Sgurr Alasdair
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Sgurr Alasdair | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Elevation | 992 m (3255 ft) |
| Location | Skye, Scotland |
| Range | Cuillin |
| Prominence | 992 m Ranked 5th in British Isles |
| Topo map | OS Landranger 32 |
| First ascent | 1873, Alexander Nicholson |
| Easiest route | scramble |
| OS grid reference | NG450207 |
| Listing | Munro, Marilyn |
| Translation | Alexander's peak (Gaelic) |
| Pronunciation | [skur alastər] |
Sgurr Alasdair is the highest peak of the Black Cuillin, and therefore the highest peak on the Isle of Skye. Like the rest of the range it is composed of gabbro, a rock with excellent grip for mountaineering.
As with other hills of the Cuillin, a head for heights and scrambling ability are called for to attain the summit. The least technical route follows a feature known as the "Great Stone Shoot" – a line of scree that leads up from the corrie of Coire Lagan to join the main ridge below the summit. A short section of scrambling is then followed to the sharpest summit in the Cuillin .
Other routes require more scrambling ability, and even rock climbing. The summit of Sgurr Alasdair can be attained by a short detour off the main ridge by climbers undertaking the full traverse of the Cuillin ridge, or by those following the circuit of Coire Lagan.
[edit] External link
- Maps and aerial photos
- Surrounding area map from Google Maps
- Detailed topography from Ordnance Survey Get-a-map
- Computer-generated virtual panoramas Sgurr Alasdair Index
