280 m away
Number 3 Gully
This is one steep and poker straight gully!
Severe Ski Touring
- Distance
- 1.3 km
- Ascent
- 0 m
- Descent
- 544 m
A great introduction to skiing on the north face, yet still requiring strong technical abilities
Ski Touring Severe
The ‘easiest’ of the Grade I gullies on the north face, but no pushover, Number 4 Gully usually has a steep & frequently corniced entrance. This gully is identified at the top by the notorious ‘Number 4 Gully Cairn’ that climbers use to rappel which usually pokes its head out of the snow at the top of this gully, if it hasn’t been completely buried.
Number 4 Gully is the most frequently skied couloir on the north face so access through the top cornice usually isn’t a challenge. Climbers also use this couloir for a descent route after summiting the Ben via a more technical route and therefore the cornice usually has a slot cut out of it which allows you to safely drop/ski into the couloir itself.
Be aware - if the couloir hasn’t slumped yet (during spring), or a slot hasn’t been cut out then the cornice can soon becomes the crux of the route, with huge drops down onto the 45 degree pitch below making entering this gully almost impossible for all but the crazy - make sure you climb up the gully if unsure about how you’re going to get into the gully.
Once in the gully, you’ve got a short yet very steep top section that is wide open without any obstructions. Once this steep section is passed, the gully then funnels in a very short bottleneck and once this bottleneck is passed, you’re then through the technical sections of this ski which leads you out onto the Corie na Ciste where you’ll get to open out the turns a little more all the way back down to the CIC Hut.
Severe
Steep skiing at 38-45 degrees. This requires very good technique and the risk of falling has serious consequences.
280 m away
This is one steep and poker straight gully!
Severe Ski Touring
370 m away
Stretching down the north face for 350m, Number 5 Gully is the longest of the named Grade I gullies on the north face
Severe Ski Touring
518 m away
Technical, narrow and steep, a hidden gem!
Extreme Ski Touring
616 m away
Deep cut, steep couloir for the entire length - a great tick.
Extreme Ski Touring
736 m away
A great pairing with South Castle Gully, if steep and extreme is your aim of the day.
Extreme Ski Touring
788 m away
Starting only slightly below the summit of the Ben, you’ve got a fantastic 650 metres of skiing ahead of you all the way down to the CIC Hut through alpine-like scenery
Severe Ski Touring
1 km away
Ski mountaineering & steep skiing on the UK's highest peak and adjacent mountains
Severe Ski Touring
4 km away
A fantastic way to get way out of the resort boundaries and down into a wild and remote corner of Aonach Mor/Aonach Beag.
Difficult Ski Touring
4.9 km away
The north face of Ben Nevis hosts some of the finest steep skiing in the Highlands, with a huge range of routes accessible straight from the doors of the CIC Hut
Easy Ski Touring
5 routes · Ski Touring
8 routes · Ski Touring