November Ends In Snow

The last two days of November have seen the first low level snow of the winter. Thick snow turning the land white and plastering the trees. A great change in what has been a mild autumn so far. Usually there's at least a dusting of snow long before now.

The first snow fell overnight and into the morning and then faded into occasional light showers. Underfoot the crisp snow crunched. Bands of snow-heavy clouds swept across the sky. Bands of mist drifted over the forests. The trees were lightly and delicately decorated with thin snow.The air was sharp and cold, below freezing. 

The last day of the month the snow was heavier, wetter and stickier, lying thickly on the trees. My boots no longer crunched but sank silently into the soft whiteness. 

On both days there was little colour in the landscape. The world was grey and white. Looking closely at some of the trees the last leaves glowed gold and lichen on the branches seemed startlingly green. Move away and this colour soon dissolved into the greyness. 

Heading up a field as more snow began to fall I caught a glimpse of brightness up ahead. The sun appeared hazily through the storm, turning the clouds round it a soft orange. I hurried up the field as quickly as I could (which wasn't very fast on the snow-covered rough ground) for a better view of this unexpected light. Within a minute it had gone, a final brief touch of sunset to end November. 

I returned home in a blizzard. Out in the middle of a big field it was almost a white-out, distant woods just visible as dark strips. Winter is here.

Winter Hillwalking Video .... again!

 

Winter has really begun in the Scottish Highlands with snow down to glen level so I'd thought I'd post this video about the gear I use for winter hillwalking again. It's now four years old but if I made it now it'd be much the same. 

I deliberately avoided brand names so that it wouldn't date too quickly. In fact many of the items or very similar ones are still available. 

Not mentioning brand names was wise as one of the few I do mention, Viewranger, is no more, I now use Topo GPS. 

I also say this is the first in a series of videos. I just haven't got round to making the next ones yet! This winter I promise I will. Honestly!

November Sunset

November is unsettled and so am I. In the month’s case it’s the weather, rolling from mild to frosty, calm to windy, and rain and mist to, just occasionally and briefly, sunshine. In my case it’s the continuing recuperation from an operation that seems long ago but is actually only two weeks ago and in particular the injunction not to lift anything heavy. What is heavy? A day pack? Maybe not. A day pack with ice axe and crampons? Maybe. An overnight pack full of winter gear? Almost certainly.

My venture up my local little hill last week was with a very light daypack and only took two hours. Probably pushing the limits though so I’ve stuck to strolls in local woods and fields with just a camera since then. Some days I’ve taken no pictures, the flat grey light uninspiring for photography though the trees and wildlife were just as wonderful as ever. One day I did take a single photograph, showing fresh snow on the Cromdale Hills. Mostly the hills have been hidden in the clouds.

Yesterday though (November 26) started grey and frosty but expanded into brightness and colour in the late afternoon – which at this time of year means after 3pm. The solid, thick, and heavy greyness began to break revealing layers of clouds in different shapes and shades. The low sun streaked them orange. The upper clouds were dappled, the sky blue behind them. Suddenly the world was alight with beauty.

The setting sun lit up the trees, the old goat willow glowing in the last light. Then the trees turned to silhouettes and I watched the last orange clouds fading away behind the black outlines of leafless birches.I headed home relaxed and at peace.

In a few days I’ll venture a little further and a little higher and see how I get on.

Wild land in Scotland threatened by a blight of communications masts

The wild north side of Liathach. A mast is proposed for this area.

The latest threat to our mountains comes from communication masts, many of which are planned for remote areas in the Scottish hills where there are no communities or houses for them to service, just wild land to sully and spoil.

Why does this crazy scheme exist? Why is time and money being spent to build masts where they will benefit nobody?

The reason is that the UK government has a set a target to bring 4G mobile network coverage to 95% of the geographical UK. Not 95% of people, 95% of land, even if there are no people there.

As concerns for the effects of this on our wild land grow a coalition of Mountaineering Scotland, the John Muir Trust and the Knoydart Foundation has written to Ofcom Scotland and the UK Government’s Minister for Data and Digital Infrastructure. The coalition asks anyone concerned to write to the Minister too.  (Sir John Whittingdale – john.whittingdale.mp@parliament.uk). There is more information about the coalition and its campaign on the Mountaineering Scotland website and on the John Muir Trust website.

I think it’s also worthwhile writing to MPs for the areas concerned whether you are their constituent or not, but especially if one is your MP (MPs not MSPs as this is a UK scheme, not one devolved to Scotland). My MP is Drew Hendry, MP for inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey. He will be getting a letter!

