Sgurr Dearg - The Inaccessible Pinnacle

This is one of the most celebrated of the Munros, and certainly the most difficult to climb. The Inaccessible Pinnacle, which overtops the cairn on nearby Sgurr Dearg by only 8 metres, is a remarkable obelisk of gabbro, very steep if not actually vertical on three sides, and on the fourth side the East Ridge, although much less steep, is so narrow and exposed that its ascent is intimidating rather than technically difficult. Many hillwalkers need to call on their rock climbing friends for help to get up this peak, and even Sir Hugh Munro himself never made it.

The ascent goes from Glen Brittle up grassy slopes on the south side of the Allt Coire na Banachdich past the Eas Mor and then straight on up the path on the west ridge of Sgurr Dearg. High up the ridge narrows and there is some good scrambling along the crest to reach Sgurr Dearg. Descend carefully down slabby rock and narrow ledges below the south face of the Inaccessible Pinnacle until it is possible to reach the crest of the East Ridge on your left. Climb the ridge, preferably in two pitches, to the summit. Descend a few metres on the west side to a sloping ledge where there is a steel ring in place, and abseil from there down to terra firma a short distance below Sgurr Dearg.

(Copyright The Scottish Mountaineering Club)