SW Ridge (Douglas Boulder)

The CIC Hut with attendant snow drifts

A reasonable forecast tempted us up on to a very snowy Ben Nevis. The South West Ridge of the Douglas Boulder gave us 4 pitches of brilliant climbing at around grade III finishing on a very insecure fin of snow. Most of the snow was helpful with only the occasional patch of crud, the gear was good and the sun even came out as we topped out. Two abseils took us to the bottom of East Gully before a quick scoot down the lower reaches of Observatory Gully.

Crossing steep snow slopes on the approach to the SW Ridge

 Exposed climbing along a fin of soft snow

 Abseiling into the Douglas Gap

 Abseiling into East Gully at the Douglas Gap

 A snowy view up into Observatory Gully

A buried Tower Ridge

 Good neve into Observatory Gully

For the final day of SKKs Everest Expedition Prep course we upped the stakes and headed back up onto the Ben aiming for a very snowy Tower Ridge IV 3. It had been climbed at the weekend but in the event there was very little evidence of their passing and there was plenty of post holing and digging to be carried out. Yesterdays thaw and a freeze overnight had produced good neve up observatory gully until we tried to climb up onto the ridge. This is where the swimming started with plenty of unconsolidated snow and a few exciting cornices. Where the snow lay over bulges and rocks there was good neve and thick rime but for the most part feet and axes were pulling straight through. Protection was very hard to come by and you'll need to be competent at waist belays, buried axes and stomper belays to get up the ridge in these conditions. 

Despite all this the route was in a very easy state to climb with several of the tricky rock steps fully banked out. The Eastern Traverse was exciting but gave good foot placements with the thick cloud hiding the void below. The climb onto Great Tower was the crux today with the usual difficulties at Tower Gap reduced to one hard pull on the axes. We made good time topping out in 5 hours into a full whiteout. We descended on a compass bearing via Red Burn and were back at the lower carpark in a round trip of 10 hours.

Swimming across the Eastern Traverse

Start of my winter season on Castle Ridge

 

A very snowy looking Ben Nevis to start the season

This week is the start of my usual Scottish winter season and I seemed to have timed it very well with great weather arriving after a couple of weeks of wet snowfall and gales. For the next 4 days I'm working with SKK who's away to attempt Everest in April this year. the plan was for a full skills audit, plenty of mileage and height gain and lots of exposed mixed terrain. The Ben was looking pretty impressive in the sunshine and Castle Ridge was the obvious target. This grade III sees far less traffic than the neighboring Ledge Route and it's notorious crux groove has flummoxed a number of very good climbers. Conditions today gave plenty of helpful snow and ice on all the tricky steps and secure footing on the exposed upper reaches and we made quick time up into the cloud and the top of the ridge. Strong winds and spindrift meant that we needed goggles as we arrived on the plateau. We navigated to the top of No 4 Gully but the huge cornice and evidence of significant loading meant that Red Burn was the only sensible descent option. The swirling southerlies were also loading up the left bank of the final gully but it was easy to find a safe path back to half way lochan and down across the bog.

 

Deep snow & good ice on the ridge 

 

 Breaking trail up Castle Ridge III

Good neve in places

Checking out the descent down No 4 Gully

Scottish Winter Mountaineering & Climbing courses

Learning to lead on Golden Oldie (II) on the West Face of Aonach Mor

A few photos to whet the appetite for the forthcoming Scottish winter season. I'll be working my 9th season running winter mountaineering and climbing courses from Fort William and Aviemore. Please get in touch if you fancy a wee adventure...

Enjoying the delights of a bucket seat belay!

Bad weather arriving on the Cairngorm plateau

The 4 star Curved Ridge (II) in Glencoe

Digging snow holes on a character building day!