The coalition members make it clear that they support digital connectivity for people and communities but for that the masts needs to be in the right places. David Black, Mountaineering Scotland’s Access and Conservation Officer, says “We want to ensure digital connectivity is achieved while protecting Scotland’s last wild landscapes”. Mike Daniels, Head of Policy at the John Muir Trust, says “We want 100% digital connectivity for people and communities in rural Scotland, rather than 95% coverage on a map. That is why we are asking the UK Government, Ofcom and the operators to prioritise proposals where the mast signal would provide coverage and associated connectivity benefits for rural residents’ homes and business premises, and gaps along the road network.”

Nick Kempe and George Allan have looked at many of the proposals and reveal just how intrusive they will be in a series of posts on Parkswatch Scotland.

In two posts they give details of specific schemes which really show how bad and ill-thought-out they are. The first is in the heart of Torridon, in the remote area between Liathach and Beinn Dearg. This is National Trust for Scotland land and also a National Scenic Area and a Wild Land Area. The magnificent walk round the back of Liathach goes right past the proposed site. A mast here is completely inappropriate and unacceptable. It would not serve any local people.

Luibeg Bridge

The second scheme is in the Cairngorms by the Luibeg Bridge in the area between the Lairig Ghru and Glen Derry. This is deep in the hills and again would not serve anybody. Thankfully it has been called in by the Cairngorms National Park Authority.

In these cases the authors suggest objecting to the plans and give details how to do so. However whilst it doesn’t take long to do so there are so many other mast applications it could take a while to cover them all. What’s needed is an organised campaign against the proposals in general. The coalition mentioned above is a start but other organisations like the National Trust for Scotland need to be involved and there needs to be far more publicity (hence this post). We need to shout about this on social media and in emails and letters to MPs and the Minister.

Glacier Peak Circumnavigation - 2001!

Continuing my search through old photos for my next book project I came across a packet of colour prints labelled Glacier Peak. These are from a 95-mile 8-day circumnavigation of Glacier Peak in the North Cascades in Washington State that I walked in October 2001. Half the trip was on the Pacific Crest Trail, which I'd hiked 19 years earlier. I'd thought this one of the finest sections on the northern half of the PCT and was glad to be back. 

Finding these prints had me digging out my journal of the trip, which is full of words like beautiful, magnificent, glorious, superb, and spectacular. I was clearly impressed! The weather was excellent throughout, the temperatures mild for the time of year. 

The route led from deep forests of huge trees up to high passes with splendid and dramatic views. The autumn colours were brilliant. The mountain landscape was awe-inspiring. 

Several of my camps were high in the mountains with stunning vistas all around. At every one I only needed to crawl under my tarp to sleep, in order to keep the dew off my sleeping bag. Mostly I sat outside, absorbing the wilderness.

This was one of the finest short backpacking trips I've ever done, as perfect as I could imagine, and reliving it again through these pictures and my journal is wonderful. I'd love to be back there again.

Current information on the trip here. 

Photographic note: The colour print film was Kodak Gold 200 ISO. The prints are machine-made postcard-size ones. I could probably get better results from the negatives. I photographed them handheld with my Sony a6600 camera and Sony E 35mm f1.8 lens.

Tom Mor, New Mast, Continuing Recuperation

As it’s two weeks since my operation and recuperation is going well (see here) I decided to try a little hill walk with a light pack. So far I’ve just done very short strolls in the fields and woods close to home. This time I ventured a bit further and went up Tom Mor, the hill on the other side of our little side glen. Up and down only takes two to three hours so I reckoned it shouldn’t put too much strain on my healing wound and I’m pleased to say it doesn’t appear to have done so.

This is also my first ascent of Tom Mor since the new communications mast appeared last month, replacing the one that disappeared in August. (See here and here and here). This new smaller mast is now providing us with decent and hopefully reliable broadband (20-30mbs) for the first time, which is wonderful! No going off to make a coffee whilst waiting for the old slow connections to crank into life to post some small file.

The day was chilly, cloudy, and dark. However it looked the best of the week. Yesterday was very wet and the forecast for tomorrow and the rest of the week is for much windier and stormier weather. As it was the wind on Tom Mor was brisk and cold. Lower down it was calm and I’d soon removed hat, gloves and fleece. On the summit they quickly went back on.

Looking across the dark forests and pale fields of Strathspey I could see fresh snow on the distant Cairngorms, a return to winter high up after the milder weather of the last few days which had stripped the hills of much of the snow.

This is my fourth post in four months about the masts on Tom Mor. I promise it’s the last one!

