Author Topic: West Highland Way + Ben Nevis  (Read 3066 times)

Harre

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West Highland Way + Ben Nevis
« on: 11:28:31, 17/02/09 »
Hello,

My daughter and myself will be walking the WHW the first week of april.
To finish off we would like to go up to Ben Nevis over the Carn Mor Dearg Arete.
How are the conditions during april?
Will we need crampons / ropes?
I would like to know cause it would mean carrying them with us during the WHW hike.

Also we will be back in november to cover the HHW, anybody with extra info on this walk?

Thanks,
Harre

ptarmigan

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Re: West Highland Way + Ben Nevis
« Reply #1 on: 12:01:27, 17/02/09 »
Hello Harre,

Ian S is the person to talk too he will probably be along sometime soon he has been very helpful to me in the past.  His website www.mountainfreedom.co.uk may give you some info.

Have fun when your out there!
“The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy.”
― Kalu Kalu

Ian s

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Re: West Highland Way + Ben Nevis
« Reply #2 on: 15:05:50, 18/02/09 »
Hello Harre,

Ian S is the person to talk too he will probably be along sometime soon he has been very helpful to me in the past. 

Blush :o I try my best.

Hi Harre,
April can go either way on the Ben. Early April is often quite wintry still, in fact it often gives good ice climbing conditions.

If it helps, be aware that you can hire winter kit (boots, crampons, axes) from Ellis Brigham in Fort William. Not ropes tho...

If you're experienced winter mountain walkers then the CMD Arete under winter conditions is technically not too demanding but it still lies at the upper end of what can be considered winter walking due to it's length, exposure, propensity to form cornices, and level of commitment. Think of it like Striding Edge but narrower, more exposed, much much longer and potentially a lot more wintry. It's about a Scottish winter climbing grade 1, whatever that means!

The peak of Carn Mor Dearg itself under snow calls for good mountaineering skills as the long even slopes are not somewhere to contemplate a slip and slide!  The slopes from the end of the CMD onto the summit of the Ben are no place to be under snow unless your axe arrest and crampon skills are up to it.

All in all it's not the sort of ground where a rope would be particularly usefull unless you're well versed in Alpine type rope techniques.

Even the Pony track descent calls for good winter skills and top notch navigation in adverse conditions.

 

Having said all that, sometimes in April the arete is free of snow and when dry is a summer scramble of about grade 1 difficulty, a fun but big day out, and not particularly demanding if you're happy with easy scrambling terrain. The thing to think about then is the slope from the end of the arete up onto the plateau which is normally still snow covered.

Enjoy yourselves whatever you decide to do. If you have other questions then get in touch and I'd be happy to try and help.

Ian
www.mountainfreedom.co.uk
www.mountainfreedom.co.uk - Guided walking, scrambling and mountain skills throughout Scotland and further afield

Harre

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Re: West Highland Way + Ben Nevis
« Reply #3 on: 08:18:40, 19/02/09 »
Hi Iam,

Thank you very much for your very useful answer. I will make enquiries on site about the final slope to the plateau and make a last minute descission. Any idea about the rate for hiring crampons at Ellis Brigham for a day?

Also, could you point me towards some more infomation on the highland high way?
I bought the book"the highland high way, a high level walking route from loch lomond to fort william" but i would like some more info or a better route description.

Thanks,
Harre

Ian s

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Re: West Highland Way + Ben Nevis
« Reply #4 on: 10:04:25, 19/02/09 »
Last year at Ellis Brigham it was about a fiver a day per item, if you need 4 season boots to take a crampon it's best to book in advance and specify 4 season walking boots rather than rigid mountaineering ones. Their hire boots are Raichle. I haven't used them for hire so far this year though, so it would be best to check it out (tel.01397 706219). Their hire crampons are Grivel G12s and if you don't have boots that take a C2 semi step-in crampon it might be best to check if they have C1 strap-on types too. I'm not sure.
 
Nevisport also do hire but the only boots they have are Scarpa Vegas which are plastics, more for climbing than walking, so probably not much use to you. If you ring West Coast Mountain Guides in FW I'm sure they will be able to tell you about snow conditions. I'm  there myself at the end of March so will keep my eyes open for you (and for other reasons too :D). The Scottish Avalanche Information Service post a daily avalanche/snow conditions report for Lochaber area which I think is still going in April http://www.sais.gov.uk/index.asp

I must admit I don't know much about the HHW, it's not an official trail, more of a concept, albeit a good one. I know that in it's most popular variant it goes up Ben Lomond (easy) over the hills of the Black Mount (again not technical but long and pretty trackless, difficult navigation in poor visibility), the Aonach Eagach in Glencoe (quite serious scrambling, fine if dry and calm, best avoided if wet +windy unless you're very confident/experienced), the Mamores ( there are lots of options for crossing the Mamores but some part of the Ring of Steall would seem appropriate and involve easy scrambling. If you let me know what stages you're planning on the route I could give you more info on them.

Doing this route in November  be aware of potential snow hazards, short day lengths and generally inclement weather. Could be fun though!

Hope that helps :)

Ian
www.mountainfreedom.co.uk
www.mountainfreedom.co.uk - Guided walking, scrambling and mountain skills throughout Scotland and further afield

 

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