UKC

Rope length for Ordinary Route up East Buttress, Beinn Eighe. Will a 50 metre single do? Anyone been up this before have any tips on the best approach route to the climb? Thank you

I'm sure a 50m rope would be fine - there are plenty of ledges with options to belay. It's a great route, though there are a quite a few large detached blocks on it - test stuff before you pull to hard on it! The approach along the big ledge is a walk, but very exposed at one point. The routes on the lower tier are harder and likely to be wet/dirty. 

If you are carrying sacks, the best descent option is probably to follow the ridge towards Spidean Coire nan Clach to the top of the first rise beyond the col, down a grassy rake into Coire nan Clach, followed by a fairly direct line to cross the burn and meet path about 1km from the road. This avoids any steep ground or scree.   

What would be your concern about using a 50m rope? They were pretty much the standard length for decades and many people continue to use them for trad albeit more commonly doubles than singles.

The best approach is to walk round into Coire Mhic Fhearchair as that gives great views of the route.

Thanks Mark. All sounds good 👍🙂

Thanks Dave. We will approach from Coire Mhic Fhearchair - looks really good. We have a 40 metre rope as well. Kind of hoping that would suffice for weight saving.

It would be fine, it's basically a scramble with a few steeper bits but you could belay pretty much anywhere.

Cheers 👍🙂