Scottish ski touring (and a little bit of mountaineering)
With COVID-19 taking quite a hold across Asia and into Europe, my first ski touring trip in the Alps was starting to look doubtful. We were due to go to the Queyras, an area we hadn’t been to before. I spent weeks planning this trip but the plan was suddenly slipping through our fingers. I was in the Lake District, visiting family before jumping on the ferry for 7 weeks of ski touring. From Cumbria, I decided to make the call that we wouldn’t go to the Alps. I proposed a week of skiing in the Highlands. Given that 2 members of the 4 strong team had already dropped out, they were happy to rejoin for a Scottish adventure.
So after lots of cancellations, re-booking of accomodation and arriving in Scotland, we donned our ski’s and headed out in 50mph winds to kick start our Scottish ski week. We agreed to be flexible with activities and fortunately everyone was keen for a little mountaineering as well as skiing.
Our first day we went into the Cairngorm’s and skied Lurcher’s Gully which was a very fitting objective due to the weather conditions. No-one saw the benefit in prolonging the day.
As the weather continued to blow, we opted for the East Ridge of Beinn Choraine. A good option in the strong westerlies and very suitable for the group as some do no mountaineering or have lapsed for 20 years. We divided into two rope teams and made a fun ascent before hitting the whiteout which required careful navigation to get back down. It was a tough days for the hardened skier, they may be converted…or maybe not!
Finally we were blessed with some slightly more settled weather and we did the Corries loop skirting around all the northern corries and around the south side of Cairngorm. A windy day but rewarding as we pushed through some tough gusts and icey traverses.
The last day was surely the best, great weather and a superb journey on to Breariach. A good Munro to bag on ski’s. A fun and challenging consolation to skiing in the Alps but we are already looking forward to doing the trip next year. Thanks for a great week team! Working for Frost Guiding.
