Ben Nevis by the Carn Mor Dearg Arete

[Mikbernhard]

Hi Munro Baggers, Climbers and other good people!

My friend and I are planning to do Ben Nevis, this spring. But the question is when?

If we want to walk the "Ben Nevis by the Carn Mor Dearg Arete" route. When will be the best time to do it, if we want to avoid snow and ice?

We are experienced hikers, but we havent tried to climb with steigeisen and ice axes. Thats why we want to avoid as much snow/ice as possible.

Hope to get some good advices!

Cheers

Michael

[Skyelines]

May is a good bet. One of the driest months of the year and a good chance of sunny and warm days.

[jmarkb]

If you want to be (almost) certain of not needing axe and crampons then go in the middle of May or later. You might still encounter some patches of snow even then, but they should be soft enough not to cause you any problems.

[Mikbernhard]

May is a good bet. One of the driest months of the year and a good chance of sunny and warm days.

We actually had a plan of going in the last week of April, but is your recommendation only for this route?

[Mikbernhard]

If you want to be (almost) certain of not needing axe and crampons then go in the middle of May or later. You might still encounter some patches of snow even then, but they should be soft enough not to cause you any problems.

The plan was going in the last week of April, but is the path on "The Carn Mor Dearg Arete" route still covered in snow. We will probably run into problems, because we don't have crampons and ice axes...

[jmarkb]

The plan was going in the last week of April, but is the path on "The Carn Mor Dearg Arete" route still covered in snow. We will probably run into problems, because we don't have crampons and ice axes...

I would guess that you might need winter gear in the last week in April maybe 1 year out of every 3. So a good chance but not guaranteed!

[Mikbernhard]

The plan was going in the last week of April, but is the path on "The Carn Mor Dearg Arete" route still covered in snow. We will probably run into problems, because we don't have crampons and ice axes...

I would guess that you might need winter gear in the last week in April maybe 1 year out of every 3. So a good chance but not guaranteed!

I guess we have to consider winther gear then, can you recommend the mountain path instead then?

[Brian Mcculloch]

I would suggest you to go in May. Probably the driest and chances of snow are very less. Good luck to you guys.

[jmarkb]

I guess we have to consider winther gear then, can you recommend the mountain path instead then?

If you have no experience with axe and crampons, this route is not the place to learn. Stick to your plan and come in late April. Work out what the current conditions are like (e.g. ask on here for advice), and then decide if you should attempt it. Hiring a guide is an option, but there are plenty of other great walks in the area (and more enjoyable than the Mountain Path) that you can do instead. Provided you have reasonable weather, you won't be disappointed!

[Mikbernhard]

I guess we have to consider winther gear then, can you recommend the mountain path instead then?

If you have no experience with axe and crampons, this route is not the place to learn. Stick to your plan and come in late April. Work out what the current conditions are like (e.g. ask on here for advice), and then decide if you should attempt it. Hiring a guide is an option, but there are plenty of other great walks in the area (and more enjoyable than the Mountain Path) that you can do instead. Provided you have reasonable weather, you won't be disappointed!

Okay, We will stick to our plan for now, and maybe change it to go a little later in may. Our goal is to go to the top of Ben Nevis, but I guess we can start looking at weather forecasts when we get closer to the dates. We are not afraid of rain, wind, fog, only ice/snow on rocks, because we are not used to that. We are flying in from Denmark, so we have to plan the trip, and can't wait for the weather to change! Thank you so much for your help!

[Robinho08]

We did it last May no problems, however any other May would have been a different story. This winter seems to be shaping up to deliver lots of snow but who knows.

[jmarkb]

Our goal is to go to the top of Ben Nevis, but I guess we can start looking at weather forecasts when we get closer to the dates. We are not afraid of rain, wind, fog, only ice/snow on rocks, because we are not used to that. We are flying in from Denmark, so we have to plan the trip, and can't wait for the weather to change! Thank you so much for your help!

You are very welcome!

If your main goal is to climb Ben Nevis (and to enjoy it, and hopefully see the view from the top!), then I would suggest planning to be in the area for, say, 3 days, and then choosing the best of those days based on the forecast when you arrive.

Wind can certainly be a big problem - you won't make it to the top if it is blowing at 150 kph up there! Rain is of itself less of a problem, but the combination of rain, wind, cloud and summit temperatures just above zero (which would not be unusual in late April) can be very unpleasant and is a good recipe for hypothermia!

I hope you have a great trip and that the weather is kind to you.

[Scottk]

Make sure you know how to navigate off the top in case the visibility deteriorates. If there is snow underfoot and poor visibility, it can be tricky.
If the weather is really bad, you could always go to the Ice Factor in Kinlochleven or the threewisemonkeys climbing wall in Fort William. You can do indoor ice climbing at the ice factor, good shop and cafe.