UKC

I'm looking forward to a trip to Glen Coe later in the month and wondered if anyone had any good suggestions for Grade I and II routes in the area. I've led up to grade III before, but with more experienced/confident partners; this time I'll be there with someone less confident. We might find, after a day or two, we have the confidence to get onto Grade IIIs, but we might not. I realise what is good will depend on conditions (and they're basically nonexistent in Glen Coe at the moment, from what I understand), but it'd be great to get some good options together to have ideas to play with.

So far, I have on my list:

Ledge Route
Castle Ridge (possibly low-end grade III?)
Raeburn's Easy Route
Curved Ridge (done previously)
Dinnertime Buttress
Boomerang Gully, Dorsal Arete, NC Gully
Golden Oldy
Sron na Lairig (done previously)
East Ridge of the North Buttress of Stob Ban
Northeast Ridge of Stob Coire Sgreamach via Beinn Fhada
Aonach Eagach

There are some gullies on the list, but they often seem the most conditions dependent, in my mind, whereas easy buttresses and ridges might go in more variable conditions. Any comments or further ideas appreciated.

Ta like!
 

I'm sure you know all this, but some of those routes are really long and will often be soloed, or mainly soloed, so can turn into epics quite easily. While there will be some grade IIIs which, while more technical, will have loads of gear and belay opportunities and may well be a much more enjoyable day out? Or at least, do a big scrambly ridgeline one day, then go try something shorter and techy the next day. I want to recommend something like  North Buttress - West Route (Winter) (IV 4), although that's IV,4 so a bit more than you want, but I bet you'd love it and cruise it. It's got great gear the whole way and loads of places to belay on spikes and the like. I'm sure the regulars can think of similar routes at say III,4 - good gear, good belays, where you can actually do some climbing and enjoy that not feeling terrified all the time, because you've got a hex or a good nut down by your waist! 

A few good ones in there too, Castle Ridge is the one I would like to do most, much shorter than Tower Ridge, also a 3, but much more commitment required.

You could also give Ben Lui a look, a very easy grade 1 to get you off and build up your confidence.

There is also twisting gully in Glencoe.

Taxus on Beinn an Dodaith Bridge of Orchy, west buttress same munro.

The traverse of the CMD arete on the Ben us a good day, so you could go up Ledge route, traverse the arete in a nice circuitous route.

Also Nutcracker and Sunshine Gully, 2 others in Glencoe.

Ta Toby! Yes, I'm aware that something like the Aonach Eagach really requires you to move efficiently (i.e only deploying a rope for a few sections if necessary). Maybe you're right, and after a couple of days of refinding our groove, we'll be keen for technical grade 4! On the other hand, it'll be good to regain confidence first: I've not used a crampon since 2020, due to the pandemic + work + a balmy 2021 winter featuring more rock than ice; my partner hasn't been in crampons since 2019! Thanks for the comments

Castle Ridge: not low III. The 2 cruxes often feel as hard as anything on Tower Ridge and its position on Ben Nevis means it catches the westerlies making condition very variable (tough under fresh snow with no build up).

E R of N B of Stob Ban. A fine wee mountaineering route mostly I/II but with one tower turned by a corner to the left that is top end II or short move of III. Good for a stormy day as you climb in the shelter. About 50m of Grade I rocky stuff to down climb in descent.

Raeburn's Easy. In the lean winter we've had so far this has been reliably in condition but its a big day if you re pitching the whole way. Take ice screws.

Aonach  Eagach. Another big day. Under firm neve can feel easier than summer. Under deep powder with no trail its endless. Not one for a storm day!

No.2 Gully on Ben Nevis? Reliable this year thus far. 

Here's hoping we get some build up before you come as other than the Ben Nevis routes the rest of what is on your list has hardly been in condition at all this year.

A few suggestions from my logbook, some Glencoe, some Nevis area

Broad Gully (I)

Zig Zags (Winter) (I)

North Ridge (I)

The Devil's Ridge (I)

The Web (III)

Bob Run (II)

Too late to edit my previous post, apologies, just realised you're going soon. I guess the Zig Zags may not be in condition, but it was a great day to go up that followed by Broad Gully to top of Stob Coire nan Lochan and back down one of its ridges. Easy grade fun.

Thanks very much for the comments and local knowledge - it's much appreciated!

Thanks for the suggestions The Web looks good, though I'm doubtful that, in the Feb half term when I go, the ice will be as thick as it is in some of the UKC photos!

Ok so bare in mind it’s all so conditions dependent. Curved ridge in neve is probably a breeze but when I did it under powder conditions it was a very long day out and harder than many III’s, equally gullies can be bomber or very avalanche prone with large unstable cornices. 

I sort of agree with Toby you may be better on safer shorter grade III ground than longer grade twos death roped together. I’d probably work up to tech 4 though and not jump straight on it. I’d avoid aonach eagach and castle ridge most likely.  Don’t under estimate grade IV it can be a fair amount harder.

