The metal post at the top of Number 4 Gully on Ben Nevis has pulled out of the ground and thrown down the gully. The navigation post, which has been in place for several years, is currently the subject of a consultation.
A spokesperson for the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) said, “The future of this essential navigation aid and that of the abseil posts in Coire Leis have recently been under discussion. The MCofS supports the view that the No 4 Gully marker provides an essential aid to navigation; particularly during bad visibility in the the winter months and that it should be retained on the basis of mountain safety. It is very disapointing that someones actions may have put others safety in jeopardy.”
In a statement, the John Muir Trust, which manages the mountain, said, “This is an act of sheer vandalism which we condemn in the strongest possible terms. The marker was the subject of a consultation to determine if it and an abseil post on the lip of Coire Leis should be removed. Any work would have taken place next summer, after anyone with an interest had been given the chance to express their opinion.”