Stepping up! Advice sought.

[tambrown]

I have just bought some second hand from a mate who done climbing, I have not used them yet but would feel safer with them, I have both ice axe and crampons. One of the guy's in the parts has done a lot of walking/climbing so will follow his advice. Some of the guy's however have no crampons etc. so might have to change plans. We would like to do it as it is a charity event but we are not going to take risks.

Thanks again for the advice

[jmarkb]

If the weather is OK, and the tourist route has been well trampled, then you may well be fine without axe and crampons: walking poles and microspikes might a viable option. The long-range forecast for next Tuesday looks cold at the moment, so I think you have a good chance of encountering icy conditions. As Border Reiver says, do be prepared to turn back if conditions dictate: the summit plateau is a very difficult place to navigate safely in a white-out.

[tambrown]

Thanks for the information, we are taking each day as it comes. We are planning to attempt it at the moment but the guys without the proper gear may turn around if the conditions are not good. We are not going to put ourselves at risk but really do want to make it. Are there are sources of information that give a longer forecast or is the MWIS best?

Thanks again for your assistance

Tam

[NickyRannoch]

To be honest even the 3 day mwis forecast is subject to big variations from one day to the next so its just a case of wait and see

[tambrown]

To be honest even the 3 day mwis forecast is subject to big variations from one day to the next so its just a case of wait and see

Thanks will monitor the weather closely and make desisions over the weekend.

[tambrown]

Anyone been up Ben Nevis in the last few days?

Looking for a current update on the snow etc.

Tam

[gary]

I am part of a group attempting Nevis on Sunday for charity. Only some of us have crampons etc, it may be that not all of us reach the summit but I could update you on conditions on Monday afternoon if I cant get a signal on my phone on Sunday at our accommodation

[jmarkb]

Looking for a current update on the snow etc.

See here: http://alanhalewood.blogspot.co.uk/
What's left looks set to freeze tonight, though.

[tambrown]

Looking for a current update on the snow etc.

See here: http://alanhalewood.blogspot.co.uk/
What's left looks set to freeze tonight, though.

Thanks for the info, hopefully we can do the complete walk.

[gman]

I was up there last week, crampons & axe were used and GPS handy for navigating the summit plateau in poor visibility. Report:
http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=20656

[tambrown]

Looks like we are good to go, hopefully the weather is okay. Any further updates appreciated.

[gary]

Was up yesterday, no snow until about 1000m but after that it was pretty slippy and I used my crampons and most of our group had ice grips which were useful. It was very busy though, I reckon there must have been close to 2000 people and dont think hardly any body else had either crampons or ice grips and there was people slipping and falling everywhwere. I dont think many turned back but you would need to be extremely careful if you had no crampons/grips, more so on the descent.

[tambrown]

Was up yesterday, no snow until about 1000m but after that it was pretty slippy and I used my crampons and most of our group had ice grips which were useful. It was very busy though, I reckon there must have been close to 2000 people and dont think hardly any body else had either crampons or ice grips and there was people slipping and falling everywhwere. I dont think many turned back but you would need to be extremely careful if you had no crampons/grips, more so on the descent.

Thanks for the info, we all made it to the summit and back safely without crampons etc, very poor visibility but weather was great.