Skye high in the Cuillins

Having spent the last couple days exploring the fine mountains around Torridon, we were due to head back down to Fort William for two days climbing on Ben Nevis. To take advantage of the continuing weather,the plan changing once more, and our destination was now the Isle of Skye.Neither Piers nor I had ever been to Skye before, and I know I was feeling quite apprehensive about it. I had longed to go to Skye, and was hoping to go throughout this summer season to explore the famous Cuillins, never mind makingmy first trip to the isle in winter conditions; however these conditions were to good to miss. I was adamant that I was not going to make a ridge attempt,and was going to take the more cautious approach of day walks on sections of the ridge. After a little research into the ridge traverse, regarded as the finest mountaineering expedition in the UK, it sounded far too much for us with numerous abseils, hard route finding, 3000m of ascent and descent over the 12km ridge. I ruled it out, but planned several day excursions to take in sections of the ridge.

Our first was to be Pinnacle Ridge, a grade 3 ridge on Northside of Sgurr nan Gillean visible from the van, looked hard enough anyway. Weset of with reasonably early start unsure how long it was going to take, no guidebook, just the ridge to follow to the summit. Once we reached the first patches of snow, things were clicking in my brain; the snow was the best I hadseen all winter, bullet hard neve. It was time to get crampons on, but for me it was decision time, I’d spent the last 10 minutes crossing patches of perfect neve, weighing things up in my head, could we actually go for a ridge traverse.Could I afford to miss out on this opportunity; when was I next going to be onSkye in winter, in these conditions? I knew it was going to involve an overnight but we had no bivi kit. Several quick phone calls swiftly followed, getting information on the ridge, and finding an outdoor shop open on Easter Monday. We needed survival bags, abseil tat and factor 50 for my already sunburnt face. Shop open, decision made; we were going for a winter Cuillin ridge traverse the following morning.

I had a restless night’s sleep, unsure of the challenges Iwas about to face over the next few days. The bags were frantically packed at 5am just after a big pan of porridge to fuel us, I was pretty sure I’d packed everything, or I hope I had. The bags didn’t feel too heavy; the approach was fast, crampons on and straight onto the East Ridge of Sgurr nan Gillean, revealed what lay ahead of us. For the first time, I could see the Cuillin ridge in its entirety, as the snow covered ridge snaked its way along joiningthe summits and huge buttresses of rock creating this alpine environment. I hadto stand and just absorb what I was looking at for a couple of minutes. I was totally in awe of what was about to come, I was still unsure as to what to expect.

 

We were making good progress, several peaks down, the stable weather of sunshine and a light breeze keeping the temperatures bearable whilst working hard on the ups. The route was quite well trodden which worked in our favour, as I was quite worried about route finding amongst the complex terrain. Not any more though, as we swiftly continued. The day was going quick, in thefirst few hours, we had completed four abseils, moving North to South along the ridge, to overcome difficulties early in each day.

The sun didn’t bear up and with the snow becoming softer, it was becoming very sugary and despite it still being early in the day, we started looking for a bivi spot. We had already passed a couple and a several suitable spots. We had been on the go for 10 hours now, and the snow was becoming quite unstable and soft, we were slowing reached a small col, big enough to cut out little trench big enough to sleep in and shelter. Everything just took time, melting water to drink, for bottles, to cook with. It was the clearest sky I had ever seen, looking across the sea to the sun setting behind the Outer Hebrides. All my layers on, hat, mittens and into my sleeping bag, not looking forward to my night in the orange bag. The night passed quickly butI do remember waking up and seeing a ridiculous number of stars, the sky almostlooking whiter than it was black. The alarm beeping at 5.30am caused a stir and a lot of motivation was required to move and get sorted in our small area without anything sliding off down the slopes.

 

A steep snow slope got the blood flowing to the legs, and our first difficulty of the day approached after a long slog up, the top of the Inaccessible Pinnacle came into view. It was a cold climb up the East Ridge,which had very little snow left on it other than the ledges and summit,followed by a swift abseil and getting the gloves back on. The rock was cold due to the lack of sun, with grey clouds in an overcast sky. I was getting paranoid now, and kept thinking I could feel droplets of rain, it may have been nerves as an imposing climb and committing section of ridge lay ahead. The closer we got to the next climb, the easier angled and achievable it became, with ramps of snow weaving up the climb with steps between the ledge systems of rock.

Abseiling of the Inaccessable Pinnacle

 I upped the ante along the next section, unsure of the weather and not wanting to get caught out now we were committed. The section passed smoothly, and descending into the TD gap proved to be the last of the difficulties. The ridge continued with pleasant scrambling and snow slopes tofinish on the summit of Gars-bheinn at 3pm. We had spent 16 1/2 hours on theridge.

This definitely was the finale to an amazing winter. I don’t think it has really sunk in what we have achieved. I found it amazing how such a series of peaks and ridges appears almost from the sea, and throws up so many challenges along its length. To climb this ridge in winter really has been anopportunity that I couldn’t afford to have missed and I feel privileged to have had the chance to complete early in my mountaineering career. I have come across this quote, which happens to come from Skye mountain rescue sums them up: ‘Do not come to the Cuillin Ridge without cutting your teeth elsewhere in Scotland. Do not rush the Cuillin. Although eroding they will still be there tomorrow. Fear them, maybe doubly respect them and you will have many great mountain days within their aura.’