Route Climbed: Tourist Trudge! (Winter) Date Climbed: 3 January 2003
Plod Plod Plod...long tedoius and cold. For most of the way we believed we might get a view from the summit as it was clear of cloud, however, true to form 300m from the summit the cloud clogged up and we reached the summit in white out conditions! Did tak a sneaky peak down tower gully and gardyloo gully though, they look like a bit of a laugh, perhaps a little later in the season.
On the way down the cloud cleared from the summit (predicatably) and we reached the car some 10hrs after leaving it. Despite the monotony of the walk, zig zagging up and down, the views to the south were spectacular and its one youve just gotta chalk off whatever route you do.
Route Climbed: Normal Route in Winter Date Climbed: Dec. 2001
In our aim was NE Face, but it was not cold enough. I changed my mind and went alone in a wet-foggy day to reach the summit openning up the track to knee deep snow. It was -4ºC at the top.
Route Climbed: Pony Trail. Date Climbed: march 2002
It took us two attempt to reach the summit due to some nasty late season storms. on the first day we got lost on the summiit durring a white out only finding our way down by the good luck of meeting someone who had just been to the summit ( we were only 100ft away). The second day we tried again. the weather was clear and the views from the summit were awsome.
Route Climbed: Tourist route Date Climbed: June 29, 2002
I started a little late (7.45 am) at the visitor center. First part of the route was very quiet since most hikers start at the youth hostel. Low visibility above 350 m altitude. It was raining all the time, but that seems not uncommon in Scotland. Had to cross small field of snow on the summit plateau. Because of the wind it was cold at the summit. A lot of people on the route (so that's why they call it the tourist route I guess....). Easy hike. My first peak in Britain.
Route Climbed: Tower Ridge Date Climbed: 15 Feb 2001
Climbed Tower Ridge in Summer (a very enjoyable scramble) and Winter within 6 months of each other!
Had a fantastic day in Febuary with no wind and blue skies. Got to the Douglas gap to find a party of three messing around so descended to the side and climbed the gully to the right to get to the crest. A lot of soft snow meant that some of the interesting sections were buried. The traverse and tower gap were not as bad as I expected. All in all a fantastic day.
Route Climbed: Normal Route Date Climbed: September 2001
I guess every other way to the top is more fun. Many tourists, "civilized" trails. And as the weather was bad, too, we couldn't even enjoy the view from the top. Anyway, we made it - and had a good beer sitting on the edge of the north face :-)
Route Climbed: standard tourist route Date Climbed: 22/12/2001
snow on the top 800ft the weather was wonderful. our desent was in darkness with head torches, it was icy and we fell many times. then we all went to the pub and selebrated the clubs firstever Winter ascent of Ben Nevis.
Andy Kennedy - Jan 30, 2003 9:24 am
Route Climbed: Tourist Trudge! (Winter) Date Climbed: 3 January 2003Plod Plod Plod...long tedoius and cold. For most of the way we believed we might get a view from the summit as it was clear of cloud, however, true to form 300m from the summit the cloud clogged up and we reached the summit in white out conditions! Did tak a sneaky peak down tower gully and gardyloo gully though, they look like a bit of a laugh, perhaps a little later in the season.
On the way down the cloud cleared from the summit (predicatably) and we reached the car some 10hrs after leaving it. Despite the monotony of the walk, zig zagging up and down, the views to the south were spectacular and its one youve just gotta chalk off whatever route you do.
TodoVertical - Dec 4, 2002 2:17 pm
Route Climbed: Normal Route in Winter Date Climbed: Dec. 2001In our aim was NE Face, but it was not cold enough. I changed my mind and went alone in a wet-foggy day to reach the summit openning up the track to knee deep snow. It was -4ºC at the top.
Chamonix Man - Nov 20, 2002 6:50 am
Route Climbed: Normal Route Date Climbed: August 1996Climbed with my brother after a week in the Cairn Gorms. It was a great climb, lots of people though.
stephenz - Oct 6, 2002 10:44 am
Route Climbed: Pony Trail. Date Climbed: march 2002It took us two attempt to reach the summit due to some nasty late season storms. on the first day we got lost on the summiit durring a white out only finding our way down by the good luck of meeting someone who had just been to the summit ( we were only 100ft away). The second day we tried again. the weather was clear and the views from the summit were awsome.
Rockhopper - Jul 2, 2002 12:09 pm
Route Climbed: Tourist route Date Climbed: June 29, 2002I started a little late (7.45 am) at the visitor center. First part of the route was very quiet since most hikers start at the youth hostel. Low visibility above 350 m altitude. It was raining all the time, but that seems not uncommon in Scotland. Had to cross small field of snow on the summit plateau. Because of the wind it was cold at the summit. A lot of people on the route (so that's why they call it the tourist route I guess....). Easy hike. My first peak in Britain.
mountainmanjohn - Jun 10, 2002 5:43 am
Route Climbed: Carn Mor Dearg Arete Date Climbed: First climbed Sept 96, three times sinceThis route is a fine long and airy route.
Winter conditions can be extreem! Route finding from the ridge to the summit (and back) is also a test in bad visibility.
Have also come up via Carn Mor Dearg East ridge from steall........a long way.
Looking forward to trying a scramble route up the Ben. ledge route, tower ridge etc. Any recomendations?
Stuart Buchanan - May 24, 2002 5:36 am
Route Climbed: Tower Ridge Date Climbed: 15 Feb 2001Climbed Tower Ridge in Summer (a very enjoyable scramble) and Winter within 6 months of each other!
Had a fantastic day in Febuary with no wind and blue skies. Got to the Douglas gap to find a party of three messing around so descended to the side and climbed the gully to the right to get to the crest. A lot of soft snow meant that some of the interesting sections were buried. The traverse and tower gap were not as bad as I expected. All in all a fantastic day.
John J Harvey - Apr 11, 2002 4:49 am
Route Climbed: Tourist Route Date Climbed: 08/1997Pleny of low cloud on the summit made it tricky coming off. Snow still in the northern gullies and the sad sight of rubbish strewn everywhere.
maulwurf - Feb 20, 2002 9:07 am
Route Climbed: Normal Route Date Climbed: September 2001I guess every other way to the top is more fun. Many tourists, "civilized" trails. And as the weather was bad, too, we couldn't even enjoy the view from the top. Anyway, we made it - and had a good beer sitting on the edge of the north face :-)
jonas - Feb 13, 2002 4:55 am
Route Climbed: normal route Date Climbed: 1998I was sailing the Caladonian canal and it was there, weather was beautifull but summit was quite cold
Pommes - Jan 24, 2002 12:18 am
Route Climbed: Normal Route Date Climbed: Aug 1996Cold, Rain, fog, a lot of slow walking people, no view.
Richard Purchon - Jan 16, 2002 9:06 pm
Route Climbed: standard tourist route Date Climbed: 22/12/2001snow on the top 800ft the weather was wonderful. our desent was in darkness with head torches, it was icy and we fell many times. then we all went to the pub and selebrated the clubs firstever Winter ascent of Ben Nevis.