Friday 11th - Sunday 13th March 2011
Driving up to Spittal of Glen Shee on the Friday night, we set up our tents behind the Inn and quaffed a few beers before turning in. It snowed consistently overnight and was set to continue steadily for the whole weekend. A plan to climb Glas Tulaichean dissolved as a post-breakfast digestion snooze turned into a 2pm panic. No time to climb munros, we packed up and jumped back into the car to head off to the bothy at Lochcallater, over the other side of Glen Shee.
Driving up to Spittal of Glen Shee on the Friday night, we set up our tents behind the Inn and quaffed a few beers before turning in. It snowed consistently overnight and was set to continue steadily for the whole weekend. A plan to climb Glas Tulaichean dissolved as a post-breakfast digestion snooze turned into a 2pm panic. No time to climb munros, we packed up and jumped back into the car to head off to the bothy at Lochcallater, over the other side of Glen Shee.
Inside Callater Stable - Plush as.
It took an hour and a half up the track, sometimes wading through deep snow drifts, to get to the Lochcallater stable bothy. It has no fireplace or woodburning stove, so we were carrying a spare tin of gas to try to heat the place up a bit. It's insulated well enough, but burning the stove did little but provide placebo-effect warmth. Jack Daniels and Mr Kronenbourg helped stave off the cold. Outside the snow continued.
Sunday morning we got up and headed over the bridge to find the track up Carn an Tuirc. This was easily found but swiftly lost under the snowdrifts and a more direct ascent was decided. The weather was settled at the level of the loch, but as we gained height, the wind whipped up and visibility became more restricted.
Lochcallater Bothy from over the river
With the low visibility, navigation was difficult and as we climed up the summit cone of Carn an Tuirc, we encountered slabs of ice with soft fresh snow sitting on the top. The combination meant that there was a risk of avalanche and the possibility of being swept down into the featureless whiteout - meaning it would be near impossible to find anyone who fell and any injury sustained in the fall would quickly become fatal in the sub-zero conditions.
A bit parky.
Ice slabs
Crampon Time
Disappointed, we turned back to the bothy. The going was tough as the consistent snow had created deep snowdrifts in the shallow gullies. After a cup of tea at the bothy, we packed up and headed back down the track to the car - another hour and a half without a break to get back in daylight (just).
Heading back up to Glen Shee, the snow became quickly much heavier as we gained height in the car until wheelspin stopped us dead. 2 people pushing got us moving again, but the effort involved was too much and we didn't know how far it was to the top of the pass. The only choice was to turn round and head back to Edinburgh via Aberdeen, adding a good bit onto our journey back. Suddenly a 10pm return turned into a 3am return.
