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10 hours ago, Benjamin_Nevis said:

Yesterday was fun. Completely underestimated potential snowfall, so a planned winter romp around Mayar and Driesh turned into an exhausting slow walk through thigh deep snow which I binned under Corrie Fee's headwall. Cracking winter scenes though. It's been so long since a snowy epic I'd forgotten how exhausting the really deep stuff is. As an added bonus I fell about three times going straight through deep snow into drainage bars, the last of which elicited a quite tremendous f**k OFF which echoed beautifully around the corrie and carried particularly well to the two folk that were just round the other side of a big moraine. Great.

Normally I'd get round Mayar and Driesh in easily under 4 hours. It took that long just to get up to the back of Corrie Fee and back today 😂

 

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Corrie Fee Winter-4.jpg

I think this winter will finally be the chance to use the Snowshoes that I got for Xmas 2019 :)

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31 minutes ago, Swello said:

I think this winter will finally be the chance to use the Snowshoes that I got for Xmas 2019 :)

I'm still wanting value for money for the crampons I paid £90 for in 2015. 

Usage so far: a 50 metre stretch of sheet ice just below the summit plateau of Geal Charn 😂

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What boots do you guys use for Winter Walking?

I think I've made a bit of a boo boo when I bought my Scarpa Trek boots. They aren't B1 rated but still quite heavy and stiff, so not great for summer and not great for winter.

I asked the guy in Cotsowold about using them with Monta Rosa Crampons and officially he wouldn't  recommend it but would get away with using them on the boots for general walking in snow on plateaus etc. Anyone else used unrated boots? Feel like there's no point in buying B1s if I've got these just to dip my toe in winter walking, as you all know winter boots are  a small fortune.

Cheers 

Edited by Coldo
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2 hours ago, Coldo said:

What boots do you guys use for Winter Walking?

I think I've made a bit of a boo boo when I bought my Scarpa Trek boots. They aren't B1 rated but still quite heavy and stiff, so not great for summer and not great for winter.

I asked the guy in Cotsowold about using them with Monta Rosa Crampons and officially he wouldn't  recommend it but would get away with using them on the boots for general walking in snow on plateaus etc. Anyone else used unrated boots? Feel like there's no point in buying B1s if I've got these just to dip my toe in winter walking, as you all know winter boots are  a small fortune.

Cheers 

I use Scarpa SL active for winter use - they are really comfortable for walking generally and can take a flexible crampon as they are B1.

I use Scarpa R-Evo for the rest of the year and carry a set of Microspikes that work well for unexpected ice in shoulder seasons - they weigh nothing, so they can live in my bag all year round. 

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The problem with using crampons on non-rated boots is that the curvature of the sole that makes them nice to walk in, means that the crampon could ping off when you really don't want it to. I think microspikes would be safer and these ones are pretty capable (but obviously not for more technical stuff).

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I think my view on winter walking is either do lots of it and buy the gear and get the use of it or don't do it all.

The middle ground is going to leave you heading up into dangerous ground with the wrong gear and patchy exerience or spending hundreds on stuff you barely use.

I'm the latter. I have Scarpa SLs, Monta Rosa's, helmet and axe and think I have used them about 3 times in 10 years. Although I have used the SLs without the crampons and they are OK for shorter days ( which winter will be) but I wouldn't fancy them on a 12 hour summer walk.

IMO the advice that you could get away with them on plateaus is pretty poor.

There's a perception plateaus are flat and they aren't. They are also the last place you want to be if anything happens that's going to slow you down.

You can hire stuff from TISO if you want to try winter walking. If you like it then get the gear.

 

ETA winter boots are expensive but relative use mans they should lastonger. Have had SLs 10 years and reckon I'll get 10 more. Not bad for 250 quid

Summer Scarpas are now about 180, up from about 120 2 year ago, and I go through a pair every 18 months.

