Upper Couloir of Stob Ghabhar ...

It had been a really feckin long time coming …

Joe and I having been talking about an ascent of the Upper Couloir on Stob Ghabhar for probably the best part of 8 years. For those who don’t know, it is a very tasty Grade 2 winter climb very high up on the mountain (in fact it finishes just below the summit). Each winter since the idea was first discussed, we always had a reason …either it was not in condition or work / family life etc …always got in the way and provided an excuse.

On Ben More the week before, I was very obvious that conditions were near perfect. Watching a steady high pressure sit over Scotland midweek, it became clear that this was our opportunity!

I picked Joe up late on the Thursday evening and we made our way north. By far the most dangerous bit of almost any hill day is the drive up and back again. We crawled up the Lomond side very aware of the ice at the edge of the road indicating low temperature. Turning left at Bridge of Orchy the road was white with snow – thankfully nice crusty stuff which provided something for the tyres to grip on. We laughed as the thermometer on the car dropped and dropped.
By the time we were parking the car, it was dipping between -10 and -11 …a perfect test for my new Rab Summit 1100 sleeping bag. A perfect clear sky was observed as we got the tent up and the stove on. Mint tea and Jaffa cakes were enjoyed as we made plans for the next morning. I snuggled down into the new bag (rated to -30) with only an icebreaker base layer whilst Joe wore most of the next days hill gear and two sleeping bags.

With the short daylight hours, we left the car just after 7am and headed up past Clashgour and onto the track which leads up Stob Ghabhar. With drifting snow sitting on the track, going was slow. With the heavy packs …very slow indeed. It took an age to get into the Coire but it was comforting that as we gained height, the snow got harder and harder. Just before starting to traverse in towards the approach slopes, we stopped to get the crampons and harness on.

The wind was blowing fairly hard at our backs as we picked a route up towards the start of the climb. We chose a line to avoid the lower crags and noted the old avalanche debris from an earlier cornice collapse. Thankfully the majority of the slope was solid with only pockets of unconsolidated powder …that was until we were directly under the upper crags where the snow got into that gut instinct “dodgy” category. We had been short roping but it was time for a belay and a traverse onto solid ground. Joe led off leaving me standing on top of a buried axe – not the best but sufficient. I could see he was heading for a patch of blue and a nice ice screw placement. Think we both happy to get an intermediate runner! With rope running short, I started across the slope and soon joined Joe at the bottom of the first pitch. The snow was nice and frozen perfect axe placements all the way up to below the ice pitch which forms the crux of the climb. Joe led off and got a nice ice screw in just below the ice bulge. The weather had now taken a bit of a turn for the worse with spindrift getting blow down the gully (and down the neck as well !!!). Joe shouted down to watch him on a move, I looked up and got a face full of snow – it could not have been nice for him trying to move upwards through the stuff. The next shout was that he was safe and to start climbing. Up at the bulge, I could see the trouble move – not the best axe placements and a high step left. I made the move … my left hand axe pulled and I stepped back down …quickly. A better axe placement was found and I pulled up and over (with the help of a rather loud grunt). We could see that the top pitch was fairly easy and rather than faff around sorting the belay, I led through. I had a fair idea that rope was running out when I found a tasty big rock to bring Joe up on. With no cornice to worry about we topped out …VERY happy. Big smiles and a short ramble to the summit – it had been well worth the wait!