Déjà vu: Orion Direct, Ben Nevis

It felt like only yesterday that I was last up on one of the finest ice climbs on Ben Nevis, and therefore the UK.  In fact it was three whole days ago!  Today, I was working for Abacus Mountaineering, and out with Parminder who had at the last minute, having been cancelled on by his regular climbing partner, driven the 500 miles from Sheffield in order to get some ice climbed, and to hopefully learn a thing or two along the way.

As we walked up to the CIC Hut, it was apparent that there were already a few teams already established on Orion Direct, and with numerous teams gearing up at the foot of Observatory Gully, things were not looking great for getting onto our number one choice of route.  Fortunately, as we approached the teams, they all shot off up towards the East Gully of Tower Ridge, and with a couple of other teams disappearing up towards Hadrian's Wall, which looks fantastic, and Observatory Ridge, a gap opened up at the base of Orion Direct.  Parminder had already led Point 5 and Zero Gully, and coupled with being a keen rock climber, it was clear that he was going to make short work of the climbing on Orion Direct.  The thing that did take time was the waiting as teams progressed at very varying rates.  We topped out at 6:30pm, with still a number of teams still climbing various routes.  A long, but again, excellent day, and I certainly don't think Parminder minded the slightly later than planned finish.  I remember him mentioning 'good value for money' on the descent!

Conditions on the route were overall quite good, not too dissimilar to how they were on Wednesday, however, the crux pitch is starting to show signs of wear from the countless ice axe placements, and unless some melt/freeze takes place, the crucial patches of ice just beyond the traverse on the crux pitch will become quite insecure in the not too distant future.  One team started Observatory Ridge as we walked around the toe of the ridge, and seemed to be finding conditions on the ridge slow going, there seemed to still be a lot of unconsolidated snow on the crest.  Another team headed up Epsilon Chimney IV,4, from The Basin, which again looked excellent, and a good alternative to Orion Direct.  Astral Highway will still be in condition, as for the time being will the other ice lines high on the mountain; Point 5 Gully, Smiths Route, Indicator Wall, Observatory Buttress etc. but with warmer temperatures this week, things lower down will be deteriorating rapidly and care is required, particularly in the gullies as cornices start to collapse.