I’m still tripping on endorphins after today’s fun. Report to follow.
Ben More has a reputation for being a bit steep. How steep?
Here is the view from about 950m, another 224m to the top. You can see what you have come up 850m by now from the small loch.
I need new legs now. Anyone who has done both SS-001 and SS-002 together has my respect… I can’t do them both the same day.
Ha ha… a well justified reputation.
What about if they had to do it wearing crampons for most of the day… it was 30 years ago mind you… several parts of me worked a lot better than they do now.
I was physically blown off very near the top about 30 years ago. Never made the top, never been back!
Being blown over is an odd thing. I’m pretty good in high winds and can put up with a lot… but when it decides to “have you” I find I go from “in control” to “passenger” without any warning at all… which is why I’m cautious in places which have consequences.
Fortunately it’s only happened a few times… I usually spot the signs early enough that it’s getting out of hand.
Good to get you in the log Andy.
cheers
John
M0VAZ
a bit steep you say… i knew there was a reason why I called this picture “the Stairway to Heaven” from my 2022 jaunt. TU for the Complete!!
Congrats on the Milestone!
Hi Andy,
Congratulations on activation #800 and unique #511 
2 months out of SOTA chasing, I was happy to QSO you 2X 15m & 17m (my unique #11152) 
73, Eric
F5JKK
Right, I’m down from my endorphin trip now !
I’ve put off doing Ben More since August 2007 when I did Stob Binnein, a significantly easier walk from the South. But I saw how much drop, re-ascent there was. I’ve seen it from so many places and I’ve read that there’s no real path and it’s steep. But it stuck out like a sore thumb and I promised myself to do it this year. Earlier on, July I think, I had it planned but I woke early with an incredible pain in right hand, I could not grip a toothbrush never mind hold a walking pole. Or Morse key. So it was cancelled. Afer the blowout on what should have been activation #800 on Monday when range activities meant I could not get to Beinn a.Mhanaich GM/SS-066 I was determined I should do something whilst the WX was unbelievable here. Ben More to the fore!
It was going to be hot so I made sure I was at the start early when it was cool. In fact it was Baltic at 3C at 830 
The North face would be in shadow till at least lunchtime which gave me a shot to get up before it got hot. it was a good 20C+ in the valleys by afternoon and a pleasant 14C at the summit. My plan worked, I was in shadow till the last 50m ascent.
OK, it’s meant to be steep. Well it is, damned silly steep. The average slope is 1:3 but in places it’s much, much steeper. Only the start is easy and the final 100m of ascent is a little steep. It’s just mainly stupidly steep but not like some like Stob Dubh in Glen Etive.
Glen Dochart, 0730Z, 3C at the foot of the hill. Already cars pulling in to park. If the weather had been like this on the weekend there would be over 50 cars parked here by now!
Through the trees at the sign, through the gate and the climb on the zig zag track. First view of the summit. Doesn’t look that bad from here. It is though.
So finally you turn off the track at the sign and there is a stone staircase. A steep staircase and the rock stairs run about half of the route. There is meant to be a faint path. Well since that was written in 2010 a zillion boots have been up here, the stone stairs make the track obvious and there is a trench knee deep in places. There is a damned obvious path and there’s quite a lot of crampon rash visible on the stone steps too. Ooooh, this level of steep and needing crampons is SO FAR out of my comfort zone 
It climbs. Just climbs at what seems a relentless rate. There’s no relief, no gentle parts, just non-stop steps. I think I did about 40mins before I allowed myself a rest. I wasn’t going fast but I wasn’t stopping either. And up and on and up and on. I impressed myself that I could keep going. After a while the stairs end and it’s a rock/gravel and earth path. It was quite dry and I could imagine it’s not fun if wet. And up and up and up. No respite at all. The walk guides tell you to make sure you don’t get drawn into the massive choire Sloc Curraidh. So why does the path run so close to it then? After a while you are told to look for the drystane dyke that marks the dangerous bit of the choire. What they don’t say is it’s only 2 stones high as I was expecting a wall about 1m high. It’s obvious when you see it.
