we abseiled with a 50m rope. I seem to remember thinking that 30m would have been a bit short, but it was a long time ago, so maybe im remembering wrong. sorry to not be more help
A 30m rope will be too short for the ab. When we did it the ridge was covered in deep powder and I certainly wouldn't have fancied the down climb without some prior knowledge in those conditions.
Plenty of jugs all the way down in most conditions and bits of turf and ice just now. I would call it Grade II either up or down. Not for everyone though.
One can also move left (right in the photo) and drop down a small gully for a few metres then turn right around the pillar to regain the line. Often dodgy in summer because of loose rock but expected pretty solid in current conditions.
If you downclimb, the top 3 easy metres or so brings you to a bit of a ledge. There should be plenty hooks there (or it may be well iced) to lower yourself onto another ledge about a metre lower. My preferred option then is to go down a series of short grooves, on the left as you face the cliff, by a mix of handholds and axe placements.
Have fun.
(New recent pic of Forcan in winter in my gallery shortly.)
As Jim Fraser wrote, you don't need to abseil unless you particularly want to. The gully on left, just before the drop, should give easy descent and then move round to regain ridge.
Several years since I did it (in 2004 I think). On that occasion I was with my wife who down climbed it roped. I then down climbed unroped. I have a 25m rope (old 9mm cut in half) that we carry for such occasions. Its a system we've used often and seems to work for us.
Did it a couple of weeks back. We used a 50m rope, almost certain a 30 wouldn't be long enough. The snow was a bit shit when we did it and the bypass really wasn't an option. One of our party was a bit ahead and down climbed it, the rest of us looked at it and said no way and got the rope out. Abbing down I looked at it and was glad of our choice.
This Winter Conditions page gives a summary of what is being climbed at the moment, what is 'in' nick and
what the prospects are...
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