Sgùrr Alasdair

Overview

At 3,255 feet, Sgùrr Alasdair is the highest peak of the Black Cuillin, and 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. It is named for Alexander Nicolson, who made the first recorded ascent in 1873.^[2]

Sgùrr Alasdair holds distiction as being a Monroe (> 3000 ft.), the highest island peak, and for being part of the coveted "Cuillin Ridge Traverse", a ridge run that involves the linking of many peaks in the Black Cuillins cluster.   To learn more about this traverse, check out Cuillin Ridge Page.

Getting There

As with other hills of the Cuillin, a head for heights and scrambling ability are needed to attain the summit. The least technical route follows a feature known as the "Great Stone Chute" – a line of scree that leads up from the corrie of Coire Lagan to join a col on the main ridge. From this col, a pleasant scramble (Grade 2 standard) up the well scratched east ridge leads to the narrow summit.^[3]

Other routes require scrambling ability or rock climbing; while there are rock climbs directly up the flanks, the only other way of reaching the summit via a ridge is the south-west ridge from the summit of Sgùrr Sgumain, a Grade 3 scramble that begins up a scratched chimney. The summit of Sgùrr Alasdair can be attained by a short detour (from Sgùrr Theàrlaich) off the main ridge by climbers undertaking the full traverse of the Cuillin ridge, or by those following the circuit of Coire Lagan.

Images

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