UKC

Hi, thinking of heading to Ben this weekend as it looks cold and snowy. Anyone know if any routes are still in condition (up to grade 4)
Thanks

In reply to nigel pearson:

I expect comb and green gullies will be complete still (both grade IV). all the big grade 1 and 2 snow gullies will be full, just watch out for skiers! tower ridge is in alpine nick, though it might be a bit windy! tower scoop (III) is still fat. hadrians, point 5 and smiths are likely still complete (V). I expect other high up snow ice routes to be in ok nick this weekend as well.

(caveat - I don't know what todays rain will have done though...)

In reply to Webster:
Thanks for the info

In reply to nigel pearson:

Would be really interested to hear what its like at the moment, might be able to pop up next week some time.

In reply to nigel pearson:

http://www.abacusmountaineering.com/currentconditions.html

In reply to Joe Barlow:

We were going to go today but decided against it with the forecast of thunder and lightning. We didn't think the summit plateau would be a good place to be in a thunderstorm.

In reply to nigel pearson:

Would it not have been crazy windy too ?

In reply to nigel pearson:

Think I might pay it a visit this thursday, anyone know what indicator wall looks like? If not we will just do tower scoop.
Cheers
Joe

In reply to Joe Barlow:

We were avalanched today in Obsevarory Gully just left of Tower Scoop.

Graeme.

Green Gully good condition on Saturday. We bailed after a few pitches because of some of the most consistent spindrift river down the gully I've ever found. Hard to stay standing at some points. Soft slab building on the apron below and tons of graupel around.

In reply to Robertobob:

Ouch. All ok?

In reply to nigel pearson:

green gully was fantastic today, approach slopes were really stable firm neve, ice was fat and neve was rock solid on flatter sections. tons of fresh snow fallen today and continuing to fall overnight but not much wind so minimal drifting and slab build up.

there is still plenty more to go at as well from the limited views we had

In reply to nigel pearson:

Loads of wet snow all around the mountain, multiple wet sluffs were coming down today. The ice still looked to be holding in from what we could see (from Ledge Route). So i suspect routes will be holding in up high, just care needed getting up to them.
http://guysteven.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/ben-nevisstill-winter.html

In reply to highclimbingguy:

It's meant to be raining all day today at all levels...

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

and then colder again...i expect the likes of green and point 5 to be good on sunday, and the rain should get rid of some of the unstable snow!

In reply to Webster:

Saturday looks good at the moment on MWIS. What forecast are you looking at for Sunday?

In reply to NottsRich:

http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Nevis-Range/6day/top

sat may be fine as well, personally i would wait till the freezing level drops again after all this rain. its around 1000m on sun according to the above

In reply to NottsRich:

based on mwis sat morning could be good...

In reply to Webster:

We climbed Indicator Wall earlier today with excellent ice ( if slightly hollow in places) and good ice screw protection. another party headed up for Smiths and a party was on Green Gully. Point Five is now incomplete, Hadrians still there but thin at the bottom, plenty of ice on the left wall of Gardyloo but not sure if it was complete to the summit. Plenty of recent Avalanche activity with the lower section of Observatory comprising multiple avalanche cones

In reply to Al Todd:

everything gone i presume

In reply to stuart58:

i presume not

In reply to Webster:

Green Gully good on Sat. I doubt it's gone yet, although it was thin/holey in places, which for me actually made it more enjoyable. Certainly the easier gullies will be complete for a long time to come.

In reply to NottsRich:

However you can get large cavities under the upper ice on the easier gullies (or also crevasses) once they really start to thaw for an extended period and as such are not really recommended.