I’ve posted a picture of me looking down earlier. That was taken about 1h30 into my ascent at the top of the drystane dyke, about 950m. It was the first sit down rest I took. I was somewhat tired and beat up by now. As this picture shows. You can see the slope behind me. I couldn’t smile despite the views because I knew there was still 224m of ascent The next 150m ascent are significantly steeper.
Of course you walk up with your back facing North and can see grass, earth and rock and nothing else but from my resting perch the view North blows your mind.
Just for Brian @G8ADD , Ben Lui GM/SS-003. Ben Cruachan GM/WS-013 has sneaked into the photo.
The 150m really steep bit seemed to drag on and then there was a bit of the mildest scramble over a few rocks and suddenly the path was not like climbing a ladder but just a steepish path. Lots of crushed rocks from so many boots and it wandered and wandered and zigs and zags and if you have climbed enough hills you know, you really know that any second now the summit comes into view and you are there.
I have to say it was an almost religious experience coming out on top, see the cairn and trig and the 360 degree view of beauty. So many summits, such colours, views out to over 100km. I took some photos, picked my spot to setup and was just getting ready to start when the cramps came. Not classic cramps where you can see a leg muscle all squished to the size of an orange but an unreal ache throughout my left leg. I’d already drunk 500mL of my 1.75L of water at the top. But the pain was quite amazing. Another walker came over and checked I had drunk something. I did stretches and rubbed it and he did say “do we need the helicopter?”. After about 5mins it started to ebb but I was incapable of coherent speech (what’s new) for about 15-20mins in total. I’ve had cramp before not like this though. I’ll put it down to exertion,temperature and dehydration. It took a 63yr old fat guy 2h25 to get to the top from locking the car and that did include a longish stop at 950m and a good handful of quick breathers. I had another cramp driving home down Glen Ogle at a rate of knots. I felt my right leg go numb and I couldn’t press the pedals. After about a min of panicking I saw an estate entrance and pulled off the road. Another 10mins of stretching and cursing with a completely numb leg. Then just like a switch was turned, complete normality returned. I may carry some electrolytes in future to take at the top and back at the car.
Setup was the 5m pole, 40/30/20m trapped EFHW, 1:49 coupler, KX2. Trivial job for the KX2 tuner on 20/30/40 of course and all other bands match easily too. There’s about 4m vertical with the match unit at the height of the guys in this picture. The rest of the antenna ran SE and the counterpoise ran NW down one the guys and on to the ground. The KX2 sat in the sun whilst I did my cramp moves, was hot to the touch when I started so the golden sunshade was deployed, visible in this picture. Definitely Autumn (Fall) on the way.
I started on 10m as there were plenty of SSB stations, I worked just one and nobody answered my CQs. 2m ore worked 10m CW. OK so some multipliers for the challenge. Now I feel duty bound on summits like this that are primarily activated on 2m FM to do some 40m SSB to offer it to the original chasers who supported me when I couldn’t do CW. So 40m SSB and a beautifully behaved pileup ensued. It was a delight to get regulars in the log, G0FEX, G0RQL, G4WHA, GM4COX and many more. Also Martyn/Caroline M1MAJ/M3ZCB for n S2S and also MM/WN2G/P on Clisham GM/SI-012 up on Lewis. We tried a QSO on 10m CW, I could hear someone sending MM/… but there signal was barely there so nothing on 10m but no problems on 40m. I also worked Gerald on 40m for his complete. He knew I was there from the day before but if he hadn’t appeared on 40m I was going to text him (full scale EE 4G on the summit) and make a sked before I left.
At that time 2m burst into life, Alan MM0VPM/P was calling from Chno Dearg GM/WS-032. I managed a quick S2S nad left Alan to talk to Jack GM4COX. I was pleased with that one. Alan along with Andy MM7MOX is a member of my local club and having some activators there means we can arrange mutual support activations chases etc. It’s fabulous stuff. Though Alan doesn’t carry enough anvils judging by the scale of some of his walks etc
Onto 15m and 17 EU stations worked, all good signals. Nice to work Jame N6JFD in EA3 as well as OM/F4JYM/P and HB9HZC/P for 3x S2S. Back to 10m and a few my LZ CW contacts… the antenna did seem to be pointing to LZ land based on the stations work. Another 17 worked on 18m which seem to give very strong signals ODX was K4DY.
Then it was time to go. Packup, more water, then photo time.
