Scottish Winter Conditions ? Ledge Route, Ben Nevis (very little snow - in crampons!), 22nd April 2014. HD Video.

Possibly the last winter day out for this year?

Myself and Jon walked up to the CIC hut, and spent far too long trying to cross the  Allt A Mhuilinn before finally heading up to Number 5 Gully to start The Ledge Route. We put on crampons in the hope they might be needed for some of the route, but as it turned out, they weren't!

Some old avalanche debris and stones below Number 5 Gully.

Still lots of snow and big cornices on most of the gullies.

Looking across to Tower Ridge, Observatory Ridge and North East Buttress. The CMD, didn't look complete form what we could see.

Jon about to negotiate the second patch of snow!

After the initial ramp ,then the first wee gully, there was no snow up to the small tower and on to the wall. 

Looking down at the wall section. There was the occasional patch of snow, either avoidable, or crossable with care due to the holes!

Number 5 Gully seen from the last section of the Ledge Route. It seemed pointless battling in to the wind to go to the summit, especially with no views to be had. So we took a bearing for the Red Burn, and enjoyed a 700 metre-ish, bumslide down to the waterfall on the tourist path, where there were still a couple of passable snow sections. 

Quick way down. Bumslide down the Red Burn :)   



Video of the Ledge Route.

The Ledge Route and CMD Arete, Ben Nevis, 7th September, 2008

After a relatively early night, we left the bunkhouse in Fort William for the North Face car park and an 8-0-clockish start on the walk in to Coire na Ciste. See map.

You can just see (behind Stevie as he arrived at No 5 Gully) the rebuilding work still going on, even on a Sunday, on the CIC Hut.

Number 5 Gully, the way to the start of the Ledge Route, looked very different from when we saw it in June when there was still a couple of metres of snow covering the large boulders in the centre of the gully. Although fairly straighforward, the slab at the start of the route was very wet and slimy, though there are plenty of holds and cracks to help you across. After we used the rope, it was felt that we probably could've crossed it quicker without it! Still, it was good practice and gave us chance to think about how we would do the same in winter.

As you get higher up the route, you get great views of the Douglas Boulder and Tower Ridge. Stevie, Mark and Willy having a break on the grassy section before the scrambling starts again. You can make the route as easy or as hard as you like, especially on the short wall like section!

Gordon on the broader section above the "wall".

The final section is easy grade 1 ground up to the cairn marking the north-west summit of Carn Dearg. We then took a tour of the gully tops and buttresses, proving how easy even in broad daylight to confuse one gully or butress from another! As soon as we met the zig zags, we joined the masses en route for the summit. Stevie, Gordon, Mark and Willy enjoying the sun (but no view?) on the summit, before we set off for Carn Mor Dearg Arete. Unfortuneatly, the cloud came right down over the CMD so we didn't get the views of the Ben we had hoped for.

Of course, as usual, the cloud started to lift a little when we got back to the North Face car park!

Ben Nevis - Ledge Route, 19th June, 2008

Today we set off for the Ben to the Grade 1 Ledge Route. See map.

Gordon heading up the steep scree leading up to No 5 Gully. Apart from the "pea soup", making the corries and gullies quite eerie, I don't think it rained!

We were surprised to find No 5 Gully full of hard snow! So without axes or crampons, we had to kick steps for 100m, with Adam leading up to the exit to the right for the start of the Ledge Route.

High up on the route, with some of the guys in front. Although the route is a grade 1, in bad weather you need to take care, especially crossing "the ledge" at the start. It's also a great place to practice placing runners and belays. At the top we opted not to go to the summit due to the fog and did another team sprint back to the Red Burn, Halfway Lochan and the North Face car park.