BEINN THARSUINN (2149') AND BEINN CHAORACH (2339')

Monday 31st December 1979

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Log book entry from 70th R & I Expedition Log - Everest Challenge

Monday 31s December                   Beinn Tharsuinn (2149’) and Beinn Chaorach (2339')

Leader:  Glip

Scout: Graeme Wright

Weather: Sunny and no wind. Good snow cover

Report

Graham Wright required only a few feet to reach Everest and so Glip drove Graeme to Glen Fruin and parked near Auchengaich.

The weather was superb. There were no clouds, lots of blue sky and white snow, and very little wind. We met cross-country skier as we set off and discovered that he was also climbing Ben Tharsuinn. We walked up the dam road clutching ice axes and sledge and climbed almost directly to Beinn Tharsuinn, taking approximately an hour. From there, we trekked over to Ben Chaorach  where we met the skier again.

We now had an hour to spent and spent it sledging and playing with ice axes. There was an entertaining snow overhang on the saddle between Ben Chaorach and Beinn Tharsuinn.

The rest of the descent was extremely entertaining and we slid most of the way.

Therefore, Graeme gained Everest with 12 hours to spare! He was the 10th Scout and the 16th person to reach Everest that year and definitely the last.