by dav2930 » Mon Oct 04, 2021 8:12 pm
I'm afraid I can only echo the comments above. It's unfortunate that the time of your proposed visit really isn't likely to be suitable for what you want to do. Having said that, the CMD Arete of Ben Nevis in winter conditions is not difficult; I'm sure you'd have no problem with it given a bit of practice using crampons and ice axe. But it is mountaineering, which you say you haven't done before. As Mal says, your rock climbing ability, which is considerable at least on the blunt end of the rope, would be irrelevant. What's required is a basic level of mountain knowledge and skills especially with respect to winter conditions. And I have to agree completely with Mal that, of these basic skills, navigation is far and away the most important. The summit area of Ben Nevis in a whiteout is a very dangerous place and there have been many fatalities due to navigational errors (people wandering onto unseen cornices which then collapse under their weight). A GPS is not a substitute for a map and compass and the ability to use them, but the quickest and most reliable way of establishing your location on the map. Without knowing exactly where you are on the map, taking a compass bearing may be a waste of time at best and fatally misleading at worst. But once you've established your location, then you need to take an accurate compass bearing and follow it carefully. Many maps and guidebooks covering Ben Nevis will give you the bearings you need to follow from the summit to reach the easiest route down. You would also, of course, need to be prepared for some very cold and nasty weather, including the possibility of ferocious blizzards. So you'd need to think carefully about clothing - baselayers, midlayers, insulating jacket, waterproofs, hats, gloves, crampon-compatible boots, and so on.
Hope you enjoy your visit, whatever you decide to do in the end. All the best.