Information and photos of my mountaineering trips in Scotland,England and Wales:
Including hillwalking,scrambling and easy rock climbing.Also via ferrata, skiing and alpine trips in Europe.

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Tuesday 22 April 2014

Scottish Winter Conditions ? Ledge Route, Ben Nevis (very little snow - in crampons!), 22nd April 2014. HD Video.


Possibly the last winter day out for this year?

Myself and Jon walked up to the CIC hut, and spent far too long trying to cross the  Allt A Mhuilinn before finally heading up to Number 5 Gully to start The Ledge Route. We put on crampons in the hope they might be needed for some of the route, but as it turned out, they weren't!

Some old avalanche debris and stones below Number 5 Gully.

Still lots of snow and big cornices on most of the gullies.

Looking across to Tower Ridge, Observatory Ridge and North East Buttress. The CMD, didn't look complete form what we could see.

Jon about to negotiate the second patch of snow!

After the initial ramp ,then the first wee gully, there was no snow up to the small tower and on to the wall. 

Looking down at the wall section. There was the occasional patch of snow, either avoidable, or crossable with care due to the holes!

Number 5 Gully seen from the last section of the Ledge Route. It seemed pointless battling in to the wind to go to the summit, especially with no views to be had. So we took a bearing for the Red Burn, and enjoyed a 700 metre-ish, bumslide down to the waterfall on the tourist path, where there were still a couple of passable snow sections. 



Quick way down. Bumslide down the Red Burn :)   



Video of the Ledge Route.

Sunday 13 April 2014

Ben Alder Cottage, Loch Ericht, 12th April 2014.

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Saturday 5 April 2014

Scottish Winter (Ski) Conditions, Cairngorm Mountain - 5th April 2014.

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