UKC

Hey friends, I’ve done a bit of mountain climbing and bouldering. Wondering about conditions on the CMD Arête in October. Appreciate the weather is notoriously changeable up there, but how likely is it that the arête will be snow-capped or icy? I’m not up for that!

Unlikely to be snow capped but definitely possible there'll be a dusting and possible icy patches. It might be a beautiful clear autumn day. But most likely it will be in the cloud and howling a damp gale. Check the mwis weather forecast in the three days before for a good idea of what you'll encounter

Scottish winter doesn’t really get properly started (apart from odd bursts) until January nowadays, so with the caveat of watching the Met and MWIS forecasts for a few days before you go, you can expect (probably damp and draughty) summer conditions. Take your big jacket!

For the less frequent hillwalker heading north(presumption) in October I'd say there is a far greater chance of low cloud, wind and rain than snow. Plus it's that time of year when it seems dark evenings sneek up on us quickly, especially if it's overcast. Start early with map, compass and head torch. 

it’s definitely possible to get snowy conditions in October.  The attached photo was taken on the 14th of October last year. Worth checking weather forecasts nearer the time, as others have said.

No real way of knowing until days before - unlikely to be snowy but definitely possible. I've done winter routes in Scotland in October, good skiing started that early a few years back, I've even done Crib Lem in good winter conditions in October - that's in Wales! So have some back up plans for other fun things to do in the area if you are booking a weekend in that area. 

Probably the best non-wintry mid-autumn day I've had in the hills was round the CMD arete and on to the Ben with a friend on 24 October 2007. Hundred-mile visibility, but also lots of drifty mist patches, so massive corridor views kept coming and going through the gaps, amazing stuff. That was pretty mild, and very non-snowy/icy, but it was an exceptional day in terms of conditions.

Was anyone else here out that day? It was one of those dreamlike days, another being the fabled - and very wintry - 29 December 1985, which Tom Weir (on Stob Ghabhar) reckoned was possibly the best Scottish winter's day he'd seen in terms of conditions. I was on the eastern Mamores and it was remarkable in terms of windless clarity - eg we got to Sgor Eilde Beag (the SE ridge of Binnein Mor) and could clearly hear people talking and laughing. This seemed odd as there was no one else around - then we realised they were on the summit of Sgurr Eilde Mor, the best part of a mile away. There was snow almost to road level, and it had been something like minus 15C at sea level the night before. The sharp down/up notch between the two summits of Na Gruagaichean was quite exciting. In almost 45 years of hillgoing that still feels like the best day I've had in terms of conditions - but the completely different 24 October 2007 ran it close.

Make sure your navigation and compass work is spot on.  You don’t want to be wandering about looking for the CMD Arête in bad visibility if the cloud obscures your route when you are on the Ben.

Better to do it then other way round I think. Navigation is simpler and it's great looking across to the Ben as you scramble along.

Yes, it feels a bit of a letdown going from the Ben.

Dave I was also out on 24 Oct 2007.

Went up Aonach Mor and Aonach Beag.

Diary entry reads:

Great day. Little or no wind. Fabulous cloud effects especially to S. Cloud billowing up and around Grey Corries and inversion with Schihallion and more distant hills above cloud. Hazy to W and N.

Missed out on the 29 Dec 1985 date.

Great stuff Jim. Amazing day, a real treat to be out. My Stirling pal Mike and I were with a Derbyshire friend (another Dave) who had climbed only a few if any Munros. He was toiling a bit so just went up and down the Ben - we left him halfway up and met him again on top after we'd gone round the arete. Not sure he ever quite realised just how exceptional the conditions were.

Maybe 29 December 2025 will be just as good - but then again maybe not!

PS - Saw your profile pic of your 1000th Munro - very good. I finished my round on my 1000th (which needed a bit of calculatory coordination) just six months earlier

It's a long slog up CMD itself, although that makes route finding relatively simple. Alternatively, you could go up Ledge Route and do Ben Nevis first.  The descent to the CMD arete is tricky route finding- although I guess you can't go wrong with an app these days!