Ben Nevis via the CMD Arete

[Milesy]

only downside is the French climbers (but that's all part of the risk you take in avalanche prone conditions)

The avalanche report warned of the high risk on north facing slopes. Hopefully it's a lesson learned for them.

In fairness to them it seems they did actually play it reasonably safe. Garadh Gully is low down on the flanks of Tower Ridge and was a safer choice given the days conditions. No one was venturing up high into the North Face Coires and most people that day were climbing on low down routes on the flanks of Tower Ridge etc. They were just unlucky.

[murphy999]

In fairness to them it seems they did actually play it reasonably safe. Garadh Gully is low down on the flanks of Tower Ridge and was a safer choice given the days conditions. No one was venturing up high into the North Face Coires and most people that day were climbing on low down routes on the flanks of Tower Ridge etc. They were just unlucky.

I think safe was a relative term that day. The risk was obvious from Carn Mor Dearg and there were plenty of people higher up, we saw them heading up almost everywhere on the north face and met a few on the summit. I suppose they couldn't resist how good a day it was, but thats the chance you take I suppose. For instance check out this guy!

[Milesy]

There would have virtually been no major risk of avalanche on tower ridge itself so that is definately a good climbing choice for the day.

[sketch]

Great report, great collection of photographs, I'm just jealous as I am not fit enough to do this level of walk just yet, till I recover from my back operation, again a great report

[SeanKelly]

Interesting to read your great report as we were breaking the trail in front of you. I did the same February last year but this time took over 2 hrs longer to gain the summit of the CMD because of the arduous going in the deep snow. Reports indicated as much as a metre of new snow had fallen at the weekend! I think it was you that passed us on the top of CMD as we were having our lunch. I probably have pictures of you starting the arete which are posted on UKC (see this link) http://www.ukclimbing.com/photos/author.html?id=9687
I should add that this is my third traverse of the CMD in the last 3 winters and it has always been in such excellent weather and deep snow. All in all it was a great week so long as you were careful with route choice. We also climbed in Glencoe, Kintail, Coire Ardair, and Coire an T-Sneachda, but that Wednesday was the best!.

[JGKES]

Epic.

[rocket-ron]

cracking report looking forward to doing this monday coming