Liathach is one of the finest mountains in Scotland. The south face forms an imposing wall of sandstone tiers and vegetated terraces above the road in Glen Torridon. After a thaw, it can almost be stripped bare in the sunshine, but the north facing corries can still contain snow and ice, so don't be put off!
Approach:
The best option is to park at the Coire Dubh car park (NG 957 568), and follow the excellent path up the glen to the watershed. If you have reached the point where the path forks (the left fork heads west down the glen between Liathach and Beinn Dearg - the right fork skirts the base of Sail Mhor and ends up in Coire Mhic Fhearchair on Beinn Eighe), then you have gone a little too far. From the highpoint of the path, it's rough ground into either corrie.
If you want to link descents, but also want to maintain height, the traverse of the ridge between the 2 corries presents minimal difficulty, but there is one exposed section of rocky ridge above Coire Dubh Beag when heading for the point 983m.
Orientation:
Coire Dubh Beag is the easternmost of the corries, and contains one obvious gully line tucked up on the left hand side as you approach from below. This is Access Gully. Coire Dubh Mor also has one obvious gully line in the backwall, the unusually named "Way Up". Between the corries is a large buttress that contains some gully lines. Closest to the entranct to Coire Dubh Beag is the narrow, slightly curving gully of "Hillwalk". Normally a Grade II climb, it can bank out to Grade I. It's potentially possible, but would be very narrow! To it's right (west) is another obvious gully line, with a steep right wall (climbers right). This is West Gully, a Grade I. I have climbed this some time ago, and at the time, it contained a short section of easy angled ice, but I am fairly sure it will be OK in the right conditions for a descent.
The large corrie to the West of Coire Dubh Mor (Coire na Caime) looks to contain many skiable lines, with several Grade I gullies, and big steep slopes!
Relevant Weather Forecasts
