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Point Five Gully - Ben Nevis

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Mike Pescod

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Point Five Gully: Radek Kudibal climbing the chimney of Point Five Gully

Planetmountain

Beauty

Mike Pescod

Length

325m

Height

V,5

Difficulty

1344m

Route

A justifiably popular route, often in condition and the benchmark grade V,5 from which all other steep snow-ice gully climbs are graded.

Itinerary

Approach from high up Observatory Gully by a traverse under Observatory Buttress. The first three pitches give sustained steep climbing, any of which might present the crux. The first is to a belay on the left, the chimney pitch to a belay on the right in a deep recess followed by the Rogue Pitch to easier ground. Above, there is one steeper section (II/ III) before trending right to pass the cornice. Beware of spindrift avalanches and falling debris from other parties.

Notes
For climbers on top form and requiring more excitement, it is recommended that they take to the left wall of the gully after the third hard pitch. Find your own way to the top at about grade IV,4 depending on the line chosen. An escape rightwards is possible (III) onto the Girdle Traverse ledge running towards Good Friday Climb. Move out right from beneath the last hard pitch (pitch 3). Maps/Bibliography

Winter Climbs Ben Nevis and Glen Coe

by Mike Pescod, Cicerone, 2010