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Am Bodach (top) -
943m |
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Weather/Conditions: Slightly
cloudier in the morning but sunny all day. Some wind at points but quite
calm. |
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Finally, the Aonach Eagach.  Aonach Eagach Exposurefest And oh, do they live up to their name or what? I knew a lot of people that had done the Aonach Eagach. Some didn't like it and some were frightened, some reckoned it was easy like a ladder and wanted to do it in winter/dark/storm or a combination or all of them. I'll be honest, the Crazy Pinnacles sent my adrenaline running crazed. They looked damn serious. Ian wanted a break immediately before the pinnacles, but I couldn't sit with those over my shoulder. The committing nature of the Aonach Eagach made it easy for me to take whatever lay ahead, rationalise it, break it down and deal with it, but the pinnacles were a little harder to deal with. They were the one section where my heels hung out over wide open space and as I climbed around them on their north side (as everyone does) I was completely aware of the enormous drop below, hands shaking with adrenaline. I wasn't scared as such, just recognised in a rational way that the adrenaline was pumping because this was a place where the consequences of a slip were very real. Perhaps fatal. On the far side of the Pinnacles I collected myself, reeling from the previous passage. We commenced to walk along the path in the sky to the highest point of the Aonach Eagach ridge (900m) then started down the other side. A couple doing the ridge in the opposite direction told us there were some "shitty" sections to go. And there were. The descent off the last pinnacle was one of the most unnerving sections and to my mind consisted of three points where holds were not obvious. The first and last required careful thought to work out a sequence of safe moves (jumping down not an option) and the second was a nervous bum slide off a ledge to gain another small ledge that itself had to be descended from.  Hi-res image displaying technical difficulties on the Aonach Eagach One last gap (climb in then out the other side) left me wondering when this ridge would end, then after one final knife edge section, it did. Then we scooted up Stob Coire Leith just as Ian was coming down with a virus (bad news - on the ridge you have to continue to the end) so the going was slowing up. By the time we reached Sgorr nam Fiannaidh, we lay in the summit cairn under the sun and surrounded by the most magnificent of views. It was maybe one of the best parts of the day. Concerning descent, we were a little freaked out by the exposure already, so instead of descending the screes to Loch Achtriochtan, we walked down to near the Pap of Glencoe and descended to the road. It was tedious, steep, we were tired and it was a bit hot, though the views were magnificent. When we arrived down at the road, thoroughly knackered, I changed into sandals (perked me up a little) and we walked to the Glen Coe Independent Youth Hostel. Taking our chances, we asked the guy in there if he could give us a phone number for a local taxi. Five minutes later Ali's Taxi's from Ballachulish picked us up. The price wasn't pretty, though to be expected. We were grateful for the free ride up the glen - seemingly free when the alternative was walking. Also, I probably owe the hostel a couple nights accommodation there for saving our butts. When we arrived back at the car, we were knackered enough to decide going home was the best option - Ian was coming down with some bug and I was pretty well worn out. Home sounded like a great idea, and I didn't mind in the slightest with the Aonach Eagach in the bag. Yes, the Mamores had been the next days plan, but we didn't care. So, final thoughts on the Aggy Ridge? Well I'll be the first to admit it was scarier than I'd anticipated it to be. Some hype it up, some downplay it (in fact, a lot downplay it) but at the end of the day, I couldn't shake off the exposure, so I perhaps enjoyed it a little less. I can understand though how good it must feel to run along the ridge, exposure blanked out, feeling the moves flow. It must be the most incredible high and I can relate to it. This leads me to ponder of future plans. On the ridge I told myself I didn't want to come back, that the exposure was great enough for slips to be absolutely unforgiving. But as ever, time softens the terror, so going back isn't ruled out, maybe then I'll find myself quite happy with it. At least I'll know exactly what I'm up against. And perhaps if someone else went first, I might be more comfortable maintaining a following position. I'll probably go back and try again to see how I feel, but a sunny day would be a appreciated. Not in winter or anything. Yet... Aonach Eagach Detail  Driving to Glen Etive 
 
 Glen Etive Camp 
 Ascent to Am Bodach 
 
 
 
Am Bodach "Bad Step"
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Times Glen Coe - 6.40am Am Bodach (arrived) - 9.05am Am Bodach (left) - 9.30am Meall Dearg (arrived)- 10.30am Meall Dearg (left) - 11am Aonach Eagach 900m - 12.15pm Stob Coire Leith - 1.50pm Sgorr nam Fiannaidh (arrived) - 2.45pm Sgorr nam Fiannaidh (left) - 3.45pm Glen Coe - 7.05pm |
Times from 0.00 Glen Coe - 0.00 |
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Written: 2010-06-29 |
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