Ben Nevis 17 December

It was a stunning day on Ben Nevis today and the temperature inversion meant that whilst it remained sub zero in Fort William the temperatures up near the summit were much milder. Jamie B and I walked in to Coire na Ciste this morning. We spotted another pair heading into Number 2 Gully so we headed for Raeburn's Easy Route. There is a fair amount of ice around but very little outside of the main gully lines climbable, the snow, where you can find it, is firm after the thaw and refreeze. Towards the end of the route we broke up left and found a couple of good pitches to give a line that went at about III,4. The ice was brittle on the surface but hollow underneath and there was water flowing behind the ice 10m from the plateau. Popping out into the evening light we were rewarded to amazing views. We passed by the summit and descended Coire Leis (patchy snow, ice routes forming but not quite complete on the Brenva Fave).