A contrast from the weather yesterday mountaineering on Stob Ban today. With blue skies and fresh snow down to sea level. It was going to be a good day. We got to the start of the ridge in the sun and the guys lead themselves up on the dry rock and powder. A handful of short pitches later we were crossing the barrow end of the ridge back in the sun. #winter #glennevis #stobban

Today i was on the east ridge of Stob Ban in Glen Nevis for Abacus Mountain Guides. A lot of fresh snow had fallen over the last 48hours, which made for knee deep on the approach and waist deep coming down the north ridge.  Hot in the sun it felt very spring like with the weather and full on winter conditions on the ridge. I was out with Finlay, 14.5 years old for his 1st winter climb and Alpine Guide aspirant and what a day for it. We did 2 pitches to start and then moved to

Amazing conditions on the climbing ridge on Stob Ban, Glen Nevis at the moment. Hard snow slopes and solid snow ridges with dry rock and good gear made for a very alpine feel. Ben and Danny progressed from yesterday with Ben leading the ridge and improving his gear and belay building and Danny ironed out his seconding skills.  7 pitches in total and good milage for the guys. #stobban #Glennevis #Winter #Fortwilliam

Very cold on a winter skills day today with Blarney walking group from Ireland for West Coast Mountain Guides. With another easterly wind hitting the country it was bitter from the start and with very strong gusts as we made our way up to the col. The snow is rock hard at the moment so we had crampons on for most of the day.  There were a few pockets of windslab building as well. New temporary fence at lower falls for the up coming film shoot. Good view for crampon practice #

Day 2 of winter skills for Steve Fallon and this time a very different day on Stob Ban, Glen Nevis. With high temperatures and a sunny forecast made for a good contrast to  yesterdays blizzard. The snow was very soft and melting all the way to the summit and it was so hot in the sun above an amazing cloud inversion we were on the summit in base layers, with little need for crampons. Still lots of snow around and there should be some good consolidation happening with the decre

Winter Skills on Stob Ban, Glen Nevis today for Lochaber Guides.  Nigel was keen to get stuck into the hills after a week of Skiing. With supper cold temperatures and rock hard snow we made our way up towards Stob Ban where we quickly had to put crampons on for the rest of the day. We were prorected from the strong easterly wind in the glen and managed to summit as well as walk,  in a westerly direction, to the next munro of Mullach nan Coirean. There was snow falling most of

Stob Ban in Glen Nevis was a good choice today for Sam and Douglas who picked up the basic skills quickly, which meant we could progress on to slightly more technical ground on the north ridge. The snow was rock hard all day so the guys got good milage on varying slope angles in crampons as well as on the north ridge in descent which is very Alpine at the moment. Great views and very good snow cover. All tucked in for self arest The summit view Stob Ban Descending north ridge

Today I was helping deliver an avalanche awareness day to Wessex mountaineering club for West Coast Mountain Guides. Casper and myself based the day around the Be Avalanche Aware format and started the day in the pub introducing this model and starting the planning stage by looking at the avalanche and weather forecasts. We then went for a walk in the snow towards the summit of Stob Ban, Glen Nevis to confirm our plan for a safe route by gathering information and to look at t

The east ridge of the north top of Stob Ban was the route of choice for today for West Coast Mountain Guides, with strong SW winds it was quite sheltered. Getting to the ridge is still tricky with swolen rivers and a wet snow pack. The ridge itself was mostly black on the buttresses with snow on the aretes. The guys led themselves up the 1st 3 pitches and changed the rope technique to moving together. #Stobban #Glennevis #Mountaineering #Winter #Climbing #Fortwilliam

A quick dog walk up the north ridge of Stob Ban in Glen Nevis this morning. Amazing views of Ben Nevis, Mamores, Glen Coe and all the way to the Paps of Jura. Crampons worn most of the way round on the now icy, compacted crust with the north ridge banked out and sheltered from the southerly winds. Even Monty enjoyed it. Ben Nevis, The Aonachs and Sgurr a Mhaim #dogwalk #Mamores #Stobban #Munro #Bennevis #Winterwalking