Ben Lui Old Gits 2007

02/01/2007 A group of MUHC old gits conquer Ben Lui. There have been as far as we are aware 2 previous attempts on this mountain by MUHC, both failed. The first attempt unfortunatly involved a Mountain Rescue call out and an airlift of two injured persons off the mountain. The second attempt was made via Conconish, that day was exceedingly wet and the attempt was abandoned before the party drowmed.

This attempt was made from the other side of the mountain from the car park on the A85. This avoids the long walk via Conconish. However it involves a river crossing which is difficult/impossible in Winter. As an alternative, there is a footbridge for access to the railway about 1 mile down the road and this was used. Following the long walk back up the railway line a path is taken up through the forest beside a stream. This was exceedingly muddy. Unfortunatly about two thirds along this path wse took what we later learnt to be an incorrect path has been beated by previous hikers. This was even muddier to the point of needing to swim. To avoid drowing we walked directly through the dense forest. (The correct way is to follow the path keeping the stream on the right and only cross the stream when virtually at the edge of the forest). Eventually however we reached the open hillside.

Once on the open hillside we ascended up the side of the mountain eventually reaching the snow line. We aimed to intersect the South ridge about 200m short of the summit. At this point the snow had become ice and crampons were fitted. The final assent up the the summit along the South Ridge was somewhat rocky. The summit was reached however it lay in thick cloud and no views were seen. We descened westwards down a relativly easy slope to the saddle between Ben Lui and Beinn a' Chleibh were we found shelter from lunch. By this point the weather had improved so we were in sunshine. From the saddle the assent to Beinn a' Chleibh is easy. There are two summits the nearer being slightly higher. Good views from the summitt.

Descent back to the saddle and then following the path roughly northwards from the saddle aiming for where the stream (mentioned earlier) enters the forrest. Near there we found the stile we should have used on the ascent. Then simply retracing our steps back the the car. Towards the end the light was fading and we had to use head torches. A very long but rewarding day. Much more rewarding for the fact that we beat a mountain that had beaten us twice before.