Good conditions on No. 3 Gully Buttress, Ben Nevis

After a rather awkward approach into Coire na Ciste on Ben Nevis today, Renee and I found great conditions on No. 3 Gully Buttress. The first pitch sported some good and some not so good ice, but enough solid stuff for it to feel secure. Thereafter, there was plenty of névé, which is particularly helpful when climbing the crux on the third pitch. We then continued directly up to the plateau. For Renee, it was her first time on Ben Nevis, so we continued over to the summit, before descending the mountain path.

The ice is building well above 1000m, but things are a little lean below that, and we could really do with some snowfall to cover up the scree and boulders, as well as to feed the drainage lines.

Very quiet on Ben Nevis today, but one team did make a quick ascent of Gargoyle Wall.