Thread: Ben Nevis in winter

Or even Grassington ;-) Seriously, if you're still at the level of asking questions like that in your original post, you ought to be thinking Yorkshire Dales and the Peak District, not Ben Nevis. Not unless you have a death wish at any rate.

Haha. October... but still it's unusual even then.

People die every year climbing in Scotland in inappropriate conditions. They don't even make it onto the local news. Sadly, mountain rescue teams also risk death and serious injury trying to save some of these idiots.

Have ever been up a mountain in Britain in winter? Do you know how to use crampons, ice axe, map, compass etc? Do you know what a cornice is? If your answer to even one of these questions is "No", then don't go up Ben Nevis until the snow has melted from the paths (there will still be some snow patches until perhaps even June). I suspect that the fact you're asking means that you shouldn't attempt the ascent - as Pedro...

Ben Nevis in winter Hello! I'm trying to organise a group trip to hike up Ben Nevis. We were thinking of February as that's a good time for the group schedule-wise, but I wanted to know if anyone had any experience at hiking up at this time of year? We are happy to deal with generally inclement weather (it is Scotland, after all), but do you think this is just too early? If so, when is the earliest that you would go? Thanks!!

You don't hike up the Ben in February. The correct term is Winter Mountaineering and you should be equipped with ice axe and crampons and know how to use them. see http://www.visit-fortwilliam.co.uk/ben_nevis/ben_safety.htm When is the earliest you should go ? - that depends upon the conditions. April possibly.

Hi - Ben Nevis in February. Believe it or not..beautiful blue skies and sunshine but deep snow and rather chilly. Couldn't quite make it to the very top as the snow was waist deep on me and it wasn't possible for me to get through. So unless you are prepared for snow like this it's not worth it. Saw a little mouse on the way up by the side of the track so we moved it to a more sheltered place...saw the same mouse on the way back...

April at the earliest and be prepared to cancel if there's a wintery spell.

I have only ever climbed Ben Nevis once, in late June. Even then there were sizeable areas of snow, including one near the summit with a dangerous cornice (fyi, a cornice is ice and snow that 'hangs' over the edge of a rock face, giving the casual observer the impression that it's safe to walk on when actually it's just a few inches of ice with fresh air underneath it). This is at the top of the path up from Glen Nevis and...

Maybe the OP has heeded the advice and is now planning a trip up Mam Tor via Mam Nick car park in July.