UKC

Climbed Stairway to Heaven yesterday, good route and good condition. Thinking about West Butress tomorrow, any info on this route? Was out on the Ben, Saturday, very quiet, nothing much doing at all.

In reply to Jaylaz: It's a good route. The crux is on pitch 2 and is quite steep for grade III. The top pitch is also fun but easier.

In reply to LakesWinter:

Ditto, though the crux is short-lived. There's also an area of easy broken ground after the crux where the way isn't entirely clear. Trend left from memory. Take plenty of turf gear.

In reply to Jaylaz:

I'd say that Stairway is at the bottom of the grade and West Buttress is at the top, indeed may merit an upgrade.

In reply to Jamie B: I did an early ascent of West Buttress, well before it was in any guidebook & for a while thought we'd gone of route as the there was a short section which seemed very hard for III. But when it appeared in a guide it seemed we had climbed at least the first half of the route but think we went somewhere else higher up.

I was also on the FA of Stairway (same winter I think ) which was pretty much the easiest way up the buttress on day of poor weather - I remember most beng very easy - could well be II

In reply to Jaylaz: turf has been hacked out of the crux.. and that was about 10 years ago, so guess it is even worse now, v bold and v technical for a about 2metres, rest of route grade II romp. poor route and has been over hyped since the 90s

In reply to Erik B: was referring to west buttress

In reply to Erik B: Agree about the hype. Was disappointed when I did it after so much chat about it.

In reply to everyone:
I climbed stairway with jaylaz on Sunday, didn't climb west butress today, in fact we didn't get out due to wind/weather/conditions. West butress was just a consideration as something that gets us out climbing. Any other 'poor conditions' routes welcome for tomorrow when weather seems a little better.

In reply to Alan.T:
Think we might give beinn udlaidh a try