Edited by invergowrie arab
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On 07/12/2022 at 19:24, Florentine_Pogen said:

You got a problem with humming along to 'Wonderwall' at 2.30am with a group of dirty grungy b@st@rds who reek of skunk ?

Where do you live, man? 

Invergowrie. You?

In the moment.

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11 minutes ago, Swello said:

I use Scarpa SL active for winter use - they are really comfortable for walking generally and can take a flexible crampon as they are B1.

I use Scarpa R-Evo for the rest of the year and carry a set of Microspikes that work well for unexpected ice in shoulder seasons - they weigh nothing, so they can live in my bag all year round. 

18_source_1649195328.jpg

The problem with using crampons on non-rated boots is that the

7 minutes ago, invergowrie arab said:

I think my view on winter walking is either do lots of it and buy the gear and get the use of it or don't do it all.

The middle ground is going to leave you heading up into dangerous ground with the wrong gear and patchy exerience or spending hundreds on stuff you barely use.

I'm the latter. I have Scarpa SLs, Monta Rosa's, helmet and axe and think I have used them about 3 times in 10 years. Although I have used the SLs without the crampons and on they are OK for shorter days ( which winter will be) but I wouldn't fancy them on a 12 hour summer walk.

IMO the advice that you could get away with them on plateaus is pretty poor.

There's a perception plateaus are flat and they aren't. They are also the last place you want to be if anything happens that's going to slow you down.

You can hire stuff from TISO if you want to try winter walking. If you like it then get the gear.

curvature of the sole that makes them nice to walk in, means that the crampon could ping off when you really don't want it to. I think microspikes would be safer and these ones are pretty capable (but obviously not for more technical stuff).

Cheers for the advice, bit of a bugger as I was split between the Evo Rs, the SLs and the Treks and went for the middle ground! Don't you find the Evos still a bit heavy abd warm for the summer? 

I'm tempted to try sell the Treks now and get the SLs, so that I have the option for Winter Walking.

Yeah, I don't want to be that guy I the news who was rescued from up the hill without the appropriate equipment!

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4 minutes ago, Coldo said:

Cheers for the advice, bit of a bugger as I was split between the Evo Rs, the SLs and the Treks and went for the middle ground! Don't you find the Evos still a bit heavy abd warm for the summer? 

I'm tempted to try sell the Treks now and get the SLs, so that I have the option for Winter Walking.

Yeah, I don't want to be that guy I the news who was rescued from up the hill without the appropriate equipment!

I've got a very light pair of boots that I use for easy summer walks but as I am normally wandering about over pathless bogs and ridges all year round, I need a fairly robust pair of boots and I don't find the evo's heavy at all - they are comfortable for long days and given I'm out a lot, they have lasted well.

@invergowrie arab is correct about the usage thing for winter gear - you need to seek out that kind of walking if you are going to get the use out of them. I've used my crampons a lot over the years but I've actively picked walks where it's likely to be needed.

When I was starting out - I did totally the wrong thing, I shelled out (at great expense) for a pair of full winter B3 boots and some hybrid crampons. I've still got them 20+ years later after having used them about 3 times. Unless there was ice from the car park onwards and I was doing something very technical on the hill, they will continue to live in their corner of my garage untouched :)

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@invergowrie arab and @Swello

Thanks for the advice. I'm desperate to get out in the Winter when you see pictures. I'd probably do a winter skills day course first for belts and brqcds but am nervous going out in it, but I've no doubt half the folk don't have the correct gear. I want to be well equipped... just annoyed now that my boots are not that far of SLs, so would need to get them too and a lighter pair for summer. Also managed to get a Rab Hard Outershell jacket at an absolute steal... but is not helmet compatible. 😂

 

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If you aren't going out with a club or experienced skilled friends then a winter skills course isn't really belt and braces, it's absolutely essential.

If you gonin walkhighlands.co.uk they have stuff for sale in their gear section you might be able to pick up cheap.

TBH I wouldn't spend another penny until you do the winter skills course and see if you like it or not. 

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  • 1 month later...