Good Friday climb and number three gully buttress aren’t too hard for grade III and can have fairly good belays and gear. North gully and south gully on the Ben are fine at the grade too in good nick.

Ledge route has a lot of running belays and is straight forward in good nick, so even though its long moving together can be reasonably well protected. It's also my memory climbing Western Rib, which is near golden oldy (the later I have not done).

One thing about the routes on the ben is the long knackering approach and descent. There’s only so many days per week most people can handle doing that. Glencoe it’s self isn’t as reliable as the Ben, SCNL is the most reliable venue. You could consider driving aviemore direction for an easier walk-in and a greater selection of reasonably protected routes that tend to be in condition, at the sort of grades your looking at. 

Aonach Mor ofc is an easier walkin what with the Gondola and Chair lift but the East face can be avalanche prone so keep an eye on SAIS. Siamese Buttress may suit.

The other issue with Aonach Mor East face is the tendency for huge sometimes unstable cornices.

Schoolhouse ridge (II) in ballachulish is nice and straightforward. From there it’s a fairly quick straightforward descent down a wide spur, or if the weather and conditions are good you can continue to do the full ballachulish horseshoe 

Dinnertime Buttress (II) is not that good a route - apart from one pitch it is mainly steep walking. It's a useful option if you are short of time or if everything is buried under deep powder (though note that the upper bowl is not immune from avalanche risk), but I would not seek it out specially. 

Tower Ridge is Grade IV.

Most of these are good, sensible choices. Aonach Eagach is long, though and either best soloed or moved together (which can be tricky if you haven't done it). Also, we probably got ideal conditions - neve on N side, great sheets of ice on S and Alpine sunny weather. Great fun, but unlikely to be in such condition at the mo.

I would be a bit wary about Golden Oldy, though - it could be somewhat conditions-dependent or simply undergraded. When I did it, I was quite experienced (leading consistent IV at the time) and I thought the first pitch was hard (and unnervingly poorly protected) III. We only just caught the gondola - something worth considering here. Forgotten Twin at genuine pleasant II (with a great fun III optional ice pitch at the start) may be a better option on Aonach Mor (although note correct previous comments about E face).

Thanks all! I'm reading and appreciating all the advice and route suggestions

I second what AIH said, Castle Ridge (III) is not really an easy 3. I'd done loads of IVs and some Vs when i did it and found it tricky

Dorsal Arête (Winter) (II) is a nice easy II - recommended.

Also Taxus (III) and Twisting Gully (III 4) are classics at grade 3 and not too ridiculous iirc

Dorsal Arete is a good shout so long as you don't mind a steep walk in and out.  It can be made Grade 3 by sticking to the arete all the way.  Aonach Eagach is the Classic and will go whatever the conditions.  Difficult to get lost too as it's a ridge although depending on conditions and experience an abseil or two might be required if the party are not happy downclimbing a couple of the steeper sections.

Crux of all the routes on the west face of Aonach Mor is locating the start of them! But good choice if there’s been consistent westerlies.

We did find the route OK. Even taking the line of least resistance, it felt like hard, unnerving III.

How about Central Gulley on Bidean. Interesting approach with views of Church Door Buttress, nice plod, couple of ice steps if not banked out, atmospheric - exits directly onto the fine top of Bidean.

Good write up by tweed botherer Alex Roddie here: https://www.alexroddie.com/2012/11/the-central-gully-of-bidean-nam-bian.htm...

Thanks! Yes, I've already done Twisting Gully - though in lean conditions, meaning that it felt a bit desperate getting past the  boulder/chimney on p2. Lots of snow coming in today... hoping it marks the start of conditions developing.

Thanks for this! Yes, actually, I think I've highlighted that in the guidebook. I'll take a look at AR's write up

Thinking about it....

One of the problems with Aonach Mor West face is that its facing west Warm afternoon sun and the routes starting quite low down really. Many of the first pitches being quite steep to start on turf that may not be in great nick and hard to protect for the grade.

Higher up we placed at least one warthog on Western Rib. Me and my partner were both solid IV at the time so it felt easy and we didn't pitch that much.

I think those West face routes routes could be straying into the long routes that require a fair amount of moving fast, death roping / soloing without gear in sort of territory if you plan on getting the gondola both ways. Plus if you mess up and miss the gondola it's a killer of a walk out (been there done that), especially as typically (for me atleast) an aonach mor day is chosen as an easy day as you are already knackered from the day before.

The climbers Gondola leaves an hour before it opens for skiers IIRC but its still quite late in the grand scheme of a day winter mountaineering (its 8am isn't it?) and the last one back down is quite early as its just when the skiers finish. It's still a proper walk in to the start of the routes on the W face too even if it is quite short by Scottish standards.