Carrauntoohill Route

jimstir

Hi Guys, my friends and I plan to climb Carrauntoohill on Saturday week (mid Jan 2012). We are going to park in Cronins Yard. We are just wondering if we can go up The Devils Ladder? (someone told me it may be closed off to jokers) Or can anyone direct me to a website that tells me a different way we can go up (but still park in Cronins Yard). Thanks a mil

h3000

http://www.kerrymountainrescue.ie/routes/index.html

You can find the routes on the link above. Last time I was down there the ladder was closed off. We went up by Br. O'Sheas gully instead.
http://www.kerrymountainrescue.ie/routes/brother_osheas.html

Cronins Yard is perfect for most of the popular routes, the Bone, the Zig Zags, the Heavenly Gates, all the Gullies (Curved and Central not good for the descent mind), Stumpa an tSaimh or even Knockbrinnea and over Beenkeragh Ridge.

sparrowcar

Loads of info on boards.ie if you do a quick search. I climbed it with Mrs S a few months back and the Devils ladder was open. To be honest I have no idea how they would close it anyway

Here is a video of my climb

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056460649

jusmeig

Hi guys,

Planning on doing Brother O Shea's and coming back via Heavenly Gates.
I hear there is a bit of scrambling on Brother O Shea's Gully?

Is there a lot of loose rock etc, would you advise helmets?

Anyone else with any other route information...much appreciated

Many thanks,

J

puzzle factory

you wont need helmets, theres a nice bit of a climb up through loose rock but the track worn into it is very stable

puzzle factory

also o sheas gully is a far nicer route, the devils ladder is like spending a few hours scrambling around in an old quarry, youl also see irelands highest lake and there do be a few goats up o sheas gully prancing around the place, it takes about 2hours to get up there from the car park, its a heigh mountain but its not everest, you wont have anything to worry about, the ammount of people i see dragging rucksacks full of god knows what up there with them is behond beliefe, you dont need anything, bar a bottle of water.

hmmm

puzzle factory wrote: »

you dont need anything, bar a bottle of water.

What happens if you twist an ankle? You get to sit out in the cold and wet for a few hours hoping mountain rescue can find you quickly (if you can get phone reception), or you'll be hoping some other hiker helps you. You carry a proper rucksack for when things go wrong, not for when everything goes right.

puzzle factory

hmmm wrote: »

What happens if you twist an ankle? You get to sit out in the cold and wet for a few hours hoping mountain rescue can find you quickly (if you can get phone reception), or you'll be hoping some other hiker helps you. You carry a proper rucksack for when things go wrong, not for when everything goes right.

What are you going to carry in a rucksake. Thats going to help you with a twisted ankle,a team of shelpers?

SomeFool

Warm dry clothes, food, first aid kit, torch.

hmmm

hmmm wrote: »

You carry a proper rucksack for when things go wrong, not for when everything goes right.

That's pretty much it. Having done it dozens of times, I find that the more I do it the more respectful I become. One can do it on a fine day in summer in runners and shorts, and I have...but have been out there when heavy mist or a snowstorm rolls in reducing visibility to metres and wondering why I was so stupid as to leave the map and compass behind, have been out there as darkness came in wondering why I didn't bring a head torch, have been stuck to the side of a cliff there thinking a whistle now might be handy, have been up there as the temperature plummeted in winter thinking a second pair of gloves and another fleece would have been so light to pack, have been hungry, cold and wet without food and waterproofs, have used a first aid kit out there on bumps and cuts -not mine. And it's so easy to prepare for those events. I think of going out on mountains a bit like crossing a road without looking, most of the time nothing might go wrong, but when it does it can go horribly wrong.

duckysauce

puzzle factory wrote: »

What are you going to carry in a rucksake. Thats going to help you with a twisted ankle,a team of shelpers?

Sherpas would be nice will not fit them in your rucksack though, so not sure shelpers ( cowboy boots) would help. Do you do much hiking ?

Esel

puzzle factory wrote: »

What are you going to carry in a rucksake. Thats going to help you with a twisted ankle,a team of shelpers?

If you really felt the need to ask that.... facepalm, tbh.

Gillo

Bro O'Sheas gully is a great scramble, nothing technical and once you are reasonabley fit it's easy enough. I did it last summer and came back down the zig zag's (which to be honest seemed pretty mundane on the descent).

Funny the comment re the rucksack, I was amazed the amount of people there who had nothing with them apart from a mobile to take a photo at the top. Not meaning to disrespect them, but from what I could gather it mainly seemed to be groups "climbing" the mountain for various charities so actual organised walks as opposed to individual's who just didn't know any better.

jusmeig

Guys thinking of maybe doing Central Gully now having seen a youtube clip of Brother O Shea's, it looks tame enough!
Looking for a bit of a scramble, but nothing too hairy.

Anyone got any route advice?
I am assuming (please forgive the most basic of questions) that central gully is between O Shea and Curved (penny drop)
Is it easy to find the entrance however?
The OSi 1:50000 map is no use when trying to locate gully entrances!

jusmeig

jusmeig wrote: »

Guys thinking of maybe doing Central Gully now having seen a youtube clip of Brother O Shea's, it looks tame enough!
Looking for a bit of a scramble, but nothing too hairy.

