Summit Camp/Bivvi - Back by popular demand - 15/16 Jan 11

[666_pack]

only light rain

[RedLeader]

Shame, there's nothing like green rain to give the gear a testing

[LennyJ1]

Shame, there's nothing like green rain to give the gear a testing

You bad boy, no no no. not green we want Yellow

[RedLeader]

Don't think I've done yellow but me and Dowser did a classic in green rain halloween 09. At 11pm we were sitting in baselayers round the fire having a scotch, by 1am it was chucking it down and by 9am the Glen River was running through the forest. We had to wade up to our ankes in parts - ahh, good times!

This was the path back down through the forest:

Just goes to show, the Mournes can be wild in the rain.

Anyone who fancies a bit of nostalgia the writeup is here:
http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=646.0

Shame, there's nothing like green rain to give the gear a testing

You bad boy, no no no. not green we want Yellow

[ChuckMcB]

Do you think there is any hope of trying to create a windbreak with an extra 3 metre x 3 metre tarp - we'd need two really strong poles (prob not walking poles) to hold it up ?

Lash it to the wall, no poles needed...erm...ahh..naw, never mind...(judging by the state of the wall) someone's already tried that  



Strange that the forecast has it soo nasty, got clear skies and no wind here in Annahilt at the moment....

[MikeD]

Chuck, if we lash one end to the wall, how would we secure the other end?  We'd want to keep the height of the tarp.......

[twentyclicks]

I hate lying flat, so will probably find one of those wee hollows to curl in, or else prop against the wall.
Ear plugs to calm the gale and it will be pleasant enough.

Chuck - very good 

[Scribble]

Good luck for tonight weather looking nice and blustery , looking forward till write up and pics

Enjoy lucky sods

Andy

[ChuckMcB]

Chuck, if we lash one end to the wall, how would we secure the other end?  We'd want to keep the height of the tarp.......

Lash it top and bottom flat against the wall....creates a massive wind break....possibly secured on the upwind side of the wall. Put one on either side of the summit building and one of these at the entrance:



...but realisticly I think the wind's just going to be too much for any structure to survive..

[Tim]

...but realisticly I think the wind's just going to be too much for any structure to survive..

I was thinking the same. The wind is ridiculously strong blowing round my house at the minute, so I can't imagine what it's going to be like on the summit. I wouldn't risk a tarp in these conditions

[LandyLiam]

latest forecast 

Forecast for The Mournes for Saturday

Cloudy with outbreaks of rain, although a drier interlude likely early afternoon. Gale or severe gale force southwesterly summit winds.

[LennyJ1]

this is going to be one wild night

[Dowser]

latest forecast 

Forecast for The Mournes for Saturday

Cloudy with outbreaks of rain, although a drier interlude likely early afternoon. Gale or severe gale force southwesterly summit winds.

Excellent... I've been looking forward to a trip like this for ages!!! As long as I can get my Haggis and Tatties cooked I'll be happy  

[LandyLiam]

i'm bringing sandwiches for dinner    looking forward to the hike up in these conditions, glad i'm not camping though 

[Tim]

Just home from this now. Unfortunately had to scrap the camping idea as my tentpole broke on the tent my friend was borrowing. Plus all his gear got soaked on the way up and he was intent on heading back down and getting a lift but I couldn't let him go on his own. Still got a fantastic walk out of it, headed straight from Meelmore lodge onto the face of Meelmore, just to the side of Spellack and got a nice way boulder up a stream. Got to the top and realised we were barely halfway up, although it was a pretty gentle slope from there. Conditions were crazy, with the headtorch on I could see the ground, but if I looked up the beam bounced back of the mist/cloud/rain. Made it to the top and was surprised by how many people came. Started pitching the tent for Daniel when the pole snapped and he started to get a bit miffed by the weather, so we ended up heading down the valley between Meelmore and Meelbeg, which was a very nice walk apart from the odd boggy patch. Wind really picked up on the way down, so best of luck to everyone that's still up there.