Tower Ridge is one of several ridges protruding north east from the summit plateau of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the United Kingdom.
The ridge starts close to the Charles Inglis Clark hut below Coire Leis and terminates close to the highest point of the mountain.
It is one of the few mountain routes in Scotland with sufficient length and exposure to be considered Alpine in character.
In winter it is graded Scottish Grade IV, partly because most of its difficulties (in particular the Eastern Traverse and the Tower Gap), lie high up on the route.
In ascending order, these are (page references are to the SMC's 2002 Climbers' Guide, edited by Simon Richardson[1]): Tower Ridge was first climbed in descent by J., E. and B. Hopkins on 3 September 1892.
Tower Ridge (Ben Nevis, Highland Scotland) showing the Little and Great towers high on the crest. The inverted N of chimneys on the West Face of Douglas Boulder can be climbed at grades ranging from Difficult to Severe.
Most parties bypass the Douglas Boulder (centre) to join Tower Ridge from East Gully (left) up to the Douglas Gap; it is easier still to scramble onto the ridge by a right-rising traverse from the left end of the large, high snowpatch.
Even as late as June, snow can block access to the foot of East Gully on the Douglas Boulder, in which case the eastern flank of the boulder can be scrambled.
Crossing Tower Gap above Glover's Chimney: this horizontal problem is difficult to protect.
Climbers on the Easter Traverse below the Great Tower in full winter conditions
