The Cabin at Balgowan can possibly lay claim to being the most oft visited hut in the club’s short history. Its lofty position offers fantastic views over the valley below and up into the Monadhliath and beyond, towards Loch Laggan and Glen Spean.

A very well attended meet, it was good to see so many for a meet this close to Christmas.

Members Attending

Jim Aire; John Calder; Ian Dale; Bill Dallas; Raymond Evenden; James Duncan Fraser; George Henderson; Susan Henderson; Paddy Marrs; Alyn McNaughton; Norrie Shand; Lorn Smith; Ewan Stewart.

Guests

Mike Winton

Friday

George and Susan were lamenting their limited pictures from a highly sociable visit to The Cabin! Too sociable said George, as they failed to achieve their goals on both days…most unusual! The light at this time of year is so good though, it’s worth getting out for and they conquered Beinn Teallach on Friday and settled for the one, having forgotten their map.

*View from the slopes of Beinn Teallach towards Loch Treig – George Henderson*

*45 Degrees (Colts Section) & Norrie just back from a run – George Henderson*

## Saturday

George and Susan headed over the road from yesterday’s hill to tackle the Easain’s, however Friday night’s festivities took their toll on George and they managed Stob a’ Choire Mheadhoin before calling it a day there. As usual, Susan had energy to burn and kept the pace high enough to prolong George’s suffering!

*Susan encourages George on Stob a’ Choire Mheadhoin – George Henderson*

*Officially burst – George nearing the summit of Stob a’ Choire Mheadhoin – Susan Henderson*

Ian Dale did Geal Charn with Norrie and Mike on Saturday. The trio were having a beard icicle contest in blizzard conditions and rumour has it that Ian was the eventual winner however, we don’t have a photo of the winning entry. This was a 4th ascent of Geal Charn (Monadhliath) for Norrie and they were all glad of the cosy hut with the roaring fire to return to.

*Norrie’s attempt (his pigtails got it worse than his beard!) – Norrie Shand*

Raymond and Fraz endured intermittent whiteout conditions on the Monadhliath on Saturday. Tough conditions underfoot as well on A’ Chailleach, sometimes in waist deep snow. Nice to see the the wee tin hut shelter still standing, Winter had surely arrived. Raymond made it to the summit of A’ Chailleach in the whiteout and waited for Fraz but, with no sign of him after 15 minutes, retraced his steps and eventually made contact further down as Fraz had baled before the summit. Carn Sgulain was left to fight another day.

John and Alyn meanwhile, climbed the superb, snow-plastered rocky East Ridge of Beinn a’ Chaorainn, giving an excellent 1000 foot, two-star Grade II winter mountaineering route, which ended right on the very summit of the mountain. Weatherwise it was a day of two halves, with the ascent of the East Ridge remaining baltic, but fair. This all changed on the summit of Beinn a’ Chaorainn, with the strong, bitterly cold, NE wind bringing in lots of low cloud, snow flurries and spindrift leading to whiteout conditions. This weather picture was being experienced by all our members at different points in the day, depending on where they were along the A86. The continuation over the North Top and on to Beinn Teallach was a good test of their navigation skills and, after sacrificing a lot of height gain, the NE ridge of Beinn Teallach seemed to go on forever. Eventually, the summit of Beinn Teallach was gained, a new tick for Alyn, and all the way back down to Glen Spean they were battered by wind and spindrift. It was two very weary, but very satisfied individuals that arrived back at Alyn’s car as darkness fell. Unsurprisingly, they never saw another soul car to car.

*Alyn on the East ridge of Beinn a‘ Chaorainn – John Calder*

*John near the top of the East ridge of Beinn a‘ Chaorainn – Alyn McNaughton*

Lorn had some Grahams (or Fionas!) in mind for the weekend, but recent snowfall and an improving forecast prompted a switch to revisit the classic Creag Meagaidh circuit. Joined by Jim, Paddy & Ewan, the walk up to the first under a clear blue sky wasn’t to last and they spent the next six hours in a monochrome world, leading to one or two meanderings. Jim found a snow trap on route to Carn Liath and almost vanished from sight. On route to Stob Poite Coire Ardair, visibility was extremely poor and they did wander off track briefly before correcting it. Out of the clag briefly by The Window, they were soon in extremely low visibility on Creag Meaghaidh and the summit was not easy to come by. Once they had, there was a plan to descend via Puist Coire Ardair and followed a bearing for a time but, with the low margin for error, they ultimately agreed to drop back down and out through The Window.

*Leaving Carn Liath for Stob Poite Coire Ardair – Lorn Smith*

*On route to Stob Poite Coire Ardair in one of few breaks – Lorn Smith*

*Jim on the walk out, by Lochan a’ Choire – Lorn Smith*

Back at the hut, the fire was on, food was on the go and the fluid replenishment was underway. Norrie had brought some firewood from his Autumn garden clearout and later in the evening, Raymond managed to wedge the whole tree root into the fire, no mean feat, and as the inferno raged, George had a near-miss when he stumbled and almost landed on the fire and branding his rear end.

Norrie and Alyn provided the tunes to round off an excellent day and there were a few tired folk in the hut that night, not helped by the white-hot heat of the fire.

*Saturday night in The Cabin at Balgowan – Lorn Smith*

Sunday

Ian Dale was remaining North of the border for a bit longer, tackling Beinn Chaorachain in Glen Spean on his own on Sunday, before making a weather-based decision on the rest of the week.

Morning view from The Cabin towards the Laggan – Lorn SmithSunday was a beautiful blue-sky day so, Fraz and Raymond headed to Ben Vrackie and had an absolutely brilliant walk in fine conditions. It’s unconfirmed, but the Moulin Hotel may have taken a hit too!