Atmospheric on Arkle
We were up early for breakfast at 7 am and departed soon after for the foot of the mountains. Our climb began from the old stone stables at Lone. The Reds picked a route up a beautiful stream course where the water flows over slabs of quartzite bedrock while the Blues took to the escarpment edge which gives glimpses of the west coast views to come from summits. The Reds and Blues routes converged at the first of Arkle’s two summits.
From the first summit our route dropped down into a col. The wind is often at its fastest gusting through the col and today it was whipping cloud from one side of the mountain to the other. Climbing out of the col the ridge narrows and levels out to provide some simple scrambling over rocky blocks to reach the second and highest summit.
The Blue team, who had set off first, reached the second summit just after 1 pm. The Reds got there shortly afterwards. Visibility came and went but both teams had a good view from the second summit, under heavy grey and imposing skies. Really atmospheric.
The teams retraced their steps to the first summit before picking a different descent route to the stalkers’ track and back out to Lone by 5 pm.
A challenging but really rewarding day. With a mixed forecast we plan to rock climb and abseil tomorrow and for the pupils to head to survival island tomorrow night, which is set to give better conditions than our original plan for Wednesday night.
Mary and the boys are on great form and doing well.
