UKC

Heading along Carn Mor Dearg Arête tomorrow and wondering how steep the top of no4 is at the moment for descent? We'll only be taking one axe and no rope. Wondering whether it's relatively safe avalanche-wise too? Cheers for any info

In reply to benji:

have you're this?

http://www.sais.gov.uk/lochaber/

have u got a plan b descent route, ie via half way locHan?

Davey

In reply to Mountain Llama:

Yep that's the plan - just trying to save a walk over to have a look at no4 if it's very steep at the moment. Cheers

In reply to benji:

Am I missing something? Given the SAIS report, you are still going to go and have a look to see if it is safe to descend?

In reply to benji:

There is a case for saying Considerable = Normal since it is what you would expect in developed Scottish winter conditions in early March.

However, it does seem as though, having picked what is a safe route in the prevailing conditions, you plan to go out of your way to multiply the risks.

In reply to benji: We'll head down to halfway lochain - just wanted to get any first hand experience in case anyone has been out today. Have seen sais. Cheers

In reply to benji:
Avalanche aside it was a (short) ab on Sunday.

In reply to 9WS9c3jps92HFTEp:


Why not? Assuming the OP is competent in assessing conditions it is perfectly reasonable to go and have a look and make their own choice based on their own assessment and the conditions on the day. The SAIS report is for a large area and within that there will be variations so it is quite possible that No4 could be safe on a 'considerable' forecast day.

In reply to DaveHK:
I don't really see the SAIS forecast as forecasting a considerable day. Its considerable only for the aspects mentioned. Currently its considerable for a NE aspect which include number 4. So I wouldn't be heading down in to it to then decide part way down when its looking somewhat dodgy whether I should continue rather than head all the way back up.

In reply to benji:

Unless you're staying at the hut, the time-saving between the No.4 and Red Burn descents really isn't much. If there's even a suggestion of fresh snow and/or wind-loading in No.4 I choose the latter every time.

In reply to Jamie B:
I've found staying at Achintree that its actually really not that much slower to walk in that way than from the north face car park (and is certainly quicker than driving around) and is obviously an easier walk out especially if number 4 is looking to be dodgy and the bog is muddy and wet.