Tower Scoop & Gardyloo Gully

Thin ice on Tower Scoop (III)

Entering the tunnel under the chockstone in Gardyloo Gully (II)

The current exit from the Gardyloo Gully tunnel

Rime forming down as low as the exit to No 4 Gully

Good Friday Climb

Tower Ridge rising out of the cloud

A very similar forecast to yesterday meant there was only one option for today - back up the Ben looking for ice. We joined a long crocodile of folk heading up in to Observatory Gully including a large group on their MIC assessment, all looking for grade III ground. There was far less rock and ice fall today and as the teams headed for various options we found ourselves behind one other group at the foot of Good Friday Climb (III). We'd seen a team make an ascent yesterday from our viewpoint on Tower Ridge and today we found thin but good conditions on a great little climb that brings you out directly on the summit. Other climbers were on Gardyloo gully (II), Smith's Route (V), Tower Gully (I), Upper Tower Cascades (III), Tower Scoop (III) and Tower Ridge (IV) and amongst the walkers on the summit there were the usual jeans and trainers!

This week I'm working for Adventure Peaks on a guided winter climbing course

Simon enjoying good ice on Good Friday Climb (III)

Final few meters of Good Friday Climb and a group topping out on Tower Ridge

The top! - just a few meters from the trig point

Cloud inversion over Loch Linnhe

Cloud inversion on Tower Ridge

Indicator Wall with a wee bit of ice still hanging in there

This week I'm working for Adventure Peaks on a guided winter climbing course. With the promise of a cloud inversion we got the week off to a good start with an ascent of the classic Tower Ridge (IV 3). Winter arrived a the foot of the Great Tower where we put crampons on to enjoy the solid neve and dry rock which gave an alpine feel to the top half of the route. We'd climbed out of the cloud on the Little Tower and were able to enjoy a number of fog bows and brocken spectras before traipsing round to the summit in the sun. After a stunning sunset a quick descent down No 4 gully took us back into the gloom and the surprising sight of a gentleman with a monster rucksack walking into the CIC Hut in his big boots and boxer shorts!

A fog bow or white rainbow

A team on Good Friday Climb (III)

Climbing in to the sun on the Great Tower

A Glory, Brocken Spectra & Fog Bow from Tower Ridge

On top of the Great Tower

A team topping out on Comb Gully Buttress

The final gully on to the plateau

Pulling on to the Ben Nevis plateau

Cheesy summit photo!

Stunning cloud inversion

Aonach Mor & CMD framed by Tower Gully

Smiths Route

Smiths Route (V 5) in better conditions

For the final day of their Adventure Peaks course Patricia & Sheila were out with Paddy Cave and after a good overnight freeze were able to make a return to winter climbing with an impressive ascent of Smiths Route (V 5). In a week in which winter disappeared before our eyes they ticked an impressive haul of classic routes including No 3 Gully Buttress, Curved Ridge, the North Buttress of Stob Ban, the Aonach Eagach, Castle Ridge and Smiths Route.
On the Ben the high level ice of Tower Scoop (III) and Good Friday Climb (III) were also in good condition with new snow down to 900m

Castle & Ledge on the Ben

A dry & sunny Castle Ridge

The crux corner on Castle Ridge

The huge bergschrund in No 5 Gully

No 3 Gully Buttress

Approaching the 2nd belay on a very wet No 3 Gully Buttress (III)

This week I'm out climbing with Adventure Peaks regulars Patricia & Sheila on their annual visit from Ireland. Previous years have been blessed with amazing conditions and weather so this weeks fare is a bit of a shock to the system. In an attempt to find some ice we headed high on the Ben but with significant amounts of ice and rock fall in the corrie we opted for the safer option of No 3 Gully Buttress (III). The majority of the climb was still on snow but with copious amounts of water running down the crag it might not last much longer. There was plenty of avalanche debris from earlier in the week on the approach and we crossed a large crown wall in No 4 Gully during our descent.

The final exposed traverse at the top of No 3 Gully Buttress

Down climbing over a significant avalanche crown wall in No 4 Gully

Friday night film - BMC International Meet

BMC INTERNATIONAL MEET 2012 from ReelTime Adventure on Vimeo.

Number 3 Gully Buttress

A stunning day to be walking into the Ben

Alpine conditions on the traverse into Coire Na Ciste

2nd pitch of No 3 Gully Buttress

Jude on the exposed upper ramp

Reaching the sunlight at the top of No 3 Gully Buttress (III)

The final tricky moves to the plateau

A full moon rising with a climber on the great tower of Tower Ridge

The top of Number 4 gully with a good slot on the cornice

Stunning sunset over Loch Linne

Great day in Comb Gully