Life on the Ben

Plenty of teams our on the Ben today. A fair amount of action on the Orion Face as well as the main ridge lines.

Climbers on Hadrians Wall

Recent avalanche debris below No4 Gully

Recent avalanche debris at the bottom of No5 Gully

Looking up to the cornice above No3 Gully

Unstable Cornices

No pictures today due to very poor visibility when on the hill

Its worth noting that there has been significant quantities of new snow over the past few days especially above 1000m.

Cornices are extremely unstable. On Aonach Mor, cornices were failing around 2 metres back from the edge and then releasing the slopes below. They are made of fairly hard windslab which supports your weight very well so walking about on the plateau feels relatively safe, which its not!

Similar picture on the Ben with reports of somebody going through the cornice above No4 Gully.

Please take care!!

Damp Ben Nevis

 Looking into Coire na Ciste. 

The Orion Face and Point Five Gully area.

It was cloudy on Ben Nevis today with the freezing level hovering around the summit. It cleared up a bit during the afternoon.

Aonach Mor.

 Still plenty of cornices at the top of Coire an Lochan.

 Looking over to Carn Mor Dearg and Ben Nevis

A crown wall in Easy Gully in Aonach Mor. This probably released on Wednesday after some fresh snow as the temperature rose. 

Ben Nevis

Quite a nice morning on Ben Nevis, but it turned milder and cloudier through the day.

Arctic April.

It was another cold day, but at least it was clear. I found some fresh deposits at the top of some of the Gullies on the West Face of Aonach Mor which showed poor stability.

 Carn Mor Dearg and Ben Nevis

 North Face of Aonach Beag.

Shooting cracks in fresh deposits. 

Poor visibility again

The top of the West face of Aonach Mor. 

Despite being clear and sunny in the glens, there was a cap of cloud that hung about over the tops making for some poor visibility on the tops. It was cold with a little fresh snow.

Not much visibility today on Aonach Mor.

Today's view Eastwards from the 'Climbers' Col' ridge on Aonach Mor.

And yesterday's view Eastwards from near the same location.

Sunny day up the Ben

Looking up North-East Buttress

Looking up Tower Gully

Corrie na Ciste

Several teams on Orion Direct and Point 5

Sunshine on Carn Dearg