Good Friday Climb (III, 150m), Ben Nevis, Scotland

22.4.18

Good Friday Climb (III, 150m), Ben Nevis, Scotland

A four day weekend meant a flying visit to Fort William and some winter routes on Ben Nevis.

The forecast for the Easter Bank holiday had predicted another “Beast from the East”. Although this was not to be of the same magnitude as this winters previous Easterly weather system – that bought minus 20 degrees even in Wales – it was to bring optimum conditions on The Ben. Ben Nevis being optimum anyway in late march early April as the winter thaw-freeze cycle consolidates the ice gullies.
We wasted no time! London to Carlisle Thursday night. Carlisle to Fort Bill Friday. Two days of climbing. Then a Monday 11.5 hour jaunt back to The Big Smoke!

A busy Observatory Gully

Our objective for the Saturday was Good Friday Climb (III, 150m). High up on Indicator Wall we new the climb would be in condition.

The route itself is three pitches. After a somewhat exposed and insecure traverse in on soft snow we find the first pitch banked out with snow. We solo this until a belay is found on some ice screws...

The approximate line.

The crux pitch was superb with a couple of steep moves on steep ice. Pitch three proved a terrifying ordeal bashing through an enormous summit cornice before belaying on the highest point in the British isles.

Belay 2

Huge cornice to get through

My cornice bite

Me at Belay 1

Tower Ridge from our route

Pilar at the summit

Day two turned out to be wall to wall sunshine and low temperatures. An Alpine like day that we had to make the most of. Despite being tired we figured Castle Ridge (III 4, 275m) would be a good choice. After all I'd done it before albeit in summer conditions. And it's easy too get to. It's practically the first route you come to on the walk in.

Stunning blue sky day

It wasn't the most professional of starts - Dashed to the North Face car park, dashed back to pick up forgotten helmet, dashed back again. Hiked in. Slogged up the approach gully (no 5 gulley). Dropped a rucksack (that emptied its contents as it slid back down). Then dropped a glove that also helpfully slid off into the distance. Still we persevered and eventually got on the route by mid morning!

Scotland or the Alps - Me in no5 gully moving quick to the ridge

Approaching the rock section

The route waves its way up the ridge with two distinct cruxes (at least I think). The first an icy groove. In the rapidly thawing conditions we climbed it I thought it was quite tricky. The second a pure rock climb. It'd make sense to actually de-crampon for this in the conditions we did it in. We didn't. And it was tricky climbing for a couple of moves.