Sunday 29 April 2012

ANOTHER ALPINE DAY

Fantastic clarity of light today
Justin who was camped up high last night
CMD and the arete
Beautiful clear skies all day
Looking back down the arete

Tower Ridge from the summit
Possibly the best day of this wonderful spell of weather. I set out early once again to capture the sparkling clarity of light for some photo shooting. As I headed onto the first snowfield on Carn Mor Dearg I enjoyed fantastic neve at 900m, wonderful cramponing all the way up to the wee bealach between Carn Dearg Mheanoch and Can Mor Dearg where I  bumped into Justin, a professional photographer (www.bananapancake.com ) who had pitched his tent the night before to capture a wonderful sunset and sunrise on the north face of Ben Nevis. He had waited 3 years for the perfect weather! After soaking in the sun and views at the summit I headed along the CMD arete. I umped into a guy who was telling me he's doing all the Munro's in one go, walking and cycling in between them all on a 4 month trip. It wasn't till I was chatting to him a bit longer that he told me his bagging trip started at his home in Snowdonia where he walked all the 3000ft  mountains there, then cycled up to The Lake District and walked all the 3000 ft fells there and then on his bike up to The Highlands! Obviously using the hills on the way up to warm up! Great meeting all these interesting folk today, combined with stunning Alpine scenery. It was a scorcher on the final slopes to the summit and views all the way to Skye in really clear views. Will the 'winter' continue into May?!

1 comment:

imstuc said...

Hi Gary
Those photo's really evoke the memory of that day. I'm the guy you met on the arete who was walking the 3000's. I finished on Ben Hope 25th July, 2 stone lighter than setting out!