Even here one must take certain precautions. The tops of all may be steep and corniced; Number Five may have an ice pitch at the narrows above its foot; generally speaking Number Two has one about half-way down and above the bend; Tower Gully must be descended with extra care: it has no run-out and should be left severely alone if there is any possibility of avalanche conditions on the traverse from its foot into the top of Observatory Gully.

The Press, the climbing journals and climbers' own stories have spread the knowledge that mistakes are often made in recognising the right Ben Nevis gully to descend. And in consequence most experienced climbers tend to be cautious about these 'quick ways down'. On one recent winter's day two Outward Bound instructors, one a guide, descended from the plateau by the long way round rather than risk the descent of a gully they were not sure was Number Three. And a party of four, led by a member of the Alpine Climbing Group, descended by the north-east shoulder for the same reason. On they day in question the great boulder at the head of Number Three, always the most positive identification, was masked by snow and invisible even from below.

One of the incidents which contributed to the publicity about the dangers of the quick ways down the face of the Ben may have been the curious accident in which some Sandhurst cadets were involved in 1955.

Two men, Credland and Janes, had climbed Number Five Gully and had intended to descend Number Four. The plateau was in cloud and they failed to go far enough along the edge of the cliff. They started to descend the South Trident Buttress. Very shortly Janes found himself in an extremely awkward position and, in attempting to extricate himself, slipped and fell. He regained consciousness some time later and four hundred feet below. He was bruised and concussed and his right hand was fractured.

When he was fully recovered he saw that Credland was still on the face above him. Janes shouted that he was going down for help. He managed to reach the hut, but there he lost consciousness again.

Behind him Credland had fallen also, but not to the foot of the buttress. He remained in an extremely precarious position high up on the face, where he was spotted by three others of the Sandhurst party who were descending Coire na Ciste at the end of the day.

Two of these made their way towards the Trident while the third man continued down for help. By the time they reached him, Credland was only about one hundred feet above easy ground, and they were able to hold a
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