Tower Ridge

Dinner-time Buttress

Date: 21/02/2011
Area: Glen Coe, Scotland
Maps Used: OS Sheet 41
Weather: Misty, dry, strong winds, 1ft+ of snow

The dinner-time buttress is an easy grade II route on the west face of Aonach Dubh in Glen Coe. Actually this is most likely the easier route on the west face, which has some other quite interesting routes up to Stob Coire nan Lochan if somebody is looking for a long and challenging day (look for number three, four, five and six gullies). We started from just after the bridge at NN138567, walking towards the house (to the right of it) and then following south-southeast along the stream for about 300m. Eventually the way up the buttress becomes obvious, with the watercourse that forms number 2 gully growing deeper on your right. There's a section involving some scrambling over rocky terrain, and then we opted for a short chimney which required a proper pitch. After that is all easy scrambling towards the north shoulder of Stob Coire nan Lochan. We descended northeast via Coire nan Lochan and eventually took a lift back to the car.

Duration: 4 hours
Distance: 4.5km
Total Ascent: 900m

Ledge Route

Date: 20/02/2011
Area: Ben Nevis, Scotland
Maps Used: OS Sheet 41
Weather: Cloudy, 1ft+ of snow

The Ledge Route is probably the best grade II climb on the north face of Ben Nevis. It is accessible and yet interesting. Luckily this time we managed to park at the upper car park, saving us the steep half-hour climb from the north face car park. From the upper car park, followed the track up to the CIC hut. From there, climbed up to the bottom of Number Five Gully. Eventually veered right via a ramp that leads out of the mountain onto an almost horizontal ledge. This is usually where the first belay is protected. From here climbed leftwards up a gully until a snow platform is reached, where the second belay is usually secured. The climb from here onwards is easier, over the buttress and onto the ridge that leads to Carn Dearg (1,221m). From here we thought of continuing to the top of the Ben, but it was bizarrely windy up there - and visibility quickly became poor. So we took our compass bearing towards the Red Burn and descended the easy route back towards the car park.

Duration: 6 hours
Distance: 11km
Total Ascent: 971m

The Zig-Zags

Date: 19/02/2011
Area: Glen Coe, Scotland
Maps Used: OS Sheet 41
Weather: Misty, light drizzle at times, 1ft+ of snow

The idea this time was to climb in the Glen Coe area, so we headed to a route up Gearr Aonach via an easy route called the "Zig-Zags". Started from the car park at NN168569, then climbed southeast towards the waterfall. From around NN173562, turned southwest until finding the beginning of the track. From the end of the track, it's a 3-pitch grade I climb with great views of Glen Coe. After reaching the summit of Gearr Aonach (692m), continued southwest towards the three-lake plateau. Descended via the Coire nan Lochan.

Duration: 5 hours
Distance: 6km
Total Ascent: 790m

Aonach Mor

Date: 18/02/2011
Area: Aonach Mor, Scotland
Maps Used: OS Sheet 41
Weather: Misty / whiteout at the top, 1ft+ of snow

Just like the previous year, we started our winter climbs in Scotland with some steep climbing training in Aonach Mor (the east face is usually good for that, plenty of snow). Started from the Ski lift and then walked east and around the spur that leads south to Aonach Mor, slowly climbing it via the east face where it's steep. After reaching the top at 1,221m descended towards the north back to the Ski station for a cup of coffee and some cake.

Duration: 3 hours
Distance: 6km
Total Ascent: 570m

Stob Ban

Date: 21/02/2010
Area: Stob Ban, Scotland
Maps used: OS Sheet 41
Weather: Very cold, sunny all the time, 0.5ft+ of snow

Route Description: Started from the car park up on Glen Nevis (NN146684). From the car park, followed a route directly south, climbing the spur that leads to Stob Ban (note this is not the track present in the OS map, which leads slightly southeast). We've climbed directly from the north spur that extends for over a kilometer all the way down, but there are numerous and more interesting routes if you are coming from the northeast face. After reaching the summit at 999m (after some simple scrambling), we descended to a col at NN146658 and then proceeded west along the ridge that winds southwest to a 917m summit (NN131655) and then northwest to Mullach nan Coirean (939m). Continued descending along the spur to the north and then turned northeast towards the forest, eventually joining the forest track that leads back to the road and to the car park. This is a great horseshoe climb, with stunning views of Ben Nevis on a bright day.

Duration: 7 hours
Distance: 10.5km
Total Ascent: 1,075m

Ben Nevis

Date: 20/02/2010
Area: Ben Nevis, Scotland
Maps used: OS Sheet 41
Weather: Very cold, sunny and bright all the time, 1.5ft+ of snow

Route Description: Started early on from the north face car park at NN145765. The forest track from the car park is steep and tough, but after about half an hour you are out of the woods and at the upper car park where crossing the fence gets you to the start of the CIC hut track (NN149750). Walked all the way up to the CIC hut. From here there are numerous routes up Ben Nevis - the north face is like a climbing playground.  It was my first time here and I wanted to get to the top, so went with the easy route up Core Leis. So from the CIC hut continued southeast towards the col more or less at NN175714. The last section up the coire probably involves some grade I climbing - we went for a tiny gully which was covered in rock-hard ice, so in fairness probably some grade II. From the col, turned right towards the summit of Ben Nevis. This was easy going up as the weather was bright and one could see everything, but this can be dangerous terrain in whiteout conditions - watch out for the cliffs to the north. Got to the summit and then descended towards the famous Red Burn track, the easiest way out of Ben Nevis (in good visibility - look for the classic bearings in case of poor visibility). Descended clockwise along the mountain until joining the CIC hut track once more, then back to the car park.

Duration: 8 hours
Distance: 15km
Total Ascent: 1,294m

Stob Coire nan Lochan

Date: 19/02/2010
Area: Stob Coire nan Lochan, Scotland
Maps used: OS Sheet 41
Weather: Very cold, sunny most of the time, 1ft+ of snow

Route Description: Started from the car park below the Three Sisters in Glen Coe (NN168569). Followed the trail up Coire Nan Lochan (southwest), which was very icy from as low as 500m. About 250m before reaching the three lakes in the plateau, took a left turn (south) towards the east ridge of Stob Coire nan Lochan. Climbed the ridge from east to west until reaching the summit at 1,115m. Descended via the other side, moving northwest and then north, clockwise along the winding west ridge, until reaching the three lakes plateau again. Descended back to the car park via the Coire nan Lochan trail.

This is an easy climb but still very pleasant. I would like to go back and attempt some of the classic routes on the north face of Stob Coire nan Lochan, like Boomerang Gully, Twisting Gully or SC Gully (see "Winter Climbs Ben Nevis and Glen Coe", from Cicerone).

Duration: 6 hours
Distance: 7.8km
Total Ascent: 915m

Aonach Mor

This was my first time climbing in Scotland, so I was very excited about it. Luckily enough, the weather was fantastic for the entire week, with loads of snow from low altitudes. Had a great time climbing some of the classic Scottish routes.
 
Date: 18/02/2010
Area: Aonach Mor, Scotland
Maps used: OS Sheet 41
Weather: Very cold, sunny most of the time, with low clouds near the top, 1ft+ of snow

Route Description: Started from the Ski Centre car park (NN172773). Took the first gondola up (650m) and then headed east for about 1km. Took a right turn (south) after that and started climbing towards Aonach an Nid. Headed south-southwest climbing up towards Aonach Mor until about NN192740 (1190m). Turned right and started descending clockwise around the ski slopes until getting to the gondola station. Got the lift back down to the valley.

Duration: 3 hours
Distance: 5km
Total Ascent: 540m