Winter Climbs Ben Nevis and Glen Coe

By Mike Pescod

ISBN

9781852846206

Availability

Published

20 Dec 2010

Edition

Seventh

Pages

384

Size

17.2 x 11.6 x 2.5cm

Weight

500g

Delivery & Returns

Free 1st Class postage on UK orders. European postage from £2 per item. Worldwide postage from £3 per item. If you're not happy with your purchase for any reason, we'll give you a full refund.
More information...

Guidebook to the best winter climbing routes around Ben Nevis and Glen Coe, with nearly 1000 buttresses, ridges and gullies described, all illustrated with photo topos. The best routes and access points and a wide choice of options for all grades and types of climb. Scottish winter climbing on Ben Nevis, the peaks of Glen Coe and other mountains.

Seasons

from October to May with February and March offering the most reliable climbing and April the unique ice climbing that Ben Nevis is famed for

Centres

Fort William and Glen Coe on the west coast of Scotland

Difficulty

everything from first steps in grade I snow gullies to the hardest traditional winter climb in the world with information on how to judge the climbing conditions and choose the best route

Must See

from the classic climbs of Point Five Gully, the Aonach Eagach and Crowberry Gully to the modern masterpieces of The Secret and Anubis, on Ben Nevis, Aonach Mor and Beag, The Grey Coires and Mamores, Bidean nam Bian and Buachaille Etive Mor

ISBN

9781852846206

Availability

Published

20 Dec 2010

Edition

Seventh

Pages

384

Size

17.2 x 11.6 x 2.5cm

Weight

500g

Overview

Guidebook to the best winter climbing routes around Scotland's Ben Nevis and Glen Coe. All the buttresses, ridges and gullies on the NE face of Ben Nevis, Carn Dearg, Aonachs Mor and Beag, the Mamores, Glencoe, Aonach Dubh, Bidean nam Bian, Coire Gabhail, Buchaille Etive Mor, Glen Etive and Stob a'Ghlais Choire. 960 routes, 89 photo topos. The peaks of Glen Coe and the surrounding mountains give some of the best snow and ice climbing anywhere in Europe, when the conditions are right with climbers coming from as far afield as Poland, Australia, France, Italy and the US. It's justifiably a good 'tick' on any discerning world traveller's itinerary and access to the crags has greatly improved in recent years. Many of the routes are longer than experienced anywhere else in British hills and of alpine-like seriousness. Essential for all winter climbers.

Table of Contents

List of diagrams

Preface

Introduction

Climbing conditions
Weather and avalanches
Access rights
Equipment and safety
Using this guide
Rescue facilities
Amenities

BEN NEVIS

CENTRAL AREA

Approaches for Ben Nevis
Descents from Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis – general topography

Climbs from Coire Leis
Little Brenva Face

Climbs from Observatory Gully
The Minus Face
The Orion Face
Observatory Ridge
Observatory Buttress
Indicator Wall
Gardyloo Buttress
Tower Ridge – East Side
Douglas Boulder

Climbs from Coire na Ciste
Tower Ridge – West Side
The Upper Cascades
The Comb
Number Three Gully Buttress
Creag Coire na Ciste
The Trident Buttresses
Carn Dearg Buttress
Carn Dearg Summit Gullies

Climbs from Castle Coire
The Castle
North Face of Castle Ridge

‘A big ride’ by Dave Macleod

OUTLYING AREAS

Stob Ban
Mullach nan Coirean

Glen Nevis
Five Finger Gully Area

Aonach Mor and Aonach Beag
Aonach Mor East Face – Coire an Lochain
Aonach Mor West Face
Sgurr Finnisg-aig – Allt na h-Aire cascade
Aonach Beag North Face
Aonach Beag West Face

Stob Coire an Laoigh

‘A long way down’ by Mike Pescod

GLEN COE

CENTRAL AREA

Climbs from Coire nam Beith
An-t-Sron
Stob Coire nam Beith
West Top of Bidean nam Bian

Bidean nam Bian
Diamond Buttress
Collie’s Pinnacle
Church Door Buttress

Aonach Dubh
West Face of Aonach Dubh
North Face of Aonach Dubh
East Face of Aonach Dubh

