Head in the clouds

Over the last couple weeks I've had a few days working on Ben Nevis for Atlas Mountaineering guiding clients up the pony track, in what is still, quite full on winter conditions.
There's been a lot of chat on forums and amongst instructors and providers about the lingering snow, and with "three peak challenge" and charity walk season approaching, not to mention Easter holidays, there is a big concern for the safety of folk venturing up ill equipped.

Last Friday i spent the day with two clients, Andy and Adam, who had flown up to tackle the Ben from Dorset. Both fit and we made excellent progress, handy, as they had a flight to catch back home in the evening!

Our crampons were on by the time we'd reached red burn and the snow was hard in the cold morning air. With most of the zig-zags covered in snow still we opted for a direct ascent, giving an additional challenge; not to mention work out!

Visibility was low on the plateau and the snow cover thick, covering all marker cairns. All of a sudden from the murk emerged a white orb. It was the heavily rimed summit shelter with the summit cairn almost completely buried! An inexperienced party with low navigation skill and poor visibility could have easily walked right past without knowing its existence.

 A quick bite and we descended back down, this time with the sun warming the snow, we took crampons off relatively early and made it back with time to spare.

Yesterday i was once again joined by two great clients, Tom and Esme, who were on a whistle stop tour of the British mountain ranges it seemed, having just come up from the lake district en route from the south.

With sunglasses on, a warm sun and great visibility we made use of summer like conditions in the glens and made it to halfway lochan in good time. After practicing some movement skills on a handy snow patch, we strapped on our spikes to cross the burn. The snow had retreated hugely and ascending the zig-zags was a mixed affair with snow less stretches interspersed with areas of firm snow.

 The hill was a lot busier than the week before and there was a mix of well equipped and poorly equipped folk out and about, some of whom we saw descending having turned back once they realized that it would be unwise to continue given the snow cover.

Again the snow had softened for our descent, and once again we were treated to amazing views out the surrounding area and as far as Mull and Skye.

A pleasant reminder that winter is not always the cruel mistress it has been for the majority of the year!

One final word of warning is there are still HUGE cornices above a lot of the north face. Remember to look up!