18th June 2013 - CMD Arete in the mist

John and Angie enjoy a quick break on the initial ascent

Who said anything about summer?? Cold and very misty on the Arete

A rare glimpse of the route ahead through the clouds

John and Angie making light work of the ridge

Angie and John celebrate on the summit of Ben Nevis

On the way back down, away from the madding crowd of the Tourist Track

Today I was working for Abacus Mountain Guides, taking John and Angie along the CMD Arete. John had come up from the Lakes to fulfill a long held dream of summiting the Ben via this tremendous route, and Angie has come all the way from Singapore to visit family in Ireland and take in some of the sights of Scotland - including a tremendous coast to coast bike ride, summiting Ben Nevis and then travelling to Skye for a few days - I hope it doesn't rain!!!

We managed to get up to the upper car park before the harvesting begins, which took away a fair amount of early morning slog, and after a brief kit check and safety chat we were soon on our way along the Allt a' Mhuillin track, warming up our muscles before the onslaught up Carn Mor Dearg began! Both John and Angie were bursting with enthusiasm and super keen to get up on the arete, so we made excellent progress up the slopes, stopping now and again to look at some flowers and plants, and sighting a ptarmigan on the way. Hopefully I was able to answer all of their questions through the day!!

Unfortunately the cloud was not interested in playing ball, and obscured much of the North Face for most of the day, but the little glimpses we did gain were still spectacular, and allowed us to talk about the formation of the landscape and the ongoing changes which are subtly taking place.

Finally we were submersed in cloud, and the wind began to pick up, although not enough to deter us from what we were doing. We got to the top of Carn Mor Dearg in good time, and had a brief break and a wee chat about the arete and the options that we had should either of them get a bit spooked with the wind at any point. Once we were all happy we descended onto the arete itself, and quite literally, the wind died. This meant that we could get right on top of the arete and really challenge ourselves, avoiding the little track on the side and giving John and Angie a real sense of the adventure. They took everything the ridge threw at them in their stride and really seemed to enjoy the challenge, especially when the cloud swooped up and cleared for brief moments, allowing them to take some hasty photos either side.

We finally came to the narrow 'table top', where the wind began to pick up again, but both of them opted to go for it and did really well on this very exposed little section. From here, it was an easy climb to the finishing cairn - time for a brief rest before we endured the final slog onto the summit plateaux.

I made a point here of marching ahead of the guys in order to keep them moving on this final stretch, as it is so easy to stop too often and lose momentum, and I think they appreciated this given how quickly they reached the top. They had both researched the route thoroughly and were both a bit apprehensive about what they had rear with regards to this climb, so were relieved to find it over and done with in no time at all! And there we were, abruptly, on the summit of Great Britain with some other summiteers; proud in the knowledge that we had taken the hard route up and had over come the fears and doubts in order to succeed. For John this was a great achievement, at 70 years young he is still going strong and hopefully this helps him to realise he can still keep up with the best of them! And for Angie, coming from a country with a high point of about 164 metres, this again is a great accolade - especially after a week of biking across the country! So well done to both of you, I hope your pint (or two) went down smoothly because you both deserved it!

The walk back down, as always, is long and never ending seemingly, but we had a lot of great chat and craic which made it much more enjoyable. We were all glad to reach the car in an excellent time of 9 hours! Looking forward to getting out on the hill again on Thursday, this time down on Ben Lawers by Loch Tay!

8th June 2013 - CMD Arete for Yorkhill Childrens Hospital

Andy, Judi, Kirsteen and Brian with Ben Nevis in the background - stunning weather!

The North Face from high on Carn Mor Dearg

The team negotiating tricky ground on the Arete proper

The team chose this harder route to raise money for Yorkhill Kids Hospital in Glasgow

The cairn at the end of the arete. One last climb

Andy, Judi, Kirsteen and Brian successfully on the summit - well done guys!!

A photo within a photo! So much less snow up here now!

So today I was working for Seren Ventures, guiding a group of 4 along the CMD arete in some of the best weather we have had in recent months. Brian, Kirsteen, Andy & Judi were raising money for Yorkhill Childrens Hospital in Glasgow, where I have spent a bit of time myself, so it was for a very worthy cause. It was doubly special as they chose the hard way of getting to the top, avoiding the crowds and facing up to a few personal fears along the way.

