A Whopper of a Day on Beinn a'Chaorain (Glen Spean)

In my first blog I stated my intention to use digital media and a healthy dose of merino wool in my mountain odyssey blog posts. Or rather, what I actually said was that I'd use wit and a healthy dose of embellishment. So here goes. Ya wee woolly wonder! I salute your courage, strength and indefatigability oh Saddam The Super Kiwi Sheep, your wonder wool is truly amazing!

Today I wore a Helly Hansen Lifa Merino wool base layer and have to say that I could've run around all day in arctic conditions dressed only in a merino onesie, such is the warmth provided by wool from the tough Merino sheep of New Zealand's Southern Alps.

Now to digital media: what a fab modern innovation GPS is. Today's mountaineering trip, in whiteout conditions, was assisted in no small part by the GPS app on my iPhone.

A whiteout occurs in snow covered terrain where the sky and the ground appear to merge and there is significantly reduced visibility, whether due to low cloud or heavy snow. It is impossible to differentiate between the sky and the ground because of the lack of horizon, or to make out landscape features due to everything visible being white. Visibility can be reduced to such an extent that a person may be unable to see anything more than a few feet away.

It was into such conditions we ventured, as we made our way from Roughburn in Glen Spean up past the crags of Meall Clachaig, in a bitterly cold wind, to the snow-covered upper slopes of Beinn a' Chaorain.

However, unlike on my previous trip on Ben Vane, the snow conditions underfoot were excellent, with good firm neve (pronounced nevy) that took a crampon really well. Neve definition: partially compacted granular snow. Conditions like these are a joy. As you gain purchase in the firm snow you quickly develop a rhythm of flattening your foot along the gradient to ensure that all points of your crampons are biting and then zig zag your way upwards using your ice axe as a walking stick, held in the uphill hand. As we gained the south top, inexplicably the wind died, which in a strange way was quite disconcerting and we now found ourselves above the cloud base and in the midst of a whiteout.

Both Gavin Ferguson (my buddy for the day) and myself have a decent amount of navigational know-how and can use map and compass to get around the mountains. But today GPS gave us the reassurance of knowing we were on the right track as we plotted a course around the edge of Coire na h-Uamha, a notorious spot known for the amount of climbers who've had the misfortune to fall through its corniced rim (the most recent case was on December 29th). Being able to refer to GPS for reassurance was a comfort, as again and again we had to stop to re-check and confirm our position.

By the time we had safely negotiated the navigational dog-leg required to avoid the cornice on the way to the summit, lunch was forgotten as getting out of danger was the number one priority. Time well spent. When we almost tripped over the usually six foot tall summit cairn (which was barely visible above the surface of the snow) we were more than ready to replenish our energy supplies.

So now, with most of the hard work over, lunch was well and truly earned and was gratefully devoured. As we sat down behind a boulder to shelter from the spindrift, the cold nipped our fingers as we tucked into our sarnies. It was just a relief to relax again, safe in the knowledge that the hard work was over and that we could now enjoy the descent. Personal record for daily mountain Mars Bar consumption this winter - 3.

Next, buoyed by the sugar rush of one of his many biscuits, Gavin proceeded to write his name on the mountain. Well, the first three letters anyway, before dehydration prevented further snow vandalism. I then took my turn and attempted to follow suit, only to fall victim to the vicious crosswind. Let's just say my attempt was more Damian Hirst than Times New Roman, if you catch my drift! Draw your own conclusions. Never eat the yellow snow!

Now, re-energised after a hearty lunch it was time to lose height and drop below the cloud base into the valley below for a truly tortuous walk-out back through the bog to Glen Spean. What a marvellous day! The neighbouring mountain, BeinnTeallach, was left alone in the mist, to be conquered another day- watch this space...