Cold is the Enemy - Trip Write up

[KyleL]

Looking cool mate!

That snow would make it next to impossible to find, but good search route - perhaps it didn't fall all the way down.

Your last photo, if you jump the wall, walk 100steps, turn left and go uphill for about 45mins you get to where I was camped.

I was thinking of heading up on Tuesday but I might not bother if that snow sticks around - and it looks like it will as the tempretures isn't to be above zero.

Was the snow deep on the hill itself?

[LandyLiam]

Very patchy and lots of hidden deep bits which made coming down dangerous as you would have more weight on your foot when you sink in the snow covered holes. If you were just going up you could pick a good line ok, but trying to contour the hill and stay on a line was difficult.

[KyleL]

Hmm. Will maybe wait for the snow to clear then, or see if I can get a bit of company in case I lose an ankle or two.

[RedLeader]

Great stuff, as long as you've not put yourself off then it's all good. We've had a couple of really rough nights out and I've also had an aborted Bearnagh attempt!

I'd definitely say that Bearnagh would be a tough one for a first solo, it's a steep ascent and extra hard when visibility isn't good. Still, I know what it's like - once you have permission to launch it's hard to cancel.

[admin]

We've archived this writeup into the NI-Wild Blog. You can see it here:
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[KyleL]

And alas the saga of 'Cold is the Enemy' continues as I venture in the snow tomorrow to retrieve my lost sleeping bag.

Ski goggles packed!

If anyone's mad enough to be around the hills tomorrow give me a shout!

[Wolf_Larson]

Fair play on that trip, well done also !

[LandyLiam]

I had another attempt at finding the sleeping bag this morning but no joy    i zig zagged from the stile to the summit, i've no idea where you actually camped as nowhere but the summit seemed possible    If its still there i reckon it will be within 20m of the campsite where its quite rocky, if it managed to roll further than that i reckon it would have made it all the way to the bottom (which i didn't search today). Interesting thing happened though, I met the same guy today that I met on my last search 6 weeks ago  and only 50 meters from the same spot i met him! maybe he lives there 



no snow left at the stile



still some snow patchs near the bottom



plenty of rocks at the top to catch a falling bag



i did manage to accidentally find a geocache 



great view from the top

[KyleL]

Nice one Liam.

I tell ya, it wasn't a comfortable night! I was parked on a slope, with half of the tent actually on rock. I'll hopefully be up soon to find the original spot.

[KyleL]

Went up yesterday, and finally conquered Bernagh. Wasn't easy!

Unfortunately a search was impossible as it was gusting pretty badly, never felt wind like it - I was sure I'd burst an eardrum if I stayed too long. Gorgeous views though, certainly my favourite Mournes spot so far.

[Glenn B]

Well done Kyle she was starting to be a bit of a jinx but you whipped her in the end. Happy days.

[KyleL]

It was much harder than I thought it would be, especially since I intended to camp somewhere so I had my tent, sleeping bag, fire log and wood etc in my pack.

[Glenn B]

Did you get somewhere for a wee overnighter or did it just not happen??

[KyleL]

I found a few spots between the summit at hares gap, but the wind picked up - would have been a nightmare.

[Glenn B]

Ah well maybe next time.