Just About Leading

It’s a funny thing, the mind. Two years ago today, I had my accident on Pillar in the Lake District. By partial coincidence, I was going to go out today and do the Grey Corries and Stob Ban up in Lochaber, a long 4-Munro ridge walk. The snow and weather conditions means it will look brilliant today – a classic hill day in the making. And I’ll admit that part of me was thinking “I’m not going to let 5th March be a jinx date for me”.

However ……

Having set the alarm for stupid o’clock (it’s a three hour drive to Spean Bridge and it’s a 10 hour route that I was planning to do, so I wanted to be walking by 8.30am), I woke up well before it went off. Normally I feel excited and energised by such an early start, anticipating a fun day on the hills (I know, weird). This time, I felt more ambivalent. “Hmm, what’s going on?”, I wondered.

Time for a (metaphorical) rain check. I have long wanted to do this route. It’s one of the few remaining Munro routes in the Glen Spean/Lochaber/Glencoe/Glen Etive area (my favourite) that I haven’t yet done. I’ve been saving it up for a day with good conditions, and today’s conditions are going to be great. So what’s going on?

A few facts:

• It is very much still winter up there in the Munros. The snow is consolidated and SAIS says the avalanche risk is low. The snow is frozen, so crampons and an axe are vital. So far, so normal.
• The Grey Corries and Stob Ban route includes some very steep and bouldery descents and ascents. The SAIS blogs for today include the following line: “Ice axe and crampons required as surface layers will be frozen and icy, a slip could lead to serious consequences on medium to steep ground”. Hmm, that rings a bell.
• Have I mentioned that the route is steep and bouldery? SAIS again: “Verglas or ice can be expected on approach paths and on rocks”. I’ve walked over verglassed rocks before. Even in crampons, they can be tricky.
• The photos in the WalkHighlands route descriptions and trip reports (links above) show how steep it is. Now add snow and ice.

And then there was this news yesterday: “A body has been found during the search for a missing hillwalker in Glencoe. David Low, from Bridge of Allan in Stirling, was last seen at the Three Sisters car park at 9am on Wednesday morning. Police have confirmed mountain rescue teams searching for the 47-year-old recovered a body on Friday morning. Officers say formal identification has yet to take place but Mr Low’s family has been informed”.

Two years ago, it could have been my wife getting this news.

So, while I was sleeping, I think my mind made a decision: “not today”. I have done a lot of training in the past 9 months, upskilling and refreshing my knowledge about climbing in steep and tricky terrain and about safety in the mountains, especially in winter. I know I can handle the conditions that the mountains would present me with today. But there’s also this: “the mountain doesn’t know you’re an expert”.

I won’t deny that I’m a little bit disappointed about not doing a classic route (and bagging 4 more Munros!) today. But overall I’m at peace about my decision to postpone. It’s the kind of route that deserves to be done on a great summer’s day (as I did with its local and similar neighbour, The Ring of Steall, in 2019. One of my best hill days ever). Maybe I’ll do it later this year. Today will be more about chilling out than racing up to and around some hills. It’s a day to be thankful that I’m still around and able to do things like this. Or not to do it, if that’s what I want.

Rest in peace, David. May your family be comforted as they mourn.