The Cake Carousel Climbing Club

Fiacal Ridge

What a fantastic Day! Crystal clear blue skies and miles of visibility, we were all set for a great days climbing.

Fiacal Ridge forms the right hand edge of Coire an t’Snechda looking at the crag. It starts as a gentle spur but soon forms into a craggy steep-sided ridge. There are two main steps on the ridge which are pitched with he rest of the route being an easy walk/ scramble

We left the Coire cas car park at 07:30am (not such an early start!) and made our way into the Coire. We could not believe how busy the ridge was becoming, team after team after team made their way onto the ridge. Due to the ques Paddy and myself decided to make some ground and bypassed the first step climbing an easier line on the right. This allowed us to save considerable time and bypass a number of people.

As we had bypassed the first rock step tis left only one more pitch to be climbed. i had climbed Fiacal ridge twice before and never led this section so took the lead. Although only a grade II route a lack of winter experience did not help! After watching the party in front climbing which was led by a guide (who slipped o the first move) my confidence was in my mouth.

I was up nd after some usual faffing I made easy ground up the pitch and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Whilst belaying Paddy up the pitch I heard an unusual sound similar to a PHwoomp. This was followed by a shout of “*UCK me are you ok?”. Whilst paddy was seconding the pitch a guide had come next to Paddy with nothing but a walking axe! With no gear in the snow below the guide gave way and he fell 30ft to the belay ledge miraculously missing every rock on the way! The guide the fell a further 10ft in the soft powder before coming to a halt! unfortunately for the guide his axe was now located 40ft above him. Paddy came to the rescue and delivered the axe to its owner with thanks.

The views from the ridge were amazing, uninterrupted  views of snowcapped mountains for miles around. We made the top of the ridge by 13:30 and with time on our hands we walked to the Cairngorm peak and the weather station.

Another great days climbing in perfect weather.