Hills still there at 7am. Hoped to do at least two so an early start.
Sunshine at last. Nice view of Pinnacle Ridge (definitely not for me!) and Sgurr nan Gillean with Sgurr a'Bhasteir obscuring the other two munros. Heading for Fionn Choire on the right.
The sun has got his hat on. Bruach na Frithe now visible on the right.
Self portrait.
Getting closer - it was about an hour from the roadside to the corrie. Route goes pretty much straight up to Bealach nan Lice which is just to the left of Sgurr a' Fionn Choire
Heading over the scree towards the beleach, looking to Bruach na Frithe.
Along the ridge. Bruach na Frithe on the right, then the ridge runs off into the distance to Sgurr a'Mhadaidh, Sgurr a'Ghreadaidh, Sgurr na Banachdich, etc..
Looking the other way, at the Bhasteir Tooth., with the Sligachan Inn just visible way down there.
Nearing the top of Bruach na Frithe, looking at the Bhastier Tooth, Am Bastier itself and Sgurr a'Fionn Choire
Top of the world again - Bruach na Frithe scaled.
Clearer view of the southern end of the ridge.
From under Am Bastier, on the scree slopes to the north.
Hazy view of Sgurr nan Gillean, and the scree slopes I have still to head up (and back down). Starting to feel slightly intimidated and isolated!
Not much route up here. Sgurr nan Gillean from Bealach a'Bhasteir.
Oh shit - Am Bastier, and the Bhasteir Tooth. No sign of the ledges on the left to avoid "the bad step".
Not sure this quite captures the moment, it was a lot narrower and steeper than it appears here. At this point the trepidation outweighed the enjoyment, and I decided to call it a day, partly as I could see no ledges and had no rope to abseil down the "bad step", partly as I was getting tired, but mostly 'cause I was scared!
Having found a marginally safer spot I had a look around, but Sgurr nan Gillean did nothing to reduce my concern over proceeding, and I sure wasn't going up Nicolson's Chimney ("a steep scramble"!)
Ah, the nice safe route back down to the beleach then left down the scree and round Am Basteir again.
A last glance at the hill that intimidated me.
Still, there were good views of the rest of the ridge
After circumnavigating Am Basteir again, a final view of Bruach na Frithe, and yet another sleeping howf.
From Bealach nan Live into Lota Corrie. The River Sligachan rises down there.
Am Bastier and it's tooth
And the safe way home, Fionn Choire
Back on the grass. Started to meet people on the way down, but none of them seemed to be heading up Am Basteir either. So intimidated by Am Basteir I only managed one hill today, but it was a great trek. Maybe next time I will have ropes, or someone to at least give me encouragement (and go first!)