Ben Lui GM/SS-003 on the left with Beinn Oss GM/SS-005 and Bein Dubhchraig GM/SS-009 in front. Ben Cruachan GM/WS-013 in the centre distance, then Beinn O’Chocuil GM/WS-071 and Beinn Eunaich GM/WS-065. Then Beinn Chuirn GM/SS-021 right middle distance. Nice
It gets better.
Far distance L-R Sgurr a’Mhaim GM/WS-20, Am Bodach GM/WS-037 Ben Nevis GM/WS-001, Carn Mor Dearg GM/WS-003 (You can clearly see the Carn Mor Dearg Arrete), Binnein Mor GM/WS-011, Aonach Beag GM/WS-002
Centre middle Beinn a’Chrulaiste GM/WS-146
L-R Beinn an Dothaidh GM/CS-025, Beinn Achaladair GM/CS-018
Front Ben Challum GM/CS-021
Centre Beinn Dorain GM/CS-008. Behind Meall a’Bhuiridh GM/CS-017 Creise GM/WS-019 Front right Beinn a’Chaisteil GM/CS-054
I’ve left these panoramas at full size but dropped the quality to drop them down in size by a factor of 10. From the main story, click one then click it again to get full size. Close with ESC. Then click the next twice etc.
West
North
East
South East
South
I didn’t want to go it was so warm and lovely and the views where to die for. There are 2 routes off, back down the front which was a lot of steps. Or the route down the South face to the bealach where you can then do Stob Binnein GM/SS-002 if you have the legs. I was down the near 300m slope to the bealach in about 25 mins and I knew I could climb and desend Stob Binnein if my life depended on it. I did thin kof leaving my bag at the huge boulder and just talking a handy. But I knew it was too much and having done and not being points driven I would not enjoy it.
Looking up to Stob Binnein GM/SS-002, about the same ascent as Scald Law GM/SS-125, my local training hill.
Ben More GM/SS-001, the top is set back about 25m vertically and 50-100m horizontally.
The descent path runs from the bealach. “The path descends on initially gentle slopes before getting steeper until it meets the path back to Ben More Farm”. Hahahahaha. Well you drop about 150m from 850m AGL at the bealach on the path shown. Then you hit the boggy bit which had some bog pools as deep as my walking pole. Then it drops like a stone to the farm track, the start is shown with a red cross. That’s about 375m of descent. Oh my knees and feet were complaining when I finally got to the track. I stopped for 15 mins chillax time and more chocolate. It was 20C or more in the valley and there was no wind. There was only a gentle breeze at the 1174m summit.
Then it’s along the track back to the start of the stone staircase and down the zig zgas to the car, About 35-40mins. It was clear the wind had vanished looking at Loch Dochart just before getting to the end of teh zig zags.
There was much doing nothing sat in the tailgate of the car letting my feet steam and drinking Red Bull clones. I spent 20-30mins again chilling before the 1hr50min drive home. With just one cramp session as described.
The antenna worked well and I was using a new LiIon battery. I found 4 LiIon 21700 cells in the shack. These are massive compared to 18650s which many of use. I have no idea where they came from but are 4000mAH. They worked fine but I noticed why a KX2 wants LiFePO not LiIon…only 7W on 10m as the voltage is lower. But 10W on all other bands.
I put this summit off for over 15 years thinking I wasn’t fit enough. So I left it till I was much older and found it was hard work but such an incredible buzz when I finally got to the top. And back to the car
2h25 elapsed for an oldish fat bloke… that will do fine thanks.
I forgot to add this initially. Use this link to generate a fully annotated panorama of the summits, names and distances. Absolutely brilliant website.
Great write up Andy and good to get you in the log for the s2s.
I’ve just completed a check of the anvils as I reckon my pack weight last couple of days was 25% my body weight. Either trim down the pack or put on weight…
It was a fantastic couple of days to be on the hills. I’ll get my write up sorted out.
Alan
Brilliant report Andy… very comprehensive. You took loads more photos than I, but I was hampered by the wee flying beasties when I was there back in July 2021. My ascent time was 50 minutes longer than yours (20 mins sat chatting with a nice wee lassie at 720m). My route included a road walk from the lay-by half a mile down the road. Even though I was there on a weekday, the parking near the bottom of the track was already full… and I arrived at 03:30z. Lots of empty cars in the lay-by as well. Walkers doing a big circular of the local summits I suspect, probably rough camping overnight.
