UKH

I'm building my list of routes for a winter trip around the end of Feb. I'll be based in Fort William so ideally looking for routes BN / Glencoe way but going a bit further a field is fine to.

Ideally looking for straightforward, protectable routes at grade 3 and a couple of suggestions at grade 4 I'm going well. So I thought I'd dip into the collective knowledge of UKC for suggestions.

I've currently got on my list:

Tower Ridge

Castle Ridge

Morwind

Left Twin

The ones in best and safest condition at the time is the real answer so do check on here and on facebook groups just before your trip to get an idea for yourself.

The East Face of Aonach Mor is a serious venue with an approach above a nasty long run out and huge cornices by feb in a normal season although there is often a way through above Morwind et al.

The west face has good routes that are safer after fresh snow on a westerly, e.g. Daim Buttress (III)

Green Gully (IV 4) is not too steep for a IV and one of the easier ones i've done on Ben Nevis.

 No3 gully buttress with an optional IV finish was my 1st ever III

And echoing what the poster above said, depending on conditions of course.

Penguin Gully (III 4)

Staghorn Gully (III)

Found staghorn a bit disappointing. It hadn’t banked out but the ice pitch wasnt as long as expected.

Central Gully (III 4) is a good ice route at III

Bit of a hike from Fort William (5hr round trip)! And excellent though it is it doesn't really meet the 'straightforward' bit of the OP's criteria...

Is Crowberry gully still a grade III ? And nearby North Buttress is good at IV.

Glovers Chimney on the Ben. The lower plod can be a bit boring depending on the conditions. The chimney had a peg in it when I did it about 1984. However, I think there is probably adequate pro. Be careful when you climb from the top of the chimney onto Tower Ridge. When I did it the ridge was very narrow and I almost went slithering down the far side.

SC Gully was fun.

Twisting Gully is safe but not quite so good.

We really enjoyed Taxus on Beinn an Dothaid, it doesn't often come into condition - but is a very straightforward and scenic route finishing directly on the summit. pleasant walk in and off the mountain and you're off to a good start if heading home south!

I would say Taxus comes on most seasons, as does that NE Coire. West Buttress would be another worthwhile III, only requiring frozen turf and dusting of snow.

Stuart 

Grade IIIs - if you get the relevant guide books, look at the three/four star routes and then keep an eye on the UKC conditions page you'll get an idea of which ones are being climbed at the time. Either climb those or pick routes of a similar aspect, height and location to go at. 

Sorry if you know this - mixed routes will be easier to protect than ice routes. Ice screws are essential on the ice routes, but you still may need to go a long way (further than you would do rock climbing) between places to place them or rock gear. 

Grade IVs - one in the areas you suggest that I've had a complete mare on was Observatory Ridge when it was in powdery condition. I think with good freeze / thaw snow it would be fine, but you'd probably be on one of the gully / face climbs in these conditions. I guess what I'm saying is I wouldn't pick Observatory Ridge if it's lean pickings.

Apologies again if you already know this but a lot of the routes on the Ben and Creag Meagaidh, and to a lesser extent some of the Glencoe crags, start above huge expanses of grade I ground, which can be lethal if hard and you slip, or an avalanche nightmare, depending on conditions. Be up on avalanche indicators and to start with gear up way earlier than you think you should do.