Stob Coire nan Lochan
West and North Faces of Gearr Aonach

Climbs from Coire Gabhail
East Face of Gearr Aonach
Lost Valley Minor Buttress
Lost Valley Buttress
Beinn Fhada and Stob Coire Sgreamhach
Lost Valley Ice Slabs
North Face of Beinn Fhada

Buachaille Etive Mor – Stob Dearg
Stob Dearg from Glen Etive – South East Face
Stob Dearg – North East Face – Lagangarbh approach
Coire na Tulaich
Stob Coire Altruim

The Aonach Eagach
Aonach Eagach – South Flank

‘Haunt of the raven’ by Hamish MacInnes

OUTLYING AREAS

Beinn Fhionnlaidh

Beinn a’Bheithir
Sgorr Dhonuill

Sgor na h-Ulaidh

A’Chaillach South East Face

Sron na Lairig

Glen Etive
Glen Ceitlein Slabs
Beinn Trilleachan – Etive Slabs
Ben Starav – Stob Choire Dheirg

Stob a’Ghlais Choire

Beinn Udlaidh

Appendix A: Accommodation for climbers
Appendix B: Index of routes

Updates

Subscribe to updates by email
Be notified by email when this book receives an update or correction

We do not yet have any updates available for this book

We are always grateful to readers for information about any discrepancies between a guidebook and the facts on the ground. If you would like to send some information to us then please use our contact form. They will be published here following review by the author(s).

Reviews

'This is the sixth edition of this select guide to Winter Climbs in the Lochaber region, and it’s the first to be authored by Mike Pescod. Pescod is stepping into some weighty shoes with the previous authors being Ian Clough, Hamish MacInnes, Ed Grindley and Alan Kimber. Thankfully Pescod is up to the task and this could be the best edition yet.

Pescod knows these hills intimately, having worked as a local guide, and spending much of his life enabling others to enjoy the wealth of climbing in this area. His knowledge is evident throughout this book, with over 40 pages of notes, diagrams and maps covering safety, access and planning a trip before the first climb is even described.

In summary, this is a well thought out and very useful guide covering enough climbs for most visitors lifetimes. For the majority of winter climbers in search of classics this book is good value but the inclusion of the latest testpieces should also have the young tigers shelling out their Christmas book tokens.'

Climb magazine, February 2011

'Following on eight years since Alan Kimber’s last guide, this seventh edition by guide Mike Pescod is a truly masterful piece of work.

Not only do we have included all the new routes, but also fantastic photo topos of each route crag and buttress.

The guide is also packed with advice on route choice and conditions, avalanche rescue and safety information. For the first time the newly developed crags of Stob Coire nan Laoigh and Mullach nan Coirean are also included. Lastly, this excellent new edition has bucked the trend of guide books getting so big and fat you don’t want to pop them in the top of your sack any more.'

Mountain Rescue magazine, January 2011

'This guidebook takes a huge selection (over 900) of the best climbs and, in a marriage of many generations of local knowledge combined with modern computer technology, produces… an excellent, well laid-out and very easy to use guidebook which I would highly recommend to anyone intending to visit Lochaber for winter shenanigans. The wealth of routes described will allow the reader a lifetime of winter visits to Lochaber and to experience the very best of Scottish winter climbing.

An outstanding guide to the area.'

Irish Mountain Log, Summer 2011

Where to Buy

Google Play

Google Play Books available for Windows, Android, Mac and iOS

Kobo

Kobo eReader devices plus Kobo App available for Windows, Android, Mac and iOS

Kindle

Kindle Reader devices plus Kindle App available for Windows, Android, Mac and iOS

Downloads

Trade Information

Mike Pescod

Having climbed on Ben Nevis and in Glen Coe for fifteen years, Mike Pescod has an in depth knowledge of the climbs, the weather and the conditions you can experience here. Working full time as a mountain guide here for ten years, Mike has been on Ben Nevis over a thousand times and regularly spends up to a hundred days climbing each winter both professionally and recreationally.
Mike has been on climbing trips right across Europe as well as to Russia, Tadjikistan, Nepal, East Africa and Peru but it is the unique quality of the climbing in Scotland that gives him the most enjoyment and satisfaction.
With his wife, Louise, he runs a mountain guiding and instruction company and has every intention of climbing in the hills here for many years to come.

View author profile