Back to the Crianlarich hills for the New Year (Munros Completed :Ben More (37), Stob Binnein (38)).
Great day out on Ben More & Stob Binnein on New Years Day.
2011/Jan/01 : This was the best forecast of the week, dry with a high cloud base of 900m or above and still little wind. An early start was necessary and I was on the path at 08:15 just at sunrise. There is a well defined broad track that zig zags up to the base of Ben More but as I wasn’t ascending this munro first, cut across the moor, following the burn. This eventually meets the track again which follows the burn almost as far as below the col. The path was very icy as it had been all week though it wasn’t as cold as forecast. However, the visibility was tremendous with wonderful views all around and both Munro tops visible.
The ridge up to Stob Binnein was fantastic, both long & broad and the snow base firm which meant the ascent with crampons was easy. The wind was a bit strong on the ridge but I couldn’t complain as there had been none all week. The views from the top were amazing and I was on the summit at 11:20.
From here it was a quick descent back to the col and then up the ridge to Ben Munro. It was bitterly cold on the summit however when I arrived at 12:20, with a fiercely cold northerly wind which froze my face scarf soled. I had to put all my winter gear on to keep warm and very quickly headed off over the other side.
I made a bit mistake on the descent in my rush to get back. There is a steep corrie which is best to be avoided but as I approached it I couldn’t see over the edge where it was very steep so traversed over to the right on steep ice to where there were gentler snow slopes and then cut back. However, I was in fact on the left hand edge of the corrie and ended up traversing all the way over the edge of it! These two Munros rightly deserve their status as the best in the Crianlarich hills.
