Charles Inglis Clark Hut, Ben Nevis

Heading up to the Tower Face Comb

The first meet of the ACG, following its revival at the end of 2018, was based at the CIC hut, under the north face of Ben Nevis, built in memory of Charles Inglis Clark who died of wounds in Mesopotamia in 1918 during the First World War.  As well as being a member of the Scottish Mountaineering Club, he was a member of the Alpine Club and one of those commemorated in the 2018 Alpine Journal in the article to commemorate the sacrifice of another era's young Alpine Club members who died in the First World War.

The ACG Winter Meet took place over the weekend of the 2nd & 3rd February and as far as the weather was concerned, it was a weekend of two contrasts.  Saturday still and blue sky, Sunday full Scottish.

Tower Face Comb – Pitch 1

Tower Face Comb - Pitch 2

It’s Scotland, so it’s a raven, not a cheeky chough!

Route 2 Direct, Carn Dearg Buttress

Sunday was truly Scottish.  It and one of those days you wonder whether you're sane or not for being there and question what you're doing in a blizzard trying to climb as hard as possible. This made the Douglas Boulder a popular venue for Sunday.  

This being still early in the season it was a weekend of mixed routes, rather than ice lines. Over the weekend, ascents were made of Tower Face of the Comb, S.W Ridge of Douglas Boulder and Cutless, with an attempt on Route 2 Direct, thwart by a lack of ice.