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Sometimes,
there are mountains you just don't screw with. Bidean nam Bian is one of
them.
Stob Coire nan Lochan is the northern top of Bidean but an impressive
pyramidal peak in itself. At 1115m, it's a huge mountain in itself and
Ian and I traversed across it's two northern spurs. It's serious, brutal
and unforgiving, and I don't just throw these terms around. But we were
doing it under winter conditions and climbing via. the most difficult of
it's three ridges. The weather was fantastic and we did this magnificent peak and
without any major problems.
We had planned to climb the two Munros on Bidean, but decided against it
when on the summit of S.C.n.Lochan felt it too late in the day to safely
go for the others. We pulled up in Glen Coe just shy of 9am, Stob Coire
nan Lochan already glowing in the morning sunlight. It looked
absolutely incredible. Neither of us had been up there before, and we
both highly anticipated the coming day.
Up Coire an Lochain
We got going at 9.10am, following the path from the car park across Glen
Coe and up into Coire nan Lochan. The path climbed steeply upwards,
cutting across the corrie's 45˚ slopes. The rocks were coated in
razor-thin verglas and walking called for care. Unusual for most of
Scotland's corrie's, a fall in here could have serious consequences, but
the walk was uneventful. The weather was shaping up well though, we
spotted people on the Aonach Eagach and had the magnificent view of
S.C.n.Lochan above us. The corrie was however enclosed, and the sense of
these soaring peaks all around helped to make me feel very small and
perhaps more anxious about the day ahead.
We reached the lochans at 770m at 11.30am and now out in the open, it
was only here did I finally
feel we'd escaped the dank and enclosed corrie. The
skies were clear and mountains pristine. Plenty climbers were on the
routes already (it would turn out to be a busy day) and we stopped for a
break before continuing onwards. When considering our route to the top,
we'd decided that best compromise between length and safety was to cut
up the snow slopes onto the north east ridge, then follow the ridge to
the summit.
Final Push to the Top
But it was only once we were up on the snowfields approaching the ridge
that we realised that these slopes comprised of wind slab, and there
weren't many ways to get around them except to climb all the way down to
the corrie and back up. We arrived on the summit ridge by following the
safest lines, but not without my heart in my mouth. I ran up the most
dangerous slopes
not because it would decrease the avalanche risk but because it was
easier for my head to cope with being in the firing line for as little
time as possible. Once back in relative safety, I took a few moments to calm myself down on the ridge.
I hacking at the snow with my axe and sure enough, an 8cm
layer wasn't bonded well to the snow beneath. With every step, I could
hear the hollow sound of the top layer collapsing, but nothing had
happened and we were now on the ridge.
The rest of the Bidean range was now in view including Stob Coire
Sgreamhach, Bidean itself and the Lost Valley. But these spectacularly
steep ridges and peaks created another risk - the fall lines were
spectacular. The ridge wasn't extremely steep but if we fell, it was 500m
straight down to the Lost Valley below. The terrain above
didn't look easy either and we didn't want to venture onto the
snowfields if possible given the dodgy slabs.
This was going to be mental.
Indeed it was. The first obstacle was a rock step of boulders and
already feeling the pump of adrenaline, I couldn't get up without that
drop calling from below. Fall from here and you're f**ked. I could
get up it no bother, but not without feeling extremely intimidated. Ian
got up it, so I followed on having seen what he did and the first
problem was then solved.
The next problem was a small notch in the ridge, but much less a problem
than the first step. In fact, not much a problem at all once I got
'hands on', used the holds to lower myself into the gap and walk up the
other side. More intimidating than anything else. But all we'd climbed
was something that I would find tough to descend and from here on I was
committed. Fear was building, my anxiety mixed with excitement and
the 'lethal combination' was born.
The last obstacle proved to be the worst and would have been a bugger to
miss out on since it was within ten metres of the summit. Different from
the lower problems, the snow had become powdery and unconsolidated up
here and somehow didn't take weight without collapsing. The easiest
route up the rocks was still too difficult, the incline too great. The
powder would collapse then push me off balance. As was the case with
this ridge, a fall here would be rewarded with splattered remains below,
so instead we waited for four guys who were coming up behind us. I
explained the problem, they cracked it and with the snow now beat down
and stabilised,
I followed on. I completely admired the nerve of the guy who led, I
couldn't have done it myself.
Summit
To my delight, the summit immediately followed on. With the knowledge of
an easy descent down the NW ridge ahead, the tension dissipated. The
goal had been achieved, the future now certain. Although cloud obscured
many views, what we saw was magnificent. We'd pondered about doing
Bidean too, but it was getting late in the day and it would be safer to
descend now. To go on and potentially descend the Lost Valley in the
dark was to raise the stakes a little higher than I was willing. Ian and
I chatted about how we had both lost our longing for Munro
counts and tallies, and how the joy of simply being in the mountains
satisfied our thirsts. Feeling under no pressure to go Munro bagging and
immensely satisfied with our achievement thus far, we
headed down the northwest ridge.
Descent
The final part of the walk came as a bit of an anti-climax and was a
walk in the park compared to our ascent. The lines, throbbing with
climbers, meant there were plenty of people to talk to at the top of
routes. I looked down at the climbers (most of them on the Dorsal Arête)
in admiration. The buttresses and arêtes looked like magnificent
challenges, but could I complain? I'd just climbed the most wonderful
mountain of my life. Our route was beautiful, had inspired awe, fear,
wonder and excitement in one, and followed the skyline of a peak that
fills the mystical heights above Glen Coe. I'd dreamed about coming here
for long long years. I wasn't complaining about anything today.
But with the hard 'mountaineering' over, the subsequent walk over to
Aonach Dubh was a let-down. The weather had also deteriorated but it was
a fine peak anyway and another imposing summit when viewed from Glen
Coe. With Aonach Dubh done, the knee-battering descent followed.
The lucky thing though, was that the verglas that coated the corrie
path in the morning had thawed. The descent was hardly treacherous
anymore but certainly long-winded. With the cloud coming down a little,
Stob Coire nan Lochan's summit skipped in and out of mist. My
perspective became the same as when I hadn't climbed it, but now I could
look back in the knowledge that I'd been up there. I'd been up there? Bloody
hell. It was a funny thought. I was delighted.
Back at the car and thoroughly worn out, Ian and I both couldn't help
but stare up at
S.C.n.Lochan in awe that we'd managed. Then we left for home, stopping at the Green Welly for food or drink on the way down. I'd
only eaten a couple of Chocolate Orange bars, M&M's and half a
packet of crisps during the duration of the walk and drunk nothing, so
it was a well needed stop.
With the day finished, all I want to do is revisit Bidean and climb more
of the summits before winter is over. Bidean is indeed a significant
mountain for me since it's one that I've always stared longingly at. And
the minute I left it's slopes, I knew that what I wanted was up there. I am sure
that I can play things safe enough to visit in winter, so long as I get
to do so before the snow melts. Ian also made fantastic company throughout the
day and a good partner to be around when things got a little scary.
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