Plan B: Tower Ridge

[prog99]

On the trickiest bits we pitched properly, which pleased Karl. If he'd had his way we would have pitched nearly all of it, but then we'd probably still be there now!

You probably would be. When I did it a few years ago there was another team right on our heels as we pitched the very wet initial chimney from the gap, then we never saw them again until having our lunch up the top and they were indeed pitching everything.

[past my sell by date]

On the trickiest bits we pitched properly, which pleased Karl. If he'd had his way we would have pitched nearly all of it, but then we'd probably still be there now!

You probably would be. When I did it a few years ago there was another team right on our heels as we pitched the very wet initial chimney from the gap, then we never saw them again until having our lunch up the top and they were indeed pitching everything.

At the gap I think you can reach across to a jug and avoid the last step of the descent, but it's quite bold unless your'e very tall. When we did it there was a party of four (novices) waiting on the Great Tower: The team of three ahead of us were part across, when the Leader said "shall I go?" and I said yes. I Lifted our rope for their third man to do it and then followed. One of the novices wailed "but we've been waiting for ages" and I said " But there's plenty of room for two ropes" and I think they said - " I suppose you know what you're doing" - which we did! I don't think we held them up but I've felt a bit guilty about it ever since

[prog99]

On the trickiest bits we pitched properly, which pleased Karl. If he'd had his way we would have pitched nearly all of it, but then we'd probably still be there now!

You probably would be. When I did it a few years ago there was another team right on our heels as we pitched the very wet initial chimney from the gap, then we never saw them again until having our lunch up the top and they were indeed pitching everything.

At the gap I think you can reach across to a jug and avoid the last step of the descent, but it's quite bold unless your'e very tall. When we did it there was a party of four (novices) waiting on the Great Tower: The team of three ahead of us were part across, when the Leader said "shall I go?" and I said yes. I Lifted our rope for their third man to do it and then followed. One of the novices wailed "but we've been waiting for ages" and I said " But there's plenty of room for two ropes" and I think they said - " I suppose you know what you're doing" - which we did! I don't think we held them up but I've felt a bit guilty about it ever since

Ah, I meant the Douglas gap.

[past my sell by date]

Ah, I meant the Douglas gap.

We went further East, and up some ledges , getting on to TR well above that

[DizzyVizion]

Wow! That is a fantastic report!

You must have been knackered after all that

I was up the CMD again in June - taking my nephew on his first outing. While on the summit plateau, I had a really good look at Tower Ridge and the gap for a future trip. This report will be invaluable for it though, so big thanks

Which would you recommend- Tower Ridge? Or Observatory Ridge?

And I can recommend the north face car park absolutely (except when it's the weekend of the world downhill mountain bike championships. I have just one word for it... Carnage! )

[gaffr]

Hope that I can add a bit to the Question of comparing Tower Ridge with Observatory Ridge....Have only done Observatory using the direct start that is supposed to be a touch harder than the normal route. Same as for NE Buttress using the direct Arete route of Raeburn that he did in 1902.
Of all the big ridges on the Ben there is perhaps more variety of terrain/situations on Tower Ridge....a good route to experience what the Ben is about as well as being a grand way of reaching the summit.

[DizzyVizion]

Hope that I can add a bit to the Question of comparing Tower Ridge with Observatory Ridge....Have only done Observatory using the direct start that is supposed to be a touch harder than the normal route. Same as for NE Buttress using the direct Arete route of Raeburn that he did in 1902.
Of all the big ridges on the Ben there is perhaps more variety of terrain/situations on Tower Ridge....a good route to experience what the Ben is about as well as being a grand way of reaching the summit.

Thanks gaffr
It'll be the first climbing route I do on the Ben so we will go with your recommendation on this one and go with TR first

Add in dav2930's report and I'm thoroughly sold on it

[past my sell by date]

Hope that I can add a bit to the Question of comparing Tower Ridge with Observatory Ridge....Have only done Observatory using the direct start that is supposed to be a touch harder than the normal route. Same as for NE Buttress using the direct Arete route of Raeburn that he did in 1902.
Of all the big ridges on the Ben there is perhaps more variety of terrain/situations on Tower Ridge....a good route to experience what the Ben is about as well as being a grand way of reaching the summit.

Thanks gaffr
It'll be the first climbing route I do on the Ben so we will go with your recommendation on this one and go with TR first

Add in dav2930's report and I'm thoroughly sold on it

II would agree with that: the climbing on OR is a lot harder - (up to MVS in boots) though not serious. There's really nothing above Mod Diff on TR - though the Tower gap is scarily exposed I would have been happy to solo it in good dry conditions - only in my Heyday

[malky_c]

Oops, missed this one. Happy memories there, and a great report .

We took an 'easier' variation on the Douglas Boulder direct - on the west side I think. It was terrifyingly loose and probably cost us about 2 hours . I think we would have been better to skip the whole thing and get to the meat of the route higher up sooner.

Looked like a fantastic day. Shame you missed out on your preferred route but this would have been a decent consolation, I would have thought .

[gaffr]

Sounds like South West ridge Maiky….I went that way once to get to the TR proper.
Best avoided and to get around to the other side of the Boulder to, by way of the narrow rocky slot ( good secure easy angled rock) East Gully, to reach the First wee pitch on the Ridge proper...good anchor at the base.

[dav2930]

Wow! That is a fantastic report!

You must have been knackered after all that

I was up the CMD again in June - taking my nephew on his first outing. While on the summit plateau, I had a really good look at Tower Ridge and the gap for a future trip. This report will be invaluable for it though, so big thanks

Which would you recommend- Tower Ridge? Or Observatory Ridge?

And I can recommend the north face car park absolutely (except when it's the weekend of the world downhill mountain bike championships. I have just one word for it... Carnage! )

Thanks Dizzy! Glad you found the report useful. I haven't done Observatory Ridge so I defer to Gaffr and past my sell by date. I'd say Tower Ridge is ideal if you're looking for something just a bit more challenging than Curved Ridge but not as technical or serious as Agag's Groove. It has plenty of interesting scrambling on it and the Gap, though exposed, is not difficult and soon over with. Choose a good day for it and I'm sure you'll love it.

Next time I visit the Ben I'll definitely approach from the North Face car park. All the best.

Oops, missed this one. Happy memories there, and a great report .

We took an 'easier' variation on the Douglas Boulder direct - on the west side I think. It was terrifyingly loose and probably cost us about 2 hours . I think we would have been better to skip the whole thing and get to the meat of the route higher up sooner.

Looked like a fantastic day. Shame you missed out on your preferred route but this would have been a decent consolation, I would have thought .

Thanks Malky. From your description of the west ridge of DB I'm rather glad we weren't tempted to go that way ourselves - it sounds a good approach in the guide! Well done on doing TR yourself!

Yes it was a fantastic day; I think we would have enjoyed it all the more if TR had been our objective in the first place. But it was indeed a decent consolation. Cheers

[Grisu]

What a shame about the forecast and the missed chance! I am pretty much impressed that you took the time to take all the great pics although time was so tight! Good luck for the next time!!!

[dav2930]

What a shame about the forecast and the missed chance! I am pretty much impressed that you took the time to take all the great pics although time was so tight! Good luck for the next time!!!

Thanks Grisu! I'd like to have taken more photos actually, as I missed an awful lot of spectacular views from TR. I'm hoping we'll get a spell of warm, dry weather in the not too distant future for a return visit to the Ben, though it may have to wait till next year now.