Six Winter Ascents of Ben Nevis on Six Consecutive Days

Legends of Scottish climbing face an extreme 50th anniversary challenge. 

Six winter ascents of Ben Nevis on six consecutive days at the Fort William Mountain Festival 2010.

The highlight of this year's Fort William Mountain Festival, being staged across the Outdoor Capital of the UK - Fort William and Lochaber - will be an attempt to repeat Jimmy Marshall and Robin Smith's now legendary achievement of six first winter ascents of Ben Nevis on six consecutive days in February 1960; a feat that was to transform the shape of Scottish winter mountaineering, advancing it a full ten years.  

Ben Nevis north face, looking up at Tower Ridge from below the CIC hut. Dave MacFarlane

In one legendary week on Ben Nevis in 1960 Jimmy Marshall and Robin Smith transformed the shape of Scottish winter mountaineering. On consecutive days they climbed six first winter ascents, including the mini Alpine-route Orion Face Direct (V, 5), while also making the second and much quicker ascent of Point Five Gully (V, 5) for good measure - in seven hours as opposed to more than 40 hours when previously climbed. 

The fact they achieved all this using rudimentary ice-climbing gear and by cutting steps up the snow and ice appears, from the remove of the 21st century, to be almost unbelievable. This was a feat of fitness, skill and commitment that some would argue has never been bettered; and the finest achievement in ice climbing using the step cutting technique. 

'Marshall's skill was such that he could lead routes almost faster than some of his talented seconds could follow.' Colin Wells, Who's who in British Climbing.

Smith and Marshall were also to interrupt their week with a single rest day involving a descent to Fort William, a pub crawl and temporary arrest by the local constabulary (for the theft of the Fort William Pub's set of Draughts) before re-ascent to the CIC hut beneath the north face of Ben Nevis. This brief respite was not to slow their pace, indeed their final day was to be one of the finest of their climbing careers with the ascent of Orion Direct, a climb alpine in atmosphere and so advanced that Scottish winter mountaineering had to wait a decade before changes in technique and equipment permitted a repeat.

The Ben Nevis observatory in winter conditions. Dave MacFarlane

Despite the modern equipment and techniques of renowned Scottish climbers Dave Macleod and Andy Turner, the weather, ice conditions, threat of avalanches and their physical fitness will have a huge impact on the awesome challenge they face exactly 50 years on, from Saturday 6 to Saturday 13 February 2010. 

Paul Diffley, a multi-awarding winning adventure filmmaker, will film each ascent and edit the footage every evening in the CIC Hut, one of the only genuine alpine huts for mountaineers in Scotland, situated on the north side of Ben Nevis.  So desperate are the mountain festival organisers for the footage to be posted on the web that every night volunteers from Lochaber Athletic Club will don their head torches and run to the CIC Hut, where the climbers will be based all week, to pick up the footage ready for upload onto the web.

The challenge will be followed by a very special evening to celebrate Jimmy Marshall, the architect of modern Scottish climbing, on Sunday 14 February 2010 at the Nevis Centre Fort William.  Dave Macleod and Andy Turner will present their own experiences of the six gruelling climbs (and a seventh on the official rest day) with film clips of the ascents, comparing the 21st Century experience of climbing the same routes using state of the art equipment and techniques with Jimmy's recollections of the first ascents using one ice axe and cutting holes in the ice for hands and feet.  

Dave MacLeod said: 'This challenge is something that a few of us in Lochaber had been talking about doing for a while. However, Mike Pescod from the Fort William Mountain Festival really galvanised us into action over the past few weeks.  He also roped in Diff [Paul Diffley - also part of the Festival programme] from Hot Aches to film us during the week and arranged for us to talk at the festival at the end of the experience about our thoughts on the challenge and the importance of Marshall and Smith's incredible story and massive achievement in Scottish winter climbing.'

Mike Pescod, Chairman of the Highland Mountain Culture Association, organisers of the Fort William Mountain Festival, said: 'The Jimmy Marshall Project is an incredibly exciting part of the Mountain Festival in 2010. It pulls together so much of the culture of mountaineering that we enjoy. The uncertainty of success right the way through the week, the team-work involved in capturing the climbs on film and the personal talent in climbing them all, together with the recognition of those who have gone before all play a part. It will be a unique experience to take part in the challenge and a unique experience to be part of the celebration of Jimmy Marshall's achievements, not only in his climbing but also in the inspiration of generations of mountaineers after him.'

This  major event and lecture evening will be a significant moment in modern Scottish climbing history and a must for all outdoor enthusiasts.

For more information on this year's Fort William Mountain Festival taking place from the 11th - 15th February. See their website here>>>