UKC

Hello everyone.

Please be gentle, I am fairly new here.

I'm planning a purely walking trip up Ben Nevis via the Pony track next weekend.
We'll be assuming full winter conditions, so the team will be prepared accordingly.
(Crampons, ice axe, etc...)
I've also been monitoring the summit forecasts daily. This is helpful but only tells me half the story. I'm equally as interested in the current ground conditions on the Pony track and at the summit.

I've seen the recent post here about dangerous conditions on Ben Nevis, but if I'm reading that thread correctly it's aimed primarily at those climbers heading up the gullies, and is a warning about ice formation (or lack of it) for winter climbing. As opposed to walkers like me?

Has anyone been up (or down) via the Pony track recently, and if so, would you mind sharing your observations on the ground conditions please? EG Approximate depth of snow at summit, approximate height the snowline begins, hard neve or soft stuff? Any info would be much appreciated.

As I type this I'm thinking maybe I'm monitoring the wrong website, as I guess perhaps this is more appropriate for a hill walking forum than a climbing forum maybe?

Apologies in advance if this is inappropriate - Just let me know and I can remove.

Thanks,

Paul.

In reply to City-Worker-Fell-Runner:

No worries dude.

Welcome.

Might be worth trying the 'hill talk' forum under ukhillwalking.com (sister site)

Have a good trip!

BB

In reply to City-Worker-Fell-Runner:

I don't know how much snow there is at present, but it doesn't really matter. If you are going up the path, it's unlikely there will be any risk of avalanche. The avalanche forecast would also apply to the path but almost all of the path isn't steep enough to avalanche. Look at the aspect of slope on the avalanche forecast to see if your route is risky. What is much more dangerous is the weather for someone who doesn't realise how bad it can get on top. And how hard the navigation is in really bad weather.

In reply to bouldery bits:

Thanks BB, will do.

I have just seen the post from Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team about the 3 climbers avalanche today on the North Face:
https://facebook.com/126730547376157_1212658552116679
Good to see those involved were lucky.

Regarding our Pony Track, I had assumed the pony track was minimal avalanche risk, due to the (relatively) low gradient compared to skiing/climbing routes. Although it is still above 30 degrees gradient, so not ruling anything out.
I've also been keeping an eye on http://www.sais.gov.uk/lochaber/ which seems to show the west of the mountain at moderate risk.

Does anyone know if there is any history of avalanches on the Pony Track please?
Again - apologies if this is a silly question. (The only wrong question is the one that's not been asked)

Paul.

In reply to Andy Nisbet:

Thanks Andy, appreciate your comments.
Partially around the avalanche risk. I'll check out the gradient profile (from my previous trips) and compare it to the advice on the website above.

Regarding navigation, I have walked it (and run it!) multiple times previously. But all in moderate weather.
We will be well prepared for extreme weather (-17c wind chill and very high winds), with multiple forms of navigation (GPS maps, OS map/compass, Harvey Summit map with grid bearings for descent). And very aware of the need for accuracy to avoid North face and 5 finger gully cornices.

Paul.

In reply to City-Worker-Fell-Runner:

You should be fine. The Red Burn can avalanche, but you only have to cross it low down unless you get off route. Just don't push it if the weather is bad.

In reply to City-Worker-Fell-Runner:

Even experienced climbers can get lost up their in a windy white-out conditions. Its almost impossible to map read at times and really knowing well how to count a known number of paces on two seperate known bearings from a known position can become almost a necessity. Simply best avoided in snow and high wind. Best of luck on getting a good day... there are plenty.

In reply to Offwidth:

Martin Moran sums it up very nicely, ".....How simple they sound, yet within these figures lurk the countless ghosts of navigational nightmares past and present; of hours creeping on the corniced brink of the North-East face, or dicing with fate in the exit chutes of the Glen Nevis gullies. A thousand or more ice-plated heart stopping battles in the storm and dark have been fought on Britain's highest and most hallowed mountain-top, tales that would be worth the telling but are rarely put to print, for it takes a mighty pen to capture the Ben in merciless mood."