Our summit and skills Nevis Weeknd was perhaps over one of those weekends where the weather dictated a change of plan. Traditionally we would aim to have a good skills day and then put it all into practice on the main event the UK’s highest summit but of course the weather had other ideas. With a forecast of 107mph for the summit on the Sunday we went for the summit on Saturday which was also pretty windy. Tammy, Phill Kevin and myself headed off from Glen Nevis with an open mind on Saturday morning.
Heading up from Glen Nevis it remained dry really until we made our way up beyond the Red Burn. Initially I had the thought that we may leave the path somewhere along the Zig Zags and join the snow in the Red Burn higher up but there wasn’t that much. Things turned to rain with high winds and then onto sleet and partial snow. It began to be one of those missions where pausing and stopping was uncomfortable so we pressed on without to much delay. Once on the summit area it turned to winter making things feel much more like the course intended. It was quite ferocious with the wind and snow blowing. Some icy areas near McLean’s steep. We pulled an axe out but the weight and tread of B2 boots where sufficient for travel. Although crampons would have worked well on the patches we opted not to. There are a couple of things to consider in my mind when putting them on. Being on snow is a main one, there was patches but the majority on rubble which is pretty unpleasant and a risk to your ankles and there was more rubble than snow. The other I think of is consequence of a slip and on the short patches of no great steepness the consequence of a slip was very low. Thus I would rather keep the ankles in tact. Sumit photos and then down as the wind and often sleety rain was taking effect.
A good day though and all up and down safely. The one thing I would recomend would be micro spikes in those conditions and would work well. Being in the mountains long before them I still struggle with the idea of taking both crampons and spikes and commiting to going into the mountains without crampons but I think they certainly have their place as a useful piece of mountain kit.
Conditions.
Day two would have been a skills day but on checking the forecast it was one for Sunday which looked to me to be inviting. With fierce high winds and driving rain heading out sets the wrong impression of what is safe to head out in. I sometimes wonder if I have gone soft when I see the odd person on the Ben in trackies in blizzard as they must be able to stand a far higher level of discomfort than I can. However they have one issue that they are perhaps totally unaware of which is any margin for error in the ability to stand still should something go wrong. In the worst weather there comes a point where you asking for problems and Sunday was one of those days.
The snow has certainly taken a hit with some warm temperatures and heavy rain to all levels. Walking across the summit area on the Ben although claggy I could see down over the edge where plenty of snow is still there and tops looking white an gullies appear to have plenty in them. The week ahead look sub zero in the hills and also fresh snow which I think will give us another good push for some winter conditions. Hopefully the existing snow which hasnt departed to the sea will freeze giving some good snow in the gullies and if its a sfficient freeze things are pretty wet and might start some ice building.
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