Ledge Route – Cutting Corners
Posted by Max Hunter on 01st March, 2014
Below No.5 Gully – a deep graupel layer
The start of Ledge Route
Friday was day 5 of the Jagged Globe Winter Mountaineering Course. I was out with Jennie and Jo for the last time this week. We decided that Ledge Route would be perfect to finish off their course. However they wanted something a little harder than II at times, so I decided that the ‘Corner Cut Ledge Route’ would be perfect. We geared up aside from the run-out zone of Number 5, and I got ready for the trail breaking to come. It was nasty trail breaking up into Number 5. We found the huge quantity of graupel 2cm under the surface. It was 40cm deep in places. So we traversed across to the left to get away from that area of the snowpack. When I got to the first corner that could be cut (up the final pitch of Curtain Rail onto Ledge, I decided that I didn’t want to hang around in Number 5, so I missed it out. Later though when the route cuts back sharp left – another corner can be cut by going straight up in 2 pitches. I’d heard this was about III for a pitch. Near the top of this pitch, I quickly realised that I should have brought a 60m rope, or actually a 53m rope would have been fine! So I buried an axe, and the team had to move a couple of metres away from the belay – so I could get to the good rock belay above my head (note – longer rope next time, avoid belay faff!). The rest of the climb was great – and in a Very snowy state. Nav off of the top was a white out as per usual. With an accident just outside Fort William, driving home turned out to be more eventful than the climb! A great day and a great course, thank you to Jo and Jennie for the company, always full of smiles, good humour, and forgiving of my driving down the Ben track!
Top of the first pitch
Second pitch
Top of the second
Jo and Jennie
Ledge Route
Jennie and Jo at the op of Ledge Route