Did Ben Ledi this morning, my first ever climb in proper snow.  Cracking day, if a bit nippy.  Really enjoyed it and not quite as challenging as I thought it would be, albeit an easy route.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
1 hour ago, invergowrie arab said:

Glas Maol is a boring pointless lump from Glenshee but from Glenisla it's much more interesting. Went up over Monega and Little Glas Maol today.

Love Caenlochan, it's like Corrie Fees big brother.

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Been up there a few times and always done it from Glenisla. It is almost pointless doing it from from Glenshee on it's own.

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1 hour ago, invergowrie arab said:

 

 

 

 


 

Think there’s quite a few Munro’s that are fairly dull and un-noteworthy in summer that come alive in winter. 

It’s a good time to do the likes of the Drummochter hills and Ben Chonzie etc.

On a clear blue sky day covered in snow you can feel like you’re in another world.

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14 hours ago, invergowrie arab said:

Glas Maol is a boring pointless lump from Glenshee but from Glenisla it's much more interesting. Went up over Monega and Little Glas Maol today.

Love Caenlochan, it's like Corrie Fees big brother.

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Definitely the best way to do these hills imo. I've been meaning to go back but walk right into Caenlochan Glen. There looks to be a ruin at the end of the track and an old path which heads up to the plateau near Tom Buidhe. 

ETA: Did you do the loop via Creag Leacach and the intervening lumps? Monamenach is a total killer at the end but gives a fine view of the rest of the walk. 

 

Edited by Benjamin_Nevis
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38 minutes ago, Benjamin_Nevis said:

Definitely the best way to do these hills imo. I've been meaning to go back but walk right into Caenlochan Glen. There looks to be a ruin at the end of the track and an old path which heads up to the plateau near Tom Buidhe. 

ETA: Did you do the loop via Creag Leacach and the intervening lumps? Monamenach is a total killer at the end but gives a fine view of the rest of the walk. 

 

That was the plan but the look of Monamenach put me off amd we justbdropped down from the lodge. Its only 300m from the ford, but it looked straight up will do it another time.

Quite fancy following the Leacach ridge down to Loch Beanie and picking up Monamenach on way out via Creagan Caise 

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  • 2 weeks later...

January was really frustrating because anytime there was some decent weather, I couldn't get out and when I could get out MWIS was all 100mph Winds, Arduous, Severe Windchill and 0% chance of a view - so I was amazed that there was some actual decent weather this weekend. I decided that if I was going to use a tank of diesel this weekend, I would be as well spending it on something I'd enjoy, so Assynt 1, Motherwell 0.

I decided to climb Canisp as it's one most people don't do as there is always something better nearby - but it probably is in the best position to see all the other classic mountains round here. A drive up in pish weather on Saturday and a van kip at Knockan Crag later and I was wandering across the moors just as it got light. I forgot how deserted this part of Scotland is outside of NC500 season as I saw no-one and hardly even a car north of Ullapool.

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When you hit the ridge on Canisp, the view opens right up. Suilven, Cul Mor, Stac Pollaidh and Sgurr an Fhidleir were all looking stunning - although there was less snow than I was expecting. An Teallach from the north looked very snowy and I assume it was getting battered by the wind as there was almost a powdery mist in it's Corries.

 

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Suilven is the main attraction as you feel you can touch it from here -I'll need to do another return visit soon.

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Really good walk and even though it broke my rule that the walk should be longer than the drive, it was well worth it.

 

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Edited by Swello
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  • 3 weeks later...

Climbed Meall Ghaordaidh for an amazing third time yesterday as ot was still on the wife's to do list.

I don't believe multiple compleatists do this 3 times. An utterly tedious hill up and down but better than watching United.

 

 

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Edited by invergowrie arab
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For folk that like a walking trip to Sutherland like I do - I saw this on twitter warning folk not to bother with the Kylesku hotel any more as it's now being run by the NC500 vampires - 70 quid for fish and chips and 2 glasses of bog standard wine :lol:

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