UKC

Last winter I did a couple grade II routes on Ben Nevis but found them quite straight forward to be completely honest I comfortably soloed them. Does anyone have any suggestions on what Grade III routes would be a solid next step forward (I will be doing them with a partner, not soloing) I have a decent rope work skill set and my winter knowledge is okay I'm just looking to gain more experience while still challenging myself further.

Twisting Gully in Glencoe is really good I think. Good Friday Climb on The Ben.

In reply to Jackspratt:

Thanks very much I'm midway through planning a couple of trips north this winter so thanks for the info.

In reply to Jackspratt:

For a pure ice route red gully on the North face of Sgor na h-Ulaidh in Glencoe is a great day out. A bit away from most of the honeypots, good rock belays and reasonable rock protection although youll probably need some screws as runners.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=183223

Milesy is spot on with twisting gully-great route. Good friday is also great but there is a traverse into it and a traverse on it. Also the belay opportunities at the start of the crux traverse pitch were crap both times I did it.

For a mixed kind of Alpine feel but not as big as Tower ridge- SSE ridge on the cobbler, Arrochar (free abseil at the end)

Also, if its been really cold for a week-frozen waterfalls:

1)Eagle falls by the drovers inn at Inverearnan, Loch Lomond. 15 Minute walk in and you can view conditions from the road- beware of the sinister stuffed bear if you go in to the Drovers for a pint after. I have a picture of a mate being "compromised" by this bear-very immature.

2)Eas Anie, Ben Chuirn (near Tyndrum and Ben Lui). I've done the grade IV version of this on the left and not the Grade 3 on the right but it looked really nice and the start is the same.

For Cairngorm mixed moving the technical grade up a little III4 Invernookie in Sneachda is really good and well protected.

Sidewinder in Coire an Lochain is absolutely fantastic. Great Climbing and it takes you through some really cool situations weaving round some of the steeper routes.


hope that helps

Jon

In reply to Jackspratt:
My first Grade III was Castle Ridge on the Ben--a good choice when in condition, as the difficulties are short-lived but deserve the grade. A fantastic mountaineering route.

In reply to Jon Wylie:

Yeah Eagle falls are a great wee day out. Done it Christmas Eve 2010. Would be nice to get it done again this year if there is a good freeze.

Would love to do Eas Anie. Has there been any more info about what is happening with it in regard to the mines now? I don't think it has came in properly since they started again.

In reply to Milesy:

I didnt know the mines had affected it. I did it a couple of years back on a day when the mountains were pretty shady avalanche wise, great relatively safe option on the day. Ben Lui-central gully looked like death on a stick that day! I'm keen to go and do it with the dog on a safer day.

Blue Ribband also looks good if it get really cold.

Give us a shout if your partnerless over the winter at any point Chris. Yet to meet up but I'm always keen to get out.

Jon

Shall do. I am very keen this winter. Didn't get much done last winter due to home stuff and this summer has been quiet cause the mrs was pregnant. But baby is here and I have plenty of free passes - the mrs is away doing wumman stuff with the baby at weekends etc

In reply to Jackspratt: Taxus is tremendous.sidewinder as mentioned previously is hard for the grade if lean, and hard moves even if not lean

In reply to Jon Wylie: Forked gully (gives you a grade II bailout if you don't like the look of the III option) and SC gully Stob Coire Nan Lochain, Left Twin Aonach Mor, Curved Ridge has a tech 3 section at the start, West Gully and Quartzvein Scoop (if well formed) on Beinn Udlaidh, B gulley chimney Coire Fee.

Yeah I had great fun on Taxus actually and we had solitude the full day. Didn't see a single party the full day on anything. West gully was almost completely bare as we headed up and feared the worst but the ice pitches were absolotely stonking and the gully had plenty neve.

In reply to Milesy: you got taxus at its best then, have done it a good few times in varying conditions, best was as similar to your desciption.. water ice at back of grooves on steepenings and neve for the rest..nice

In reply to Only a hill: Castle ridge, second that suggestion. Good for a decent route on the ben but a compartivly short day as you sort of finish near the zig zags. Tower ridge of course is fantastic and the climbing is only a III, long day though especially if crowed on a weekend. Another short day is curved ridge on the boookle, good gear all the way and moving over mainly rock. The descent has seen tragady over the years though, not a place to be if there is an avalance risk.

In reply to blanchie14c: I reckon curved ridge is much harder and more serious than tower ridge..

In reply to Erik B: Yes maybe so, conditions dependant maybe? It't been lean the 2 times I've done it so gear placements easy to find, likewise with tool slots. It'd certainly steeper than 99% of TR but has never felt ballsy

In reply to Only a hill:

I'd say Castle Ridge was III,4 for the crux.

In reply to Erik B:


Can see why you might say that, in scratchy powdery nick it can be quite technical for the grade, and then you have the potential for avalanche oblivion on the approach and exit. But on a sunny day with consolidated neve it's a romp, and a much shorter one than TR without the same scope for bottle-necks.

PS - may or may not have done one of your routes on Dothaidh, have messaged you.

In reply to Jamie Bankhead:

Quite possibly--felt hard for a few moves, but then again I'm crap at mixed climbing so a bad judge of whether something is tech 3 or 4!

In reply to Only a hill:

Also when we did Castle Ridge together the crux was in quite easy nick, at least compared to when I soloed it last winter. Although that was after a storm and the crux was very icy.

In reply to JamesRoddie: Just did castle on Friday, although it's steep I think III 3 is right as there are bomb proof hooks all the way up the crux sections. having said that I'm glad it wasn't my first grade III. The cruxes are pleasantly loaded with gear as well. Frozen turf on the lower crux and ice on the top would definitely have made it easier.