NE Buttress and Ledge Route

I took Andy up Tower Ridge last year so this time he wanted to up the ante a little. As we left the car Ben Nevis was shrouded in low cloud but true to the forecast this began to break up as we walked in. We had a good chat with a couple of Irish guys heading for Tower Ridge and then pushed on from the CIC Hut to our objective. The route was only a little damp and loose and we made quick progress past the lower difficulties, the ever clean and awkward mantrap and the wet 40ft corner. Then we pressed onto the summit which was the quietest I've seen it in a while (only 3o odd people and a half a dozen dogs) for lunch watching our Irish friends from earlier tackling Tower Gap.

With fine weather and plenty of time we headed for Ledge Route to make the most of the day. On the way down we met a pair of girls coming up who had recently called the police to report hearing shouts for 'help' coming from somewhere towards the Douglas Boulder. As we pressed on the Royal Navy Sea King arrived for a circuit before heading to Fort William to pick up Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team Members. We reached the base of the Douglas Boulder at the same time as the first 3 of them and Andy stayed at the base of the route. Two guys who had been working on the CIC hut were already there helping the 2 climbers who had taken a tumble and I was able to be another pair of hands as the LMRT members went to work proficiently making the climbers safe and beginning first aid. Once one had been evacuated and the second was ready to go I scrambled down to rejoin Andy who was waiting patiently lower down and we headed out. Best wishes to the 2 injured climbers and hopes for a speedy recovery.