Wet & Windy In The Cairngorms: A Trip In October 2022 And A Look At Key Items Of Gear

View across the Lairig Ghru to Cairn Toul & Braeriach

Last year I had a three-night late October trip in the Cairngorms with Tony Hobbs and his dog lassie. Whilst it wasn’t as wet and windy as this October’s trip it was still fairly stormy. This is a piece about the trip and some key items of gear. It first appeared in The Great Outdoors magazine. I have done some minor editing.

Tony & Lassie heading into the Lairig Ghru

The first day we just wandered a short way up the Lairig Ghru path in Rothiemurchus Forest amongst spectacular autumn colours and then had a peaceful camp in the trees. A tougher day followed as we left the woods for the rough stony path through the Lairig on a cloudy day with light rain, low clouds and a breeze. After much recent rain streams were high and the ground was saturated. Places I’d camped before were too sodden to consider and we went further than I’d planned down the far side of the pass before finding some dryish pitches beside the river. The night was wet and windy and dawn came with layers of clouds draping the mountainsides.

Camp 2, by the river Dee in the Lairig Ghru

From camp we decided on a direct route to the Cairngorm Plateau up a spur beside the Allt a’Choire Mhoir. There’s no path but the terrain isn’t too rough and the route-finding is easy – head straight up! We were soon in the mist, which was damp and chilly, but emerged onto the Plateau in a brief burst of sunshine with glorious views over a cloud filled Lairig Ghru to Cairn Toul and Braeriach. However Ben Macdui just a kilometre or so to the south was shrouded in mist that was rolling towards us. Forgoing the summit we turned north. We’d not gone far before the mist was upon us and there was a cold breeze. Huddled in our insulated jackets (Rab Generator in my case) we stopped for a snack before continuing over the shoulder of Cairn Lochan.

Tony & Lassie heading into the mist on the climb to the Cairngorm Plateau

I’d thought of camping on Miadan Creag an Leth-choin below Cairn Lochan but it was windswept and damp and as there were several hours of daylight left we continued over rocky Creag an Leth-choin to the Chalamain Gap path, with a greasy boulder field to descend after the path ran out. I was glad to be through that in daylight. The flat area between the Chalamain Gap and the descent to the Lairig Ghru had been my next proposed camp site but the ground was saturated, we were still in the mist, and there was a strong wind so we kept going down an old path and across the Lairig Ghru to pitch above the Allt Druidh. The mist had followed us down and there were no views, making the camp seem isolated and mysterious even though we were close to a popular path.

Trailstars in the mist at camp 3

There remained just a final day back down through the forest. Tony stayed one more night at our first site. It had been an adventurous trip with some fine camps and views despite the misty and damp weather.

Preparation & Planning

The forecast was for wet and windy weather with low clouds. Tony wanted to climb Ben Macdui if possible but a high-level camp and an approach over the Cairngorm Plateau from Cairn Gorm seemed unwise. I decided on a side approach, through the Lairig Ghru on our first full day, when the stormiest weather was forecast, and then up steeply to the Plateau the next day. We would then return north over the Plateau and drop back to the Lairig Ghru with a third camp somewhere along the way.

Clouds on the flanks of Ben Macdui during the climb to the Cairngorm Plateau

Autumn in the Highlands can be an awkward time for gear selection. It might be very wintry. There might be no snow at all. As none of the latter was forecast I didn’t plan on taking ice axe or crampons, though they were in the car in case the weather changed at the last minute, but I did take clothing suitable for winter conditions as it could still be very wet and cold.

Looking back down into the Lairig Ghru before entering the mist

I knew the terrain was rough in places and likely very wet as there had been heavy rain recently. Not really trail shoe conditions as it was also likely to be chilly but not winter boot conditions either so I chose lightweight boots (Inov8 Roclite Pro G 400 GTX) that would keep my feet warm and maybe dry (they did the first but not the second).

As strong winds were forecast I chose the Trailstar as a shelter as I knew it was excellent in storms. It also had plenty of room for the already fairly long nights.