We started from the upper North Face Car Park, and after a quick kit check were soon making good time along the Allt a' Mhuillin track, before taking to the rougher track leading up towards Carn Mor Dearg. I think its fair to say we were all feeling the heat - within minutes the sweat was dripping off all of us. This, in my opinion, is the worst part of the day. The slog seems endless and muscles haven't yet warmed up, but we plugged on regardless, soaking in the superb scenery and enjoying some good honest banter!

We finally reached the summit of Carn Mor Dearg, and after a spot of lunch we descended towards the fun part of the day: the Arete. The team moved really well on the rock, and we stuck to the crest for most of the way, only skirting around one or two short sections. We stopped to have an interesting chat about some of the history the area has witnessed and this gave us the chance to really soak in the grandeur, the timeless rock pillars and screes, the roaring burns and the lingering snows - physical testament to how easily glaciers could reform on the north face given the right conditions.

Finally we reached the end of the arete, and began the thigh bursting ascent to the top of the UK, reaching it in good time and making the most of the superb views all around. The guys had a bit of an explore before getting onto the summit cairn for a photo shoot, after which we made our way with the droves back down the tourist track to the Half-way Lochan, where we departed Sauchiehall Street and headed for quieter ground over the moor and, finally, back to the car.

Well done to the team who worked exceptionally hard through out the day, and faced up to the challenge bravely.

16th March 2013 - Comb Gully

Nevis Base Camp

Looking up towards Comb Buttress and Green Gully, Number 3 Gully Buttress and Number 3 Gully

Some Graupel in the snow pack

Craig leading off on Pitch 2

Smug git tops out

Robbed blind of a good ice lead....

Today Craig and I were on a mission to nail Green Gully (again), but after a long walk in to the CIC, and then on up towards the base of the route we were soon thwarted by a number of teams already queing up to get on it. Knowing that things were set to deteriorate in the afternoon, we were keen just to get on something and hope for the best, so after a short discussion we headed towards Comb Gully (IV, 4) which sits around the buttress from Green Gully.

Snow conditions were not great today, with several large patches of fresh windslab and plenty of snow being blown around. To top this off there was a very definate weak layer of Graupel in amongst the snow pack (see picture) so alarm bells ringing kept me alert as we traversed round to the initial gully slopes. The gully was pretty loose for the first pitch which we soloed. Craig got up first and fired in a few screws, and we agreed to split the interesting ice pitch in half so that we both had a go on the interesting stuff.

Craig led off, and it seemed to take an incredible amount of time while the rope slowly slinked through the belay device, but in fact it was relatively quick. Being cold and stationary has a dramatic effect on your moral and sense of time, and even more worryingly, Craig was almost out of rope which could mean only one thing: He had led the entire ice pitch!!

As I climbed I could see why Craig had taken his time, it was steep and quite sustained but very short. I felt the hot aches kick in just as I topped out over the final bulge and saw Craigs smiling face. My smile, however, was short lived, as I spied my 'pitch' - 40 metres of gearless snow slope topping out into the wild spindrift that seemed to have really picked up in the last 30 minutes. I didn't see most of this pitch as I had my eyes closed, but soon the angle eased off and I was able to build a reinforced axe belay and bring the smug git up!!!

On top we were both pretty elated: it was cold, windy and visibility was poor but we had had another cracking day, another classic climb under our belts and we would beat the worst of the weather. Seeing countless people traversing the summit plateaux wearing jeans, trainers and carrying plastic bags....

We made a swift exit down number 4 Gully, sliding most of the way down on our backsides. Craig had a particularly good slide which must have lasted 300 metres. The heavier you are the further you slide it would appear....

No sooner had I got home, and about to tip my toe in the shower that there was a call out for two crag fast climbers on the North Face....typical!! All ended safe and sound :) 

Another cracking day on the Ben - heres to plenty more!

1st March 2013 - Number 3 Gully Buttress

A happy Craig at the third belay

The interesting step after Craig's lead

Davie Scott, Dave Anderson, Craig McKay and Me

Descending Number 4 Gully - Looking to Number 3 Gully Buttress (centre)

Craig after topping out. Smiles all round

Today Craig and I were keen to get on Green Gully on the Ben which comes in at a cozy IV, 4 (but gives easy for the grade by all accounts). So after travelling up with Davie and Dave, who were aiming for harder times, we marched in to the CIC hut in good spirits. This winter everything has been in excellent condition so we were confident that the ice would be fat and very receptive to some screws!

After gearing up partially at the CIC, we started to make our way into the coire, which was looking pretty busy already. Our target of Green Gully soon went out of the window due to a number of teams queing at the base of the climb, so after a short while humming and hawing over what we should do we decided on having a bash up Number 3 Gully Buttress, which is the classic Grade 3 on the Ben and an oft forgotten gem.

