Mixed weather on Castle Ridge

Ken: I was back out with Sebastian, and working for Peak Mountaineering, today, and we decided to go for Castle Ridge on Ben Nevis. The day started off dry, but the drizzle soon set in, giving us a rather damp ascent of Castle Ridge. In these conditions, careful footwork becomes all the more crucial, as the Andesite that makes up the bulk of Ben Nevis can be very slippery when wet.

Sebastian did fantastically well, as the two distinct cruxes of Castle Ridge were a significant step up from his previous experiences. There’s virtually no snow on the ridge anymore, but a fair sized patch to cross to gain the start. On topping out, we continued up to the summit of Ben Nevis, before making a bee-line for the Red Burn, which provided a quick and enjoyable descent, using that all-important mountaineering technique, ‘the bum-slide’.

The weather cleared on our descent, and by the time we reached Halfway Lochan, the summit of cloud-free.

If you fancy being guided up Castle Ridge, or any of the other magnificent ridges on Ben Nevis this summer, please give us a shout!