EQUIPMENT

Granite Gear Crown 3 60 pack         1.285kg            £230      ****1/2    Recommended

Likes                        comfort, adjustable hipbelt, pockets, lightweight
Dislikes                    a little awkward to get into when lid is used.
Capacity                   60 litres
Materials                  Robic High-tenacity nylon (100D and 210D)
Closure                     removable lid, roll-top 
Back System            moulded polyethylene framesheet, moulded foam back panel
Hipbelt                     dual density foam, adjustable  
Pockets                    zipped lid, stretch mesh front, two lower side, two zipped hipbelt
Features                   side and front compression straps, ice axe/trekking pole loops, bottom loops for cord/strap, lid converts to a lumbar pack or chest pack 
Sizes                        3                         
https://www.granitegear.com

This was my first trip with the latest version of the lightweight Crown 60 pack and it performed very well. Granite Gear gives a maximum load for comfort of 15kg. I carried 16kg and it was fine. The hipbelt can be adjusted for a precise fit and once I’d done this it was very comfortable and supported the weight well.

The pack hugs the back and is very stable, which was useful when negotiating boulder fields, especially on the descent from Creag an Leth-choin.

The main compartment is quite tall and narrow and can only be accessed from the top so retrieving items deep inside isn’t easy. However there are plenty of roomy pockets for items needed during the day. The front mesh pocket is huge. The two side pockets are big too and are made of solid fabric rather than mesh and so shouldn’t tear. They have drawcord closures to keep the contents secure. The pack lid is detachable and there’s a buckled roll top as well so it isn’t essential. As I like to have a top pocket for small items I kept it in place. It does make accessing the main compartment a bit less easy though as you have to undo both the lid and the roll top.

Mountain Laurel Designs Trailstar     482 grams   $230 (c.£170)   *****    Best Buy

 

Likes                    very roomy, stable, ultralight
Dislikes                nothing 
Design                 pyramid shaped tarp
Material                silnylon
Groundsheet         n/a
Dimensions           6+ sq. metres, high point 115-130cm, depending on pole height
www.mountainlaureldesigns.com

Now ten years old my Trailstar has been used on hundreds of nights and is still in good condition. It’s lightweight and the inner space is vast for one, which makes it great on trips like this where nights are long and wet and windy weather means time in camp is spent under cover. Pitched with trekking poles as a pyramid it can be raised or lowered depending on wind speed and is very reliable in storms. On this trip I had a high pitch the first night with the edges well above the ground for good ventilation as the site was sheltered and then a lower pitch the next two nights with the edges down to the ground to keep out wind and rain. Sitting inside warm and cosy listening to the rain spattering on the nylon while the stove brought water to the boil for a hot drink was a joy, as always.

Gruezi Biopod DownWool Subzero 185 sleeping bag    1.185g   £340   ****1/2  Recommended

Likes                          lightweight, comfort, down/wool insulation, curved zip
Dislikes                      quite expensive
Fill                              410 g 70% 650 fill power down and 30% wool
Shell                           polyamide with PFC-free DWR
Construction                box wall
Zip                              ¾
Sizes                          3
Rating                         comfort 2°C, comfort limit -4°C
https://www.gz-bag.de/en

This was my first use of this unusual sleeping bag from German company Gruezi that’s just become available in the UK. It’s filled with a mixture of down and wool, a new combination to me. Gruezi says the wool absorbs any moisture, allowing the down to loft fully, and is also temperature regulating. How well this works I can’t yet say but this was certainly a humid trip. I camped on sodden ground and it rained on two nights, and the last night was also in a damp mist. The sleeping bag kept its loft and I stayed warm.

Despite the Subzero name it’s a 3-season bag. I took it on this trip as I wasn’t expecting frosty nights. In fact the overnight temperatures only dropped to 7°C so it wasn’t a severe test. I was able to test the unusual zip though. This curves across the bag near the base so you can stick your feet out if they’re hot. One night mine were and I did. The bag is a mummy shape with enough room to move inside and I found it very comfortable.

Therm-A-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT      390g (Reg) £210     ****1/2    Best Buy

Pros                lightweight, very compact, very comfortable
Cons               expensive
Type                air bed
Materials         nylon with reflective inner coating
Dimensions     183 x 51cms
Thickness        7.6 cms
R-Value           4.5
Weight             355 grams
www.thermarest.com

This was my second outing with this new crackle free version of the XLite mat. It really is much quieter than the original due to the use of different materials. The new fabric is less slippery too and doesn’t shoot across the groundsheet when you sit up. Although no heavier the XLite NXT is meant to be warmer than the earlier model. I’ve not been able to test this as the nights on this and the previous trip weren’t cold enough. I’ve found the first version warm enough in lower temperatures on other trips. With an R-Value of 4.5 the XLite NXT should be warm in temperatures below zero.

The comfort is excellent, it’s lightweight, and it packs up small. It has Therm-A-Rest’s WingLock Valve so you can stop blowing it up if necessary without it deflating. This valve also makes it very quick and easy to deflate.

