Abacus Mountain Guides

Early season conditions on Ben Nevis right now, but it's white, snowy and frozen, so it's a good start to the year!

I went up for an early lap of CMD Arete this morning. It was beautiful, calm and not very snowy! We have had no snow on Ben Nevis or Glencoe, even when it has been snowing heavily in the Cairngorms, Glasgow and even the Lake District. As a result conditions are pretty awkward. CMD Arete was lovely because it's a dry ridge but there is lots of ice in the grass lower down, no snow on the scree in the coires and no helpful snow on the ridges. The steep crags are not even rimed up for mixed climbing! But the ground is very cold and we're ready for snow now. Can someone please send it our way? #ThinkWINTER #mountains

Let me tell you a story which, like all good stories, has something that you can learn from. https://www.abacusmountainguides.com/blog/be-prepared #ThinkWINTER

It looks like we're going to get a cold north-westerly airstream for a few days bring summit temperatures below freezing for tomorrow at least. What more excuse do we need to share a bit of wintry goodness? Finger's crossed for some days like these this winter.

We're very much looking forward to Tower Ridge turning from summer to winter conditions in the next couple of months! Here's some footage of chief guide Mike enjoying a run up Tower Ridge one September and the same sections in December after a wee fall of snow. When it's as stormy outside as it is right now, you're better off with a cup of tea and a nice film to watch! So, enjoy. #mountains British Mountain Guides

I was going to post something about how amazing Scotland is with a vast array of beautiful climbing, that I still have a long list of places to explore. Instead, you get a classic bum shot! Apologies. I'm on Mull this week, down at Fionnphort near Erraid and Iona. The rock is pink granite with big crystals and beautifully clean where it is blasted by the winter storms. My fingers are going to be sore by the end of the week! Jöttnar

Thank you to all our friends and guests who we have shared adventures with in 2022. We are looking forward to many more in 2023. It's not just about going climbing, but, more importantly, it's about the nature of the landscape that sustains us physically and mentally. So, whatever you do in 2023, make sure it includes time outside in nature, creating and strengthening the connection you have with the nature of the place that surrounds you. Happy New Year folks! Jöttnar

This was one of my first wintry days out last year, 7th December 2021. Billy and I climbed Gutless on Douglas Boulder before abseiling off in some testing conditions! It has been so warm recently that it is hard to believe that it will ever cool down enough for winter climbing. It was much the same last year though and we have snow in the forecast later this week. What was your first winter climb last year? Jöttnar #scottishwinter

During last week we had a lot of rain. In one hour (11pm Thursday 6th to midnight) there was 26.2mm of rainfall recorded in Glen Nevis. This is quite a lot, even for Lochaber standards and resulted in a landslide on Ben Nevis that started on the slope underneath the shortcut path between windy corner and the Red Burn crossing point. We do not know whether erosion on the shortcut path has increased the chance of landslides below it, but one thing that is for sure is we have a very well built path that avoids this area, on which we will not increase the chance of erosion at all, a path that we spent £900,000 on recently (through Nevis Landscape Partnership) that is easier and quicker to walk down and gives better views of the upper part of the mountain. It makes no sense to walk down on the shortcut, so please share this message to anyone who is heading up that way. It is easy enough to reach the people that already know this, but hard to reach the one-time walkers. Alvance British Aluminium Nevis Landscape Partnership John Muir Trust Jöttnar

Tower Ridge was on fine form today, and I got to enjoy climbing it with Andy, Gary and Darren from Aberdeen. Here's one way to climb down into Tower Gap. There are others, but this seems to work well. https://www.abacusmountainguides.com/tower-ridge.html Jöttnar #bennevis #mountaineering

Nice clouds on Ben Nevis, with climbers on Tower Ridge. It's important to savour moments like this, to stop a while and ground yourself in the moment. Reaching the top is good, but these moments when you feel like you are a part of nature, insignificant in this vast landscape but, at the same time, unique and very special are so important. Jöttnar #myoutdoorcapital Nevis Landscape Partnership John Muir Trust