After a tough trudge on bullet hard neve up to the base of the climb, we rigged up an ice screw anchor and got ourselves (rather awkwardly) sorted out to climb. After some classic Craig & Craig faffage we were good to go, and Mr McKay took on the first lead, climbing up good neve and ice to the first belay. From there I led on, and not knowing the route very well, annoyingly stopped short of an interesting but straightforward rocky step. Craig took over to lead a short pitch up and round the corner on an interesting snow shelf which provided little gear. I led on from here, covering some interesting rocky steps and a nice little traverse onto a solid ledge with two different ways to proceed. Having felt robbed of the rocky step previously, Craig let me have a bash at the super thin and crumbling traverse step to the right hand side, which involved a tentative down climb and a bold move to cross. However, after several attemps this way proved beyond me, and after a forage up to the left we realised this might be a better approach. By this time, though, my enthusiasm was sapped so we quickly swapped over and Craig made short work of the final snow ramp onto the summit.

From here we met Dave and Davie on their way down, and after a quick skoot down Number 4 Gully we were soon on the CIC track back to the car.

We had a cracking day, and it was just what I needed to get me back in the zone after recent events in the mountains. The banter was non stop, even between belays our laughter rang out across the mountain side and it was good climbing with someone with very similar values and goals.

28th November 2012 - An Epic Day on Tower Ridge, Ben Nevis

Approaching our target as the day breaks

NE Buttress, Observatory Ridge and Tower Ridge

Davie Scott, Kev Shields, Dave Anderson and Craig McDonald. Not smiling for long.

Approaching East Gully

Ascending to the Douglas Gap

The Gully taking us onto the Ridge proper

Try and spot Kev and Dave amid the jumbled rocks below the Little Tower

Preparing for what turned out to be one of the trickier ascents under the conditions

Dave and Kev negotiate the Eastern Traverse, while Davie looks on

Davie makes light work of the massively banked out Eastern Traverse

The Cave, filling nicely. Its more like swimming uphill through porridge than climbing!

The light fails as we reach Tower Gap. Dave crosses and makes tentative progress

Finally darkness consumes us, and the headtorches come out

Cold, tired, relieved and thrilled at the top. It's a long walk back down though....

On the tourist track in pitch darkness. A very different place to the summer track so many people know...

A few months ago, Davie Scott and I had a chat about our personal tick lists for this winter season. The past two seasons I have consumed my time preparing for my Winter ML Assessment, and now that this is done and dusted I am keen to do more winter climbing again!! The outcome of the conversation was that my absolute top-of-the-list target was Tower Ridge. Coming in at a cool IV, 3 *** I didnt have particularly high hopes of getting on it personally.

Fast forward to Tuesday afternoon, and Davie and I are again discussing what we want to get on with this good weather, and he mentions that him and a few others are going to attempt Tower Ridge the following day, and invites me along. After considering for all of 20 seconds, it was on. Needless to say, I was pretty nervous and certainly didnt want to hold the other guys up, but certainly didn't want to miss this opportunity!

And so it was that at 6 am on a freezing November morning, I met up with Davie, Kev Shields and Dave Anderson and headed on up towards the North Face. Under the cover of darkness we made quick progress, morale was high and the banter was flowing. We came across a few others hoping to make good ascents in the fine weather, and day was beginning to break as we reached the CIC hut. We didn't hang around long, but got moving up towards East Gully on the approach to the Douglas Gap. We harnessed and helmetted up, and after inspecting the snow pack on a few occasions we made quick progress up into the Gap. Dave and Davie made nice solo ascents of the chimney, and I got 3/4 of the way up before losing my cool and getting a rope dropped down - better safe than dead, but annoyingly as the rope popped into view I discovered an excellent foothold I completely and utterly missed! Kev came up quickly behind, and we were all content to be on the ridge proper!

We moved on over easy ground with poor, deep snow until we reached the Little Tower, where Dave and Davie again put up some excellent leads directly up the Tower, with Kev and I following on. I certainly wouldn't have wanted to lead this pitch, although in hindsight the gear was excellent when it was found. Again we were able to make quick progress after this tricky section, overcoming easier obstacles and enjoying the absolutely stunning panoramic views all around.

