Mountaineering Instructor &
International Mountain Leader
Dorsal Arete (II) and Twisting Gully (III, 4) - Stob Coire nan Lochain Here are two classic Scottish winter routes in their own right in the beautiful Stob Coire nan Lochain. Dorsal Arete - This is a brilliant first winter ridge route and is hence very popular. On a normal day you will need to get up early to avoid the line of people but if offers a fine alpine style ridge and some snow climbing to boot. Perhaps the only down side is it is not long enough! The route starts just inside Broad Gully but there are several alternative starts if you need to avoid the crowds. As you climb higher the arete becomes more defined and at the top you can enjoy a fine sharks fin of rock or traverse sneakily past this on a snow ledge to gain the final exit chimney. Twisting Gully - This is a four star route that takes the gully left of South Buttress. It was first climbed by WH Murray, D Scott & J Simpson in December 1946 and so its pedigree matches its quality as a climb! It is a snow and ice climb with the odd rock step to provide the difficulties. In the winter of 2008 I took friends Andy & Simon out for their first day of winter climbing and we climbed both of these routes. Here is my Blog extract: "I am back in Scotland and the sun is shining! I have been out with good friends of mine, Andy and Simon. They have joined me for 6 days winter climbing having never done any winter climbing before. We had an awesome first day in Stob Coire nan Lochan under blue skies and sunshine. We did some refresher winter skills in the Coire then climbed Dorsal Arete taking in the pinnacles and a left hand finish which went at about grade III. We descended Broad Gully and then climbed Twisting Gully at III, 4. We definitely made the most of the good weather and the longer daylight hours at this time of year and the boys did great! |
