Or, after the cairn at the top of Number Four Gully, continue southwards to intercept the main Mountain Path and then follow this to the top. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports. For the first-timer, it is an imposing sight and it makes you realise just how seriously you need to take it. Guided expeditions & experiences. Now you scramble over and between various pinnacles along a narrow section of ridge line. This is not a place to linger at any time. Under snow and ice it is a grade II winter route and reputedly the best of its grade on the mountain. Having completed Ledge Route, there are a number of options for descending Ben Nevis in winter. Britain's winter ridges, Ben Nevis Ridges, 3 star Scottish winter, Winter Aspirations, … You still need to cross Number Five Gully, but at this point you can be across its narrowest point in a couple of moments. One of my 'lockdown tasks' has been to re-visit my archive of monthly tips. It feels like a long time ago since the last winter was forced to finish in mid March but it was good to be back in the snow. Sunrise on Ilkley Moor. Ben Nevis via the Ledge Route. Myself and fellow instructor Mark decided on a mountaineering day ascending the classic Ledge Route to the summit of Ben Nevis … The rock climbing is world class, and the winter climbs are infamous. Whilst travelling through some spectacular mountain scenery, the scrambling on this route isn't at any point too hard making it a thoroughly rewarding route. The Summit is Optional updated their phone number. In poor visibility, even locating the start of your chosen route can be a challenge. Under 'External Links' and 'Mountain Conditions' could you please update the URL for West Coast Mountain Guides to: They are complex too, being a series of alternating major ridges and buttresses separated by huge corries and gully lines. There are several different routes you can take to the summit of Ben Nevis (1,345m). The Ledge Route. It was time to focus. "An unlikely yet excellent mountaineering route. Climbing the ridge. It is graded between Grade 1 and Grade 2 on the Scrambling scale, depending on which route is taken. From the top of Number Four Gully head west into the Red Burn or a little more south-west to intercept the Mountain Path. All Rights Reserved. Images Ben Nevis via CMD arête Guided rock-scrambling day on 'Ledge Route' and Carn Mor Dearg arête Above Fort William mighty Ben Nevis dominates the view. but the angle soon eases and it becomes possible to face out and walk. Share on Twitter It’s critical that you make your choice based on a sound understanding of the avalanche risk that day. We also run them in Snowdonia if conditions allow. LEDGE ROUTE, BEN NEVIS Despite the forecast of gales on the high tops today Mark, Steve and I decided on Ledge Route up Ben Nevis. It's a spectacular winter scramble, which sustains interest and offers amazing views. All the gullies and coires on Ben Nevis are prone to avalanche. Soon you will find yourself above the famous ice route, The Curtain, and the exposure is tremendous. Summary. You might like to read our article on beginners’ tips for winter mountain walking. The route is a non-technical, 450m snow climb (when well-covered! Tower Ridge is arguably Scotland’s most prized mountaineering route, leading to the summit of the UK’s highest mountain; Ben Nevis. #il, Sharp Edge on Blencathra - it never disappoints ex, Scafell Pike in winter with the distinct lines of, Blea Tarn and the Langdale Pikes in the morning. If you’d like to know more about winter mountaineering up Ledge Route on Ben Nevis in winter, then see our main page for more details and prices. Candice and Aileen have come over from Singapore, so the cold temperatures came as a bit of shock for them, however, they were expecting wet and windy conditions whilst […] There are deaths almost every year including very sad cases of victims being buried for many months, not emerging until the spring. A sneaky start leads onto a sequence of sloping ledges, which allow passage across the steep southeast flank of Carn Dearg Buttress. Probably the best route of its grade on Ben Nevis (and perhaps in the UK), Ledge Route has a bit of everything. Many walkers who ascend Ben Nevis by the zig-zagging ‘Mountain Path‘ or ‘Pony Track’ will never see these cliffs. The route can even hold snow well into the summer, so you may need There are many who are confirmed ‘walkers’ and have no desire to ‘climb’. Once the top of the buttress is gained, the nature of the route changes dramatically and a fine arete, in a spectacular position, is followed to the Ben's summit plateau." 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