Finally we reached the base of the Great Tower, where we had to face the first of two traditional cruxes - the Eastern Traverse. It was seriously banked out, and the snow was falling away under our feet. Every step was a lottery. Dave and Davie laced the line with good gear, and the next thing we knew we were swimming up through the Cave, with barely inches to spare as we squeezed through the other side! From here Dave put up a stunning lead onto the top of the Tower just as the light was fading. I don't think any of us really realised just how arduous the ridge had been under the given conditions, but we pressed on into the darkness regardless and negotiated the second crux - Tower Gap. Climbing tentatively along this metre wide ridge, dropping your weight onto snow covered ledges with only some tat for support is certainly not for the faint hearted. Leaning across the gap and trying to climb up the other side seemed almost ludicrous at the time: but we did it. The screams and yells of exasperation from another team on NE Buttress certainly didn't boost confidence though! It was headtorch central as we moved up the final slopes and steps to the exit chimney, the only part of the whole day which provided secure feeling axe placements. And then that was it, we were on the summit, elated. Cold, wet, tired but elated. We shook hands, smiles all round as we snapped a few finishing photos and grabbed a quick bite to eat before making our way swiftly to the tourist track and back to the car park over the bog. It was here that I stuffed my expensive gloves down my jacket - the last time I ever saw them :( When I unclasped my waist belt they must have dropped out - I jogged up early the next morning to find them but they were gone! Absolutely gutted! Best gloves I ever had, and now the theme of many a good joke!

So there we have it. My first winter route of the 12/13 season was on top of my tick list. It was in horrific condition, with no frozen turf, soft sugary snow, no consolidation whatsoever and not a drop of ice to aid our ascent. But it was done. So can I therefore rest on my laurels, glad to have achieved my number one target? Can I buggery - the next outting is already in the pipe line!!!

Thanks lads for a trully memorable ascent - certainly my most challenging to date and one that will take a long time to forget!

25th May 2012 - Ledge Route and the CMD

Castle Ridge and the Castle

Looking up Number 5 Gully

Tower Ridge and North East Buttress in the distance

The CMD Arete with Carn Mor Dearg in the distance

Coire Leis and North East Buttress opening to the North Face

Panoramic view of the North Face in all its glory

A close up of Number 5 Gully, with Ledge Route clearly visible on the right

Leaving the north Face, a cloudless sky

Given the weather we have had recently, I was itching to get out and soak up some of the rays. Unfortunately last night on our way to Poll Dubh for a quick hit on the rock, we managed to get a puncture and so today I couldn't really travel far. Solution? A jaunt up Ledge Route and round and down the CMD. Parking at the North Face car park at Torlundy, I travelled light and fast, feeling the early morning sun begin to bite. Once I got up to the upper car park, and was out of the woodland shade, The heat really began to crank up, but I was revelling in it having been stuck in an office all week! I quickly made my way up to the CIC hut, and didn't even bother to stop for a breather before trooping up towards the bottle neck of Number 5 Gully. There was still a fair amount of snow spouting out of the gully, and I was a little apprehensive about travelling up it without an axe. I also had not been up Ledge Route since coming down it with Al Halewood back in August, so hoped the route finding would not be difficult.

Making my way up into Number 5, I was aware of some partially melted avalanche debris, and took a few minutes to look at the snow and make sure I was happy travelling up it. Given that a few days ago there was a lot of fresh avalanche debris witnessed during a rescue in Point 5 Gully, I didn't want to take any chances. Happy that I was not travelling very far into the gully, and that the pack was solid enough, I moved quickly up and across right to the foot of the starting slab of Ledge Route. I made my way up easily, enjoying the warm rock and the beating sun. The views began to open out as I got higher, giving superb views up to Tower Ridge and into the Douglas Gap, and out and over to the CMD. I eventually came to the highlight of the route, the Ledge, and took a moment to get some photos and grab a drink. Moving on, I soon found myself plodding onto the summit plateaux, perhaps a km from the summit itself.

I made my way up to the summit, somewhat surprised at how few people were actually up there given the droves I had seen heading up in recent days. The snow is still a few feet deep on the summit, wet and slippy, and I was glad that as I moved down towards the CMD arete the snow line came to an abrupt end. The arete was in glorious condition, with only a little cross wind cooling me down but not risking my balance. Again I opted to ignore the well worn path on the ridge, and stuck to the craggy rock line. The haul back up at the other end to Carn Mor Dearg was very hot, very sweaty and seemed to take ages. In reality it was very quick, and I was soon on my way down to join the North Face path and back towards the car park and the end of my day. All in all it took 5 hours 15 minutes which I think is a pretty respectable time.

I had a great day out on the hills again, hoping that this weather prevails over the weekend for the MRC of S Level 1 Rigging Course!