alternative (which was simply to follow Glen Tilt all the way up from Blair Atholl), I had not really given any thought to my options if the weather turned against me once I had gone high. Normally there is some sort of a viable escape route back to lower levels. But this ridge has none. It is spectacular, and I enjoyed being up there immensely. I shall doubtless return, some time, with a lighter pack and nothing better to do that tackle Beinn a'Ghlo. But was it a sensible way to go on a Challenge? In retrospect, I am beginning to think not!
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Nothing wrong with your choice of route. Some years ago I dropped my pack on the coll @958726 and did the third Munro before collecting the sack and dropping down to the Allt Coire Lagain. I spent the night in the Loch Loch Bothy, no longer standing, and had enough time after supper to climb Ben Vuirich.
ReplyDeleteAh those were the days!