North Buttress Stob Ban

[Cairngorm creeper]

Our itinerary for the day was not excessive, a grade three scramble up the north buttress of Stob Ban, continue on to the summit before descending into Coire a’Mhusgain and back to The Lower Falls.

The Route

Less than 10km and only 972m of ascent, we never expected it turn into an exhausting 15hr epic!
Our day started innocently enough, with a near empty car park at Glen Nevis lower falls despite it being a sunny July day, but although it was not yet 08:00hr it was already hot. As soon as the path showed signs of an incline I was taking the concept of slow walking to appreciate the environment to a new low as I stopped to admire another blade of grass. As long as we didn't flake out before reaching the north buttress we would be ok as it would be cooler once we started climbing.

A hot day in Glen Nevis

Initially we followed the main path towards Choire a' Mhusgain then, before, reaching the zig zags we turned left onto a lower path that stayed close to the burn. From here the three buttresses on Stob Ban were clearly visible and the eye is immediately drawn to the impressive face and triangular peak of the central buttress, we were slightly disappointed when we realised this was not our objective and that we were going for the little one on the end.

Stob Ban Buttresses

View along the gorge

We were aiming for a point at the top of the gully where we could safely cross the Allt Coire a’ Mhusgain. The path was pleasantly shady, with steep drops down to the gully with one short scramble, on a greasy rocky wall.

The lower path

At the burn we stopped for a drink and a mars bar, our last refreshment for many hours and the most substantial meal we would have all day. There were plenty of boulders in the water making the crossing easier than anticipated. On the other side, exposed to the full glare of the sun, we slogged up the steep grass

Slogging up steep grass

grateful to reach a levelling in the slope. More steep grass and scree in a shady shallow gully before we finally reached the start of the scramble at 11:10.

The Base of the North Buttress

One of the hardest parts of any scramble often seems to be getting established on the rock and this was no different. The lower buttress felt very exposed so we roped up, knowing we could always coil it up later if there was easier ground.
After the the first moves on the rock the lower buttress consisted of tenuous feeling greenery over rock and followed by some delicate moves onto an arete.

The Lower Buttress

The scrambling on the main buttress was mainly on good rock and one of the early highlights was a scenic traverse.

The Traverse

Traverse from the other end

At the end of the traverse is the crux chimney, just visible behind a huge a boulder in the previous photo.
This is avoidable by either of the gully's on the face. We decided to take the gully right next to it, this started of very steeply with overlapping flakes but eased closer to the top.

Top of the gully

The route was varied and interesting but with only short sections of easier ground there was no natural point at which to untie from the rope as any easier scrambling was interspersed with short steep sections or exposed moves.
So we pitched all 300m with our 25m rope. .
Despite this holding us up considerably it did not detract from the pleasure of the day and given the long daylight hours there was no real danger of being benighted.

Easier scrambling ending on steeper rock

Enjoying the view

Some of the days best moments took place out of view of a camera including a memorable squeeze between the rock face and a large boulder which required plenty of wriggling to get through complete with rucksack

Leading into the squeeze

Two short knife edge aretes with a steeper section of climbing between them made a superb end to the scramble.

The first arete

Between the aretes

2nd arete

Looking down at the arete

After Eight hours of scrambling, at 19:00 we were untying from the rope, and scrabbling up steep grass to reach the main path. The only sensible descent route was to follow the main ridge around to Stob Ban and take the path down into Coire Mhusgain. The good news was that we still had 3 to 4 hours of day light left and it always nice to finish on a summit.

Ben Nevis from the main ridge

The Red Ridge to Mullach na Coirean

20:00 Stob Ban summit

Finally starting the descent

22:15 and a final look back at the north buttress

A harder and more sustained grade 3 scramble than many we have encountered and an epic outing.

[LeithySuburbs]

Don't remember seeing another report on this route so thanks. Looks a good fun route, the slog up to it less so !

[katyhills]

That looks like a fantastic day. Great photos - I particularly like the one of the arete with Sgurr a'Mhaim's quartzy top in the background.
Climbing's not for me, but perhaps if I was a few decades younger, I'd be having a go at some of those routes!

An alternative descent would have been straight back down that ridge. I used that as my ascent when I did SB and Mullach. Good path virtually all the way, and the drop down Sron Dearg at the end would be nothing like the knee crunching descent of Sgurr a'M. Brings you down to the car park where you normally return from those two, so only a few minutes back to where you set out. There's a recent walk report on those two, by denfinella, and I mentioned it on that .

[Cairngorm creeper]

Don't remember seeing another report on this route so thanks. Looks a good fun route, the slog up to it less so !

It was a fun route! well worth the effort and to be fair the slog up to it was not as vertical as the access to some scrambles but the hot sun made it hard work!

That looks like a fantastic day. Great photos - I particularly like the one of the arete with Sgurr a'Mhaim's quartzy top in the background.
Climbing's not for me, but perhaps if I was a few decades younger, I'd be having a go at some of those routes!

An alternative descent would have been straight back down that ridge. I used that as my ascent when I did SB and Mullach. Good path virtually all the way, and the drop down Sron Dearg at the end would be nothing like the knee crunching descent of Sgurr a'M. Brings you down to the car park where you normally return from those two, so only a few minutes back to where you set out. There's a recent walk report on those two, by denfinella, and I mentioned it on that .

Thanks Katy, youth is not a prerequisite for scrambling, we have only been doing it a few years and are both retired! but it would be much harder doing it solo!
It is very useful to know about the easier route down! At the time we wondered if we could get down the ridge but thought it a bit late to go exploring!

[dav2930]

Looks a fascinating scramble on the grand scale. I've often admired that face of Stob Ban and wondered if there were any scrambling or climbing routes up there, so I read your report with great interest. The two aretes in particular look great, though other parts of the route do look rather vegetated! A good, long day in the hills indeed

[prog99]

Looks a fascinating scramble on the grand scale. I've often admired that face of Stob Ban and wondered if there were any scrambling or climbing routes up there, so I read your report with great interest. The two aretes in particular look great, though other parts of the route do look rather vegetated!

I know it as the east ridge of the north top. Its more commonly done in winter at II/III.

[Alteknacker]

That looks like a great scramble, and, contrary to LeithySuburbs, I love the look of the approach - that little valley with the stream is quite beautiful!

[LeithySuburbs]

contrary to LeithySuburbs, I love the look of the approach - that little valley with the stream is quite beautiful!

I was only really meaning the slog up from the burn to the start of the scramble - the glen is lovely.

[Cairngorm creeper]

Looks a fascinating scramble on the grand scale. I've often admired that face of Stob Ban and wondered if there were any scrambling or climbing routes up there, so I read your report with great interest. The two aretes in particular look great, though other parts of the route do look rather vegetated! A good, long day in the hills indeed

The two aretes were good and despite the vegetation a lot of the scrambling was on good rock with short bits of greenery linking it together.

I know it as the east ridge of the north top. Its more commonly done in winter at II/III.

I had seen the route referred to as as plain North Buttress and East Ridge of the North Buttress but didn't realise it was also referred to as The East Ridge of the North Top. I bet it is a good winter route for the grade, although sadly beyond us. A lot of the routes we have followed from the scrambling guides are more commonly done as winter routes but I think this was one that leant itself to a summer scramble better than many of them.There was very little debris and loose rock and with plenty of scrambling on clean rock.

That looks like a great scramble, and, contrary to LeithySuburbs, I love the look of the approach - that little valley with the stream is quite beautiful!

It was a fun scramble! and the lower path to the stream was delightful and despite all the bracken we came out with only one small tick each!