Roger Webb pulling through the crux roof on the first ascent of Tempting Fate (V,6) in Coire Ruadh on Braeriach. The climbing potential of this rarely visited corrie on the north side of the mountain has been largely ignored until recently. (Photo Simon Richardson)
We had big plans for a route in one of the great east facing corries of Braeriach, but despite a good forecast, the weather had other ideas. When Roger Webb and I started cycling up Glen Einich early on Sunday morning (January 13) it was already starting to snow and by the time we left the shelter of the forest we had to put on goggles to see into the full frontal blizzard.
On the long walk towards the plateau we reassessed our options. Plan A rapidly became a less committing Plan B, and when that too seemed overly optimistic in the blowing storm, we opted for an even easier Plan C. Even so, it took over five hours to reach our crag in Coire Ruadh on the north side of the mountain. We were cold and tired after being knocked about by the wind, so we rapidly set about climbing a straightforward-looking mixed groove to salvage the day and start the descent as soon as possible. As I started leading the first pitch, Roger wryly commented we were a ‘hostage to fortune’ given the inclement weather.
But as we started climbing, our luck began to change. Our mixed groove was great fun, and although it was steeper than it looked, it was blessed with so many hooks, spikes and little pinnacles that we only needed slings for protection. We finished our new III,4 as the sky began to clear, so ‘tempting fate’ I suggested to Roger that we try another route.
This time, the climbing was even better, but technically harder, and we both had to think hard during our leads of the second and third pitches. The protection was so good (Friends this time rather than slings) that we couldn’t grade it more than V,6, but when we reached the top it was almost dark. Fortunately we had taken a GPS reading of the top of the descent gully leading down to Glen Einich, and as we descended the hard frozen snow, the wind dropped and the stars came out. “You know, we wouldn’t have felt fulfilled if we’d gone down after that first route,” Roger observed as we reached the car at the end of our 14-hour day. And of course, he was right.
Well we thought better of going into Braeriach and resorted to plan B a short day in Creagan Cha No but halfway up resorted to plan C a shopping trip to Tescos before back to Andy’s to eat our rolls and a mug of tea. So no brownie points then. Well done. Martin