Laps on Ledge Route

An icy first 'zig' on Ledge Route

This week I'm working for Adventure Peaks with Sarah & Jenny honing their skills for Everest expeditions in 2013 & 2014. With plenty of snow and gale force winds forecast for Friday we opted to use the last of the good weather to get some mileage under our belts on ground similar to the majority of summit day. An ascent & descent of an icy Ledge Route (II) worked well giving a variety of terrain with plenty of exposure.  The focus was on maintaining a steady pace and climbing efficiently whatever the difficulties.
The Forestry Commission track is currently a wee bit icy for two wheel drive vans so we enjoyed the trudge up from the bottom car park to give a full day with 1000m plus of ascent. Compared to our swimming efforts on Curved Ridge yesterday there is very little fresh snow on the Ben. Elsewhere on the mountain there were a couple of teams making good progress on Tower Ridge but the rest of the coire was strangely quiet.

Good views across the Great Glen

A lean upper ridge on Ledge Route

Enjoying moving together along the upper ridge

A sunny loch Linne in the distance

 

 A fast moving team of 3 just above the gap on Tower Ridge

Descending back down the North Ridge of Everest AKA Ledge Route