UKH

Snow on The Long Climb

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 ozandrew 10 Jul 2017
Anyone done The Long Climb on Ben Nevis recently? Wondering how much snow there is at the base. Had a look at doing this a few years ago and getting onto the climb proper seemed non trivial.
 James_Kendal 10 Jul 2017
In reply to ozandrew:

There are some recent photos here, if it doesn't put you off.

https://www.facebook.com/lochabermrt/posts/1358282267554306
 spenser 10 Jul 2017
In reply to ozandrew:

Can't talk for the snow state but I can definitely confirm it is very serious for VS, at the time it felt like the most serious route I'd done, probably still is.
In reply to spenser:

It's worth noting there was a fatality last year on the route caused by loose rock. The ascent the week after this accident also reported very bad rock conditions.

There was another rescue last week as well. Looks like the party rescued left a comment of their ordeal in the logbooks. The Long Climb (VS)

Personally I don't think it's worth it after these reports. I'll leaving that face for winter.
 Andy Nisbet 10 Jul 2017
In reply to ozandrew:

Be careful on the route. There have been a lot of accidents over the years. I backed off it when I was leading E1 and vowed never to go back (too much slime). It was graded Severe then.
 spenser 10 Jul 2017
In reply to Martin McKenna - Rockfax:

Hi Martin,
If you're speaking about the quote from the grough article that was me, we did the route the day after the fatality, had no idea what had happened until we were 3/4 pitches up the route at which point retreat would have meant chopping up my ropes for tat due to the good gear being fairly spread out on ledges (I stupidly hadn't carried a knife or tat).
 NigeR 10 Jul 2017
In reply to Andy Nisbet:

> Be careful on the route. There have been a lot of accidents over the years. I backed off it when I was leading E1 and vowed never to go back (too much slime). It was graded Severe then.

Always consider Long Climb (and others like it) to be a mountaineering route as opposed to a rock climb.

I too did it when it was graded Severe, during a week of unseasonably good weather back in the 70's, and was regularly climbing HVS/E1 at the time. We found it both serious and crap in equal measures.

But if you're in possession of a guidebook/route description, then the nature of the route is clear to see beforehand?
 Andy Nisbet 10 Jul 2017
In reply to NigeR:

> But if you're in possession of a guidebook/route description, then the nature of the route is clear to see beforehand?

Some folk just look at the grade and the stars, maybe even that there are 85 logs on UKC, without reading into the details. Or read the details and then think, it can't be that bad and get 3 stars.


 DaveHK 10 Jul 2017
In reply to ozandrew:

It's a funny one, The Long Climb. Seems to divide people into 2 camps: it's a greasy, rubbley, difficult to follow shitshow or, it's a pleasant mountaineering experience.

I think which camp you fall into depends on expectations, conditions on the day and willingness to follow your own nose rather than the guidebook description.

A friend's pic from 2 days ago shows no snow on the route.
 Jim 1003 10 Jul 2017
In reply to DaveHK:

I did it during a heatwave, some pitches were excellent, the twin cracks quite memorable. I recall the top pitches having tricky route finding. I enjoyed it, but chose very dry conditions.
 Robert Durran 10 Jul 2017
In reply to ozandrew:

I soloed it in 1983 when I was leading E1 on a good day. It seemed fairly graded but to enjoy it definitely needed a mountaineering approach with interesting route finding and dealing with less than perfect rock and greasiness even in dry conditions.
2
 Doug 10 Jul 2017
In reply to DaveHK:

I did it during a heatwave when it was mostly dry (just the odd seep) at a time I was leading E1 and my memories are mostly of never being quite sure if we were on the route or not after the first couple of pitches and that, other than ridges, it was probably the nearest thing to an alpine route I'd ever done in the UK. I would probably have graded it D rather than the severe then given in the guidebook. Other memories are of walking down in the sunset with wonderful views to the west
jonnie3430 10 Jul 2017
In reply to Doug:

I did it on a dry forecast and had rain and snow before we got off the top, though the sunset for the walk off was beautiful. It wasn't clear where the route went at the end, so may need to go back in the future. I agree with what is said above, much more alpiney and very long. Great adventure!
 Webster 10 Jul 2017
In reply to ozandrew:

guilty party from said rescue... no snow on route or at the base. Am a competent alpinist and would not recommend. other than being the longest 'rock climb' in the country it has absolutely nothing going for it. if you enjoy esoteric suffering then I imagine the chasm would be far more rewarding. The face is deffinately best left for winter!
 Webster 10 Jul 2017
In reply to Doug:

I hope you mean alpine D not Diff? it has at least 2 4c pitches, which are on the few solid parts of the face, so wont have changed over the years... you wont find 4c on a diff, or a severe for that matter!
In reply to Webster:

this one almost does...!

Overlapping Ridge Route (First Pinnacle Rib) (D)

Diff 4b

i assumed he meant alpine grading though.
 Doug 10 Jul 2017
In reply to Webster:

D as in Guide Vallot 'Difficile'
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