Anyone got any route advice?
I am assuming (please forgive the most basic of questions) that central gully is between O Shea and Curved (penny drop)
Is it easy to find the entrance however?
The OSi 1:50000 map is no use when trying to locate gully entrances!

If its a clear day you should spot it easily enough, particularly once you get to the wall above Cummeenoughter lake. On a bad day, if you are relying on GPS, maybe look at the Harvey's Superwalker map which has an inlay showing the area around Carrauntoohil in great detail. It's fine, but was up there last Sunday and there was a good bit of water coming down, and a lot of the rock was very loose after recent weather. Presume it's full of snow after last night. It's a good bit more testing than O'Sheas, which really is a walk whereas in much of Central you will be using all limbs. On te other and, it's not nearly as long as Curved, which is more difficult again.

BriangC

I agree with Conor, the Central gully is tough enough but is obvious enough on a clear day. Defo the Harvey map is great around there. The kerry mountain rescue site is has good approach info for this route and a photo of the Central gully http://www.kerrymountainrescue.ie/routes/brother_osheas.html and the central gully route is here http://www.activeme.ie/guides/walks/carrauntoohill-via-central-gully/ I havn't done the Curved gully yet but must give it a go.

ha, and bring a rucksack! preferably filled with useful stuff

jusmeig

Thank you very much Brian.
That GPX file will be invaluable on that activeme site (good site that), like everytrail.com

I do have the Harvey Superwalker. Excellent map. I also got the digital version for my Satmap GPX, so if I get lost there is no hope for us.
The entrance for central Gully, it looks like you come half way up O Sheas before traversing to central gully. On the picture on the Mountain rescue site it looks like a boulder field to cross to get to the entrance.

Looking forward to it now

jusmeig

Deleted User wrote: »

If its a clear day you should spot it easily enough, particularly once you get to the wall above Cummeenoughter lake. On a bad day, if you are relying on GPS, maybe look at the Harvey's Superwalker map which has an inlay showing the area around Carrauntoohil in great detail.

We are not going until mid feb, so im hoping it is relatively dry, or there is a big snow. If it snowed heavy I would probably stick to O Sheas, as central and curved look narrow and would be too dangerous with lots of snow.

tvercetti

puzzle factory wrote: »

What are you going to carry in a rucksake. Thats going to help you with a twisted ankle,a team of shelpers?

The naiveity of people like you results in people getting injured and even dying.

I have been climbing Carrauntoohil my whole life and have encountered many mishaps.

Each time I climb her, I find myself adding something new to my rucksack. My most recent additon is tablets that help me breathe easier in the high altitudes.

Always Learning!!!

The Dagda

tvercetti wrote: »

The naiveity of people like you results in people getting injured and even dying.

I have been climbing Carrauntoohil my whole life and have encountered many mishaps.

Each time I climb her, I find myself adding something new to my rucksack. My most recent additon is tablets that help me breathe easier in the high altitudes.

Always Learning!!!

Tablets to help you breathe easier? At 1000m? :rolleyes:

Esel

The Dagda wrote: »

Tablets to help you breathe easier? At 1000m? :rolleyes:

+1

Also, why call a mountain (or any thing) her? A ship, or boat, just maybe... but otherwise it would seem to well anachronistic.

Gillo

The Dagda wrote: »

Tablets to help you breathe easier? At 1000m? :rolleyes:

I'm thinking he means something that clears the airways say like Fishermans Friends or Airwaves as opposed to Diamox.

daithieoghan

tvercetti wrote: »

The naiveity of people like you results in people getting injured and even dying.

I have been climbing Carrauntoohil my whole life and have encountered many mishaps.

Each time I climb her, I find myself adding something new to my rucksack. My most recent additon is tablets that help me breathe easier in the high altitudes.

Always Learning!!!

High altitude tablets! Just spend a few days at base camp to adjust instead, save yourself the money.

The Dagda

daithieoghan wrote: »

High altitude tablets! Just spend a few days at base camp to adjust instead, save yourself the money.

Where's Carrauntouhill base camp?

jusmeig

The Dagda wrote: »

Where's Carrauntouhill base camp?

The Climbers Inn

SomeFool

jusmeig wrote: »

The Climbers Inn

Kate's is base camp, the Climbers Inn is advanced base camp :pac:

Gillo

TBH I'm surprised no locals have set up a "Sherpa" service, that'd also cover the rucksack issue that came up...

jusmeig

SomeFool wrote: »

Kate's is base camp, the Climbers Inn is advanced base camp :pac:

Excuse my ignorance, where is kate's?

Alun

jusmeig wrote: »

Excuse my ignorance, where is kate's?

http://www.katekearneyscottage.com/

daithieoghan

Gillo wrote: »

TBH I'm surprised no locals have set up a "Sherpa" service, that'd also cover the rucksack issue that came up...

The jarveys could diversify, it's about time they stepped up anyway