UKC

Hi,
just wanted to see if folk know what the conditions are like at the minute and carrying on toward the weekend.
Was there in march after the big thaw but how are things after the recent snowfall?
Cheers

In reply to Howdawg:

queue the crystal ball...

as for right now this may help a bit http://www.visitfortwilliam.co.uk/about-ben-nevis-in-fort-william-and-ben-n...

In reply to Howdawg:

Hey dude, just spent 3 days climbing on the ben.

Conditions are not ideal but they are pretty good for this time of year. The point 5 area is pretty well iced up but thin in places. Most of the climbs higher up like Smiths, Tower scoop and routes on indicator wall are in better nick. The higher you go the more ice you will find as most of it has melted lower down now.

However be careful about approaching the routes high up if you follow the gullies because they are starting to get quite wet and mushy. Snow layers on top are getting pretty weak so you will see signs of avalanches when walking in so stick near to the edge of the rock!!

In reply to Michael Morrell:

Wet and mushy sounds good if it's going to freeze down. How did Zero look?

Cheers,

NMM

In reply to Northern Mountain Monkey:

Zero is not in last time I looked unfortunately :/ Point 5 is pretty fat but a little banked out with snow fall!

In reply to Michael Morrell:

Zero was logged as soloed today.

In reply to Jamie B:

You could give it a try! I know another team that was staying in the CIC hut did point five

In reply to Michael Morrell:

You're alright, I'm trying to get into spring/summer mode now!

In reply to Howdawg:

after recommendations for say Monday Tuesday next week (25th, 26th) easy ish grades. Thoughts are Good Friday, Tower scoop, Gardyloo Gully, Glovers Chimney (are ab stations still in it?), Number 2 Gully or buttress, Reaburns Easy route, Number 3 Gully Buttress. Basically this is a blatant , if your up could you have a look fish.. thanks to one and all!
Plus any advice on recomendened time to be at foot of route..9 am? Time to be off North face..and any general advice
again thanks to one and all

In reply to midweekjolly2:

I'd say it's worth a look. I haven't winter climbed for weeks so I don't really know. But based on the forecast, yes, and you won't even need to start early.

In reply to midweekjolly2:

Definitely worth a go. It's freezing for the weekend so looks good. Tower Scoop and Indicator RH were both good a few days ago, and I'm almost certain they'll stay good for at least this weekend. Based on that I'd expect Good Friday to be in as well.

In reply to Howdawg:
Climbed Pt 5 on Sunday and its still in good nick; banked at the base but good placements on the way up if ice a little cruddy for screws - take some longer ones?? Smiths, Indicator, Sickle all climbed. Hadrian still looked in and with the freeze coming this weekend, I'd be surprised if many higher routes are not still in.
Still plenty snow in Corrie na Ciste and Obs Gully, tho big graupel dump on Sunday so avalanche threat might remain high if more snow keeps falling.

In reply to craig.coid:
We climbed point five yesterday good condition still looking very winter , start early as sun was melting of some ice higher up on right and dropping it down gully like heavy spindrift with chunks

In reply to Howdawg:

i climbed p5, smiths & observatory buttress on tuesday. P5 & smiths were fat and I would expect them to be excellent again this w/e. as it was warming up anything below 1050m and the ice was variable (start of observatory buttress included). with the colder spell forecast (freezing down to 600m) a lot more routes should come in to condition as some like sickle, hadrians etc just seem to need a good freeze as the ice is there. was also on indicator wall sun&mon with great climbing to be had there & first time placements all the way. would expect that to be much the same this w/e.

i would defo be goin up for a look around this w/e if it was possible

In reply to Howdawg:

Hi
Some pictures and thoughts for this wekend here.
Should be good
http://www.mountainmotion.co.uk/blog/winter-climbing-not-yet-finished-ben-n...

In reply to Howdawg:

Point 5 still in great nick sat 31st april. Head just right of the rock outcrop at the top for the cornice exit.