I walked a lot of that backwards to try to preserve my knees. Didn’t do my toes much good though. 
A hard day, but certainly a very enjoyable one and yes those endorphins last for quite a while. It set me up for doing more summits in the area, but I still need to get back to do GM/SS-004 and GM/SS-007. 
73, Gerald
That pair will make a nice trip, keep us posted on plans, I need them for completes!
Alan
Great Report Andy - and a hill I have not done for about 40 years and it is still on the list. After my experience with cramp after a long day in the lakes (That was solved by 2 packets of crisps and a lager shandy - not available on most walks) I now add a couple of sports rehydration tablets to the water I take up. It tastes a bit like what I would imagine drinking a slightly sweaty lemon would taste like, but so far the cramp has not reappeared, but that is probably just the placebo effect. Might be worth a tonic water in the car as well as I have heard that is effective…
I have also decided that in general my days of multi Munro walks are now in the past- I would like to think I could do them and have just chosen not to……
73. Paul
Thank Andy for a comprehensive activation report and photos. Well done for your effort; really highlighted that we all need to watch our bodies needs as we age.
Geoff vk3sq
Great write up Andy. Cracking hill.
On the way up Broad law GM/SS-029 yesterday one of a group of lady walkers from Ayrshire asked me if I was on Ben More this week ? It turns out her son was on Ben More when you were operating there.
It was supposed to clear up later but didn’t yesterday. It was windy and quite thick cloud at the top, the lady walkers (Mauchline Belles) helped me pitch my shelter in the wind before going off to find the radio beacon and came back to serenade me with a poem they had made up, definitely a first for me !
Nearly had a qso with JR3JFZ on 15m, who was a strong 58 signal beaming over the pole, another station in Glasgow got in first and then unfortunately he was gone. Otherwise a good mix of qso’s on 2m, 40m, 15m and 17m.
Andy
MM7MOX
Many thanks for the excellent report and the S2S. Brought back memories of when Martyn and I did it many years ago, when we were younger and fitter: it would probably be beyond us now. It was a particularly memorable activation for me as it was where I got my first transatlantic QSO from a summit.
We did the same route as you, deciding to leave SS-002 for another day and from the south. Very marked contrast between your efforts getting to the summit and ours on the other end of the S2S. I dislike summits where the only sane parking is in the activation area, but needs must. We had ascended slightly from the car park but then dropped down into the access area to set up, never leaving the activation area on the “walk”!
I love this link! If anyone else is interested in setting up the panorama for other hills, then the landing page is here: Generate a panorama
Congratulations on the activation, and thanks for sharing!
It’s a fabulous website and along with Jonathan de Ferranti’s Panorama site help you identify what you can see.
I mentioned I used a new (to me) set of batteries. In the battery box was a pack of 4x 21700 LiIon cells. The common size we see is the 18650 (18mm diameter, 65.0mm long). The 21700 is 21mm diameter and 70mm long. They were labelled and looking up with Google are 4000mAhr cells. I repackaged them as 3s1p and charged them up the night before.
I used the pack for at least 135mins on the summit to power my KX2 which was set to max output. As the voltage on LiIon cells drops off as they discharge, the KX2 could only produce 7W on 10/12m but 10W on 15m down. I was transmitting for 50% of the time. Recharging them now, the charger says 1665mAH put in to them. As charging is not 100% efficient let’s claim 90% for this. 1665 * 0.9 = 1500mAH is probably what was used.
This means my KX2 setup my way for 135mins of activating used 1500mAH of capacity which is approx 11mAH/min. That figure should allow people to size activation length vs capacity on batteries. Of course, discharge capacity is a function of the current used, the chemistry and the age and condition of the cells, temperature etc. But if you apply the number to your own batteries you can see if it fits with what you have seen. It’s a ballpark number for giving you an idea of what you may use.
Adjust for transmit to receive ratio - wafflers like me need to use a higher figure. Also mode considerations, with FM taking oodles of current. Even voice characteristics apply - I consistently push the power with my DX orientated voice. That’s what comes from 55 years of operating on 2m. 
