Climbed with Rich Gentry. Had quite a late start due to an iffy avalanche forecast. As we walked in we quickly realised it was going to be a stellar day and upped the pace! Got to the CIC hut and spent a while deliberating on route choice given what we had both done previously and the avalanche conditions. In the end decided on Point 5 (repeat for both of us) given how lovely a day it was.
Passed two teams on the walk in, a young teams of lads also heading up to Point 5 for their first grade V and an older pair of guys heading to Tower Scoop. We discussed the avalanche conditions with them and what we thought might be an iffy decision.
I led the first pitch of Point 5, aerated snow ice, good for feet, not too bad for axes but screws didn`t seem ideal. Placed a nut early on to protect the belay and arrived at the fixed belay station. The older pair had decided to follow us up Point 5, myself and Rich thought this an odd change of plan. Rich quickly came up to me and led up the Chimney pitch. We discussed the team behind and were concerned for their experience level. Eventually they started following up, by about the time Rich had passed the difficulties on his pitch the team behind us were just short of the belay on the final bulge with the younger team of boys 3rd in the queue.
Then an odd sound, I looked down and saw the climber just previously below me airborne, screws ripping out, nut ripping out, factor 2 on to the belay and riding the snow slope below! Amazingly picked himself up, unscathed other than a few bruises. Both teams behind retreated back to the CIC hut.
I took the Rogue Pitch (3rd), quite steep, screws poor but Rich had belayed a little lower than the start allowing me to clip a higher in situ belay for protection. Could belay immediately above. Continued up a little but to a peg, welded in a number 10 wire and rigged a new belay/abseil station. Rich came up to me and we stuck with our original plan of rapping the route rather than continuing on up.
Caught up with the guys who had taken the ride at the CIC hut, no injuries, just a bit shaken.
Area :
Ben Nevis and Carn Mor Dearg
Ben Nevis is certainly the biggest and most famous winter climbing ground in Scotland, with something for everyone from the debutante to the most experienced and skilled. The almost alpine grandeur of the north face can, in a good winter, transform into a world where climbable snow-ice forms at almost every angle. It provides climbs suitable for any stage of the winter, from early season snowed-up rock climbs to late season ice wall specials. Also included here are the small number of winter climbing opportunities on the neighbouring Carn Mor Dearg.