Steep mixed climbing on Fingers Ridge (IV 4) in Coire an t-Sneachda

Ski mountaineering on Ben Nevis prior to a 1300m descent

 Topping out on Green Gable in the Lake District

Enjoying the sunshine on a classic mountaineering day

Curved Ridge (II) under heavy snow conditions and a blue sky

The stunning Smith's Route (V 5) on Ben Nevis

Descending to Fort William after a big day on the Ben

Working on the 3 Peaks Challenge

 Summit joy on Scafell

For many people the 3 Peaks Challenge is their first taste of the delights of ultra events. Climbing the highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales in 24 hours is becoming ever more popular with a constant stream of walkers and minibuses at this time of the year. It has attracted a significant amount of negative publicity and there are plenty of far more interesting challenges to be had but it is still a significant physical challenge and provides the stimulus for a huge amount of charity fundraising.

I guide a few events for Activius each year so Saturday morning saw myself and a couple of other guides heading up Ben Nevis with a group of 21. Taking point I was soon passed by Alex enjoying his first time in the hills by cruising up in a blisteringly fast 2:06. Pretty impressive for a newcomer to the hills in walking boots. The next 4 hours were spent on the plateau guiding clients safely to the summit and pointing them in the right direction for the long knee jarring descent.

A few hours later we were rolling up into Wasdale with the clouds clearing fast from the summit. I pointed Alex in the right direction and did my best to hang onto his tail arriving on the summit in around 1:15. The views were spectacular but a chilly northerly was blowing. An hour later I'd checked the rest of the fast moving team through and was away on the descent. Scafell is usually the hardest mountain physically and mentally coming at the end of a long day with the final challenge still many hours away. Any weakness in the legs or knees is cruelly shown up by the demands of the descent and a number of our group began to suffer.

The final mountain is Snowdon in North Wales which we climbed by the PyG track. With perfect conditions and visibility we were able to let Alex off the leash who duly dispatched the mountain in 1:56 topping out in 1:08.  the rest of the group soon followed with 19 folk completing the challenge.

Despite this being work it provided a great work out for the legs with 2500m of fast paced climbing in 6 hours plus another 10 hours of hill time.

 Checking the participants through Scafell Pike

Amazing early morning light on Snowdon

Summit 4 Heroes Scottish winter training

Busy on the Ben - Tower Ridge

 A busy Orion Face

 

 An even busier Point 5 Gully - 90 mins waiting time!

 

Observatory Gully

 Jude enjoying perfect neve on Tower Ridge IV 3

 French team on the Eastern Traverse

 Max Hunter solo on the Eastern Traverse

  

Team heading into Tower Gully

 

  Max Hunter topping out on Tower Ridge

Having lunch on top of Great Tower - Photo from Max Hunter

Jude approaching the crux of Tower Ridge - Tower Gap

 

Prayer flags on the summit trig point

 

Walking off in the sun

All their own work - Ledge Route alpine style

 

Pitching the 'zag' on Ledge Route

The clouds stayed away today and we were back to our usual alpine conditions. Joe & Tom were keen to put everything they'd learned in to practice so we headed back up to the Ben and the classic Ledge Route (II). We delayed our departure by climbing the ice direct to the first 'Zig'. This allowed a couple of teams of 'death ropers' to get clear although Max Hunter also had a few issues with them.  

Note - moving together with 15-20m of rope between you and no running belays is called death roping for a reason. It doesn't make you safer and will have a very negative effect on the health of everyone in your party if one of you were to fall, not to mention anyone else you may cheese wire on the way down!

Our direct start gave 40m of grade III ice to get the blood pumping before the boys took over. They used a combination of pitching and a variety of moving together techniques to make an excellent and safe ascent while I soloed alongside enjoying the views and the sunshine. I have 8 days work left this season which coincidentally looks like how long this stunning high pressure system is due to last :)

 Clouds rolling off the summit of the Ben

 Joe gaining the sun after a chilly belay

 Spot the dots - Plenty of climbers on Orion's Face, Observatory Buttress, Hadrian's Wall & Tower Ridge

Direct belay on the crux of Ledge Route (II)

Topping out on Ledge Route

Stunning views from Carn Dearg

South Castle Gully

 Great conditions in South Castle Gully - Grade I with one icy step of II

 

 Tom leading the final pitch into the sunshine

 

Joe topping out before a relaxed lunch break

Synchronised descending!