 

Trail Designs Classic Ti-Tri    156 grams       £66        *****    Best Buy

 

Likes:                    ultralight, windproof, simple         

 Dislikes:               minimal flame control
Cone material:        titanium  
Burner                   aluminium with inner batting and screw-top lids  
Fuels                     meths, alcohol
www.traildesigns.com

This has been my first-choice stove system for long walks for over a decade now. It’s simple and lightweight. A titanium cone forms the windscreen and pot support. A small burner sits inside. There are two options for the latter, the 12-10, a tiny aluminium stove with an open well, and the even smaller Kojin, a screw-top tin full of batting that absorbs the fuel. With liquid methylated spirits the latter is my favourite burner. On this trip I brought both as I was using gel fuel for the first time. I quickly found that this works far better with the 12-10 burner. With the Kojin it just sits on top of the batting and not much can be used or it oozes over the sides.

The Ti-Tri is slow at boiling water compared with a gas canister stove. On this trip that was no problem as I had many hours in camp.

The pot that fits this Ti-Tri is my Evernew 0.9 litre titanium one, which I’ve had well over twenty years, and which is still in good condition.

FireDragon Gel Fuel       200ml      £5.99                  *****      Best buy

https://firedragonfuel.com

A bottle of this bio-ethanol gel has been sitting on a shelf for the last couple of years. Having finally decided to try it I wish I’d done so sooner as it’s excellent. I found it much easier to light than methylated spirits using a fire steel. It also doesn’t spill. It’s made from natural ingredients including UK grown grain stocks. FireDragon says it burns hotter than meths and so boils water more quickly. I haven’t yet done a direct comparison but I certainly found it efficient. It burns clean too and doesn’t leave residue on pots. It’ll be my first choice for my Ti-Tri and Trangia stoves from now on.

 

CLOTHING

SAXX Roast Master Mid-Weight base layer top   245g      £65        *****     Best Buy

Likes           fast wicking, soft fabric, environmentally friendly materials
Dislikes       none
Fabric:         87% recycled polyester (89%), 9% Lyocell, 4% Elastane.
Sizes:         S-XXL
https://intl.saxx.com

Men’s underwear maker Saxx has branched out into base layers and I took the Roast Master midweight top and bottoms on this trip. I didn’t wear the latter (same fabric and price) as it wasn’t cold enough. The top I wore every day and found it fast wicking and comfortable. The soft fabric has a textured knit and feels pleasant feel against the skin. It’s mostly made of recycled polyester with a little elastane to give stretch and 9% Lyocell, a semi-synthetic sustainable material made from wood. Lyocell is very soft, very absorbent, breathable, and anti-bacterial. The latter works well in this garment as after four days often tough and strenuous walking it didn’t smell. It also still felt soft and still removed moisture fast. The top didn’t absorb much moisture either and dried fast when damp. Warmth is about what I expect from a midweight base layer. Great in cool weather, probably too warm in summer. The length is good as well, so it doesn’t easily pull out of your trousers. It’s one of the best synthetic base layers I’ve used in many years.

 

Helly Hansen Odin 1 World Infinity Shell Jacket   455g (L)      £460    ****1/2   Recommended

Likes                           lightweight, pockets, environmentally friendly fabrics
Dislikes                       expensive
Materials                     PFC-free recycled polyamide/ polypropylene membrane
Hood                           front drawcord, rear volume adjuster, stiff peak, helmet compatible
Front Closure               water-resistant zip, inner flap
Pockets                      two zipped handwarmer, 1 zipped chest
Hem                           drawcord
Cuffs                           Velcro
Features                      side ventilation zips, Recco transponder, emergency whistle in chest pocket
Sizes                          men S-XXL, women XS-XXL
www.hellyhansen.com   

 

As it’s designed for serious mountaineering this was a good jacket to bring with stormy weather forecast. I wanted a shell I felt would cope if the weather turned really nasty up on the Cairngorm Plateau. This didn’t happen but conditions were wet and windy enough that I was glad I had a tough waterproof with me. The jacket has an excellent protective hood and big pockets. It worked well in rain, mist, and wind. Comfort was good as the fabric isn’t as stiff or noisy as some heavy-duty ones.

Breathability was good, with the inside only getting a little damp with condensation. The zipped side vents helped here as did the wide cuffs, which allow ventilation to the sleeves.

Worn over just a light mid layer (Alpkit Woodsmoke shirt) and a base layer the fit was quite loose, which was fine for freedom of movement and also meant I could have worn it over much thicker garments if it had been colder.