Golden Oldie, Aonach Mor

Ken: I was back out with Steve today, and we made use of the gondola at Nevis Range, and made our way round to the West Face of Aonach Mor. There we climbed Golden Oldie, which even outwith winter, is an excellent and atmospheric rocky scramble.

The day started off clear, as we made our way to the base of the route, but the clouds descended as we set off up the initial grooves. Fortunately, the rain didn’t really become too heavy.

We made steady progress up the granite blocks and slabs, which culminate in a brilliant section of exposed ridge, which Steve felt was the highlight of the day. From here, a short down climb and an easier section saw us topping out right by the summit cairn of Aonach Mor. We made a quick descent through the clouds, keeping our fingers crossed in the hope that the gondola was still running, which it thankfully was!