Lochaber Blog & Mountain Info

Some essential supplies that I delivered to the CIC hut today, 4 and a bit litres semi-skimmed milk, 8 cans of coke, and a bottle of cheap Irish whiskey.

I was up on Ben nevis today. Mountain conditions were generally pretty good, with climbers spotted on Tower Ridge, Point Five Gully, Italian climb and No. 3 Gully Buttress. There are also quite a few short but nice looking icefalls below Carn Dearg Buttress (where we saw at least one team) and in the little gullies which lead up into Coire an Ciste. However, there is a few patches of slab about. Remember that a brief definition of a moderate hazard (which it is at the moment) is “Natural Avalanches unlikely. Human triggered avalanches possible”, so don’t assume that just because the hazard is “only” moderate, you can wander safely anywhere and everywhere on the hill with no risk triggering an avalanche.

I also took the chance to delivered some essential supplies for Dave and Andy who are staying at the CIC hut, and are involved in the Smith-Marshal project for the Fort William Mountain festival this weekend. We spotted them up on Minus Three Gully today.