An Ruadh-stac

An Ruadh-stac is a Scottish mountain in the Wester Ross area of Highland. It stands 26 kilometres north-east of Kyle of Lochalsh in rough country between Glen Carron and Glen Torridon. The mountain reaches 890 metres and is the 30th highest Corbett. Its light grey quartzite rocks make it stand out in views. It lies in the old Coulin hunting forest and is linked to the nearby Munro Maol Cheann-dearg. The mountain’s Gaelic name means Red Stack, though it never looks red. Hamish Brown noted the name is misleading because the hill is always grey. The north face is a sheer rock wall over 400 metres high above Loch Coire an Ruaidh-staic. Rock climbers Tom Patey and Chris Bonington opened a 180-metre route there in 1960. Fluted moraine on the south-east slopes shows where a glacier once flowed. The summit is reached by a steep 340-metre climb from the Bealach a’ Choire Ghairbh. The top is covered with quartzite boulders and a rock cairn marks the highest point. From the summit plateau walkers look down 300 metres to Loch Coire an Ruaidh-staic. The view takes in the Skye Cuillin to the south-west and the Torridon hills to the north. Four small lochs lie around the north-east flanks, each on a different level.