CMD difficulty?

[fingaughan21]

Hello everyone,

Relatively new to hillwalking so apologies if this post comes across as stupid in any way. Me and a friend were talking about planning a trip to Ben Nevis next spring/summer, and based on what we've heard regarding the tourist path we feel that going via Carn Mor Dearg would be preferable. However, my experience is pretty limited - I've only got six fairly easy munros bagged (Lomond, Lawers etc.) and am a little concerned about the exposure we'd be faced with on the arete.

Provided we trained a bit beforehand, would Nevis via CMD be viable for a pair of (young) novices with limited experience with heights? Thanks.

[jester]

I found it to be a very enjoyable approach. I'd recommend at least giving it a go, and if on the day you find it's not for you then you can always go back down having bagged Carn Mor Dearg.

[Gythral]

Technically it is not hard but it is exposed!
Key, maybe, you want a dry few days (before) & 'summer'.

Since this was my first scottish & first munro route, I'm biased :
I might also add I did it in approach shoes & never put my trekking poles away, so I may not be the best at judging scottish scambles as I tend to think they are all graded at least a grade too high in 'good' conditions

[rgf101]

It's a long, tough day - maybe nine hours from the North Face car park, at a good pace, but easily longer - so make sure you've got plenty of daylight and a good weather forecast, plus the gear you'll need if the forecast is wrong. But you're never exactly hanging over huge precipices or anything, as I recall, and I've done it... three times now?

[sc00ba87]

Good morning mate,

I climbed this route 2 weeks past on Saturday, and am relatively inexperienced myself, Carn Mor Dearg itself was my 12th summit (Nevis was my 2nd via Tourist Path, 1 year previous). Another member of my walking group had only climbed Ben Lomond previously.

It's a fairly long day, we took 10h 15m from car to car from the North Face Car Park at Torlundy, but we had a splattering of snow after 800m.

If you are waiting until spring/summer and will be climbing and/or training before going I would think you would be fine provided there wasnt ridiculously high winds.

I've included a pic of the conditions on the ridge we walked in but, I stress, without knowing your fitness or ability level it's best guess really.

As mentioned above, you could always climb Carn Mor Dearg & assess it from there, whichbis probably the best advice you could be given.

Also keep in mind, at that altitude, the weather in Fort William is not indicative of the summit conditions.

All the best & good luck.

[jmarkb]

Good advice above. A small minority of people do suffer quite badly with heights: if you aren't among them then I expect you will be absolutely fine, but if you have reason to suspect that you are, checking on something shorter and less committing might not be a bad idea.

[CharlesT]

I would suggest you try to ensure good conditions, there's little point and not much fun if the visibility is low and/or it's blowing hard. My only ascent was in winter conditions from the CIC hut, good firm snowpack, a perfect clear day and no wind. I found it straightforward and the exposure fairly moderate.

[Sgurr]

Found the second shot much easier than the first. The first I did worry about the exposure in a couple of occasions, the second I knew I had done it, so absolutely no problems. It's all in the mind. It IS however a long day and the evenings are drawing in. I now take a camera out before 6 pm to get a sunset, and it only seems a few days since I was doing it at 8.

[rgf101]

I would suggest you try to ensure good conditions, there's little point and not much fun if the visibility is low and/or it's blowing hard.

First time I did it was with a pal, and to be honest we shouldn't have bothered - all grey from halfway up the slope of CMD on the way up until the halfway lochan on the way down. Two times since then have been spectacular. Any flexibility you can build into your plans to account for weather is useful (as always, of course, but particularly the case for a spectacular walk like this, where you're not just ticking off a dull munro).

[LobeyD]

I'm not great with exposed ridges but I had no problems in summer conditions tackling the ridge directly. I'll be honest, I was a little underwhelmed by the ridge itself, but not the overall situation which is spectacular. There is a bypass path for all the difficulties and I can't imagine a point where you couldn't safely get to it from the ridge if the heebie-jeebies strike.

The partial descent of the Tourist route was an experience in itself. Not everyone is as 'charitable' as their T-shirt would suggest . You will be glad to reach the Lochan and relative solitude again! Go midweek if you can.

[davekeiller]

It's not technically difficult, but it is a long route, so you will need to be reasonably fit.
The plateau isn't the easiest of places to navigate, so it's best to wait for a day when it's likely to be clear.
Try to do it on a still day, as there is some exposure.

It's certainly the sort of route that's worth waiting for a day that's just right, so don't be afraid to do something else and return to it another time if you think the weather's a bit iffy or you're not sure on the day.

[tweedledog]

Did this for the first (and only) time aged 68 in early March snow conditions which required crampons and axe. No serious difficulty unless, as others have observed, you have problems with exposure. In fact I suspect it might have been easier in those conditions than in wet weather on bare rock. Oddly enough, the section I found physically toughest was the final pull up to the summit plateau when I had to count 50 steps at a time to struggle through uncooperative snow. Felt my age then! It's a lovely walk, especially if conditions are clear enough to admire the endless views.

[Veryhappybunny]

It is definitely worth doing it on a clear day, without much wind. Apart from anything else the views of the Ben Nevis cliffs are so good it would be a shame to miss them.

I don’t have a great head for heights, but once I got used to the arête was fine. I don’t remember any hideously exposed bits. I did find myself on the bypass path near the end of the ridge for a short stretch and that was more exposed than sticking to the top, so if I do it again, I’ll aim to follow the crest all the way.

I am really glad I went up the Ben via the CMD arête - you get a much better look at the Ben.

[Lightfoot2017]

I found it pretty easy tbh. I dont have a head for heights at all, so for me to be able to do it comfortably is saying something.

Theres no precipice-falling-off-a-ridge-straight-down-vertically-for 800ft exposure. Nothing like that at all. It's a bumpy walk, clambering over big boulders and what not but no technical difficulty at all.

The worst part is when you reach the summit of the Ben and see it MOBBED with day trippers and all their litter

I'd echo the point made by others above that you should do the CMD arete when the weather is agreeable and the view is amazing.

Enjoy.