THE dark clouds hanging over spectacular Ben Nevis went beyond those that merely brought torrential rain and fierce snow.
There was a deep shock at the deaths of three Switzerland-based hikers, swept away in a Ben Nevis avalanche that has marked itself as one of the worst climbing accidents in Scotland of recent years.
Police Scotland confirmed that two of the men who died on Ben Nevis were French and aged 41 and 32, while the third man was Swiss national aged 43.
Mathieu Biselx, 30, the president of the Sion branch of the Swiss Alpine Club, who was injured remains at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in a stable condition.
All four are understood to have ventured to Scotland from the city of Sion, the south western Swiss region of Valais.
While there were expert warnings that Ben Nevis's five gullies should be out of bounds for climbers, there were those who still decided to venture with care onto the snow-clad mountain, while others decided it was too much of a risk.
Warnings of a high risk of avalanches on the dramatic Ben Nevis slopes, were extended to at least 6pm today, with the Scottish Avalanche Information services reporting new snow showers, and freezing levels at 3000 feet.
At the youth hostel at the foot of Glen Nevis, two hikers said they were not being put off by the Tuesday's tragedy.
Brian Farquharson, 21, a student from Birmingham and his friend Clive Jenkinson, 22 of Hereford said they were going to avoid Number 5 Gully where the accident happened and head for Aonach Mòr where they believed there was less risk.
Mr Farquharson said: "We only arrived last night and heard what happened in the bar and read about it and my first reaction was that there was no way we were going to head out today.
"I've been climbing for three years and the thought of what happened to these men, well, I am just very emotional about it. What if that was me?
"We took a joint decision, based on our knowledge of the mountains, that this was a freak accident and it should not stop us and it won't. There are always risks in climbing, but the most important thing you learn is not to panic. Panic is a killer. And we won't be panicked into giving up."
The tragedy occurred while the SAIS issued warnings of a high risk of avalanches in the Ben Nevis area.
The four had endured freezing conditions at Number 5 Gully, which is seen as a winter climb at the easier end of the spectrum.
Number 5 Gully in 2013
But local climb experts say that it also has a reputation as a "notorious avalanche run" because of its broad upper section which attracts large accumulations of snow.
And Heather Morning, Mountain Scotland's safety adviser, long-time teacher and active climber said: "I would say that virtually all the gullies on Ben Nevis at the moment would be places to avoid. "There are places on Ben Nevis that are perfectly safe to climb from an avalanche perspective but there are other areas to avoid.
"Geography and geology of the mountain dictates that all the climbing areas are on north through to east facing slopes and that is where the high avalanche risk is at the moment.
"Avoiding gullies would be a very sensible move right now."
She said that if she was on Ben Nevis on the day the four died, it would not have stopped her climbing "but I would have chosen to go to a different aspect of the mountain and take a different route where there was a sensible risk to manage."
She said it was down to every individual adventurer to assess the risks based on the "amazing resources" available to them.
"What happened highlights in everybody's minds, everyone who enjoys the mountains that you have to be respectful of the mountains," she said.
"They are dangerous, you do have to have very strong risk assessments and that's prior to heading out and have a very dynamic risk assessment on the hill as well because as good as the forecasts are, sometimes they change, between what was forecast and what has happened on the hill.
"And it is really important that none of us are in the mindset of being too focused on certain goals. That's the thought that you are definitely going to climb this route today and you are definitely going to do Ben Nevis, when a much more sensible option is, getting the information and then looking at where the most sensible route choice for the day is."
On rather less treacherous, but very windy and rain-drenched Fort William, Inspector Isla Campbell, expressed her condolences to the family and friends of those who got caught in the avalanche.
She echoed advice that climbers should make use of the Scottish Avalanche Information Service before venturing into the mountains.
"We do not want to put anyone off enjoying the great outdoors we have here in Scotland.
"We would ask that people plan their routes, take sensible precautions and consider whether it is safe to climb a particular route.
"The environment in the Scottish mountains is by its very nature an unpredictable one and it is important people take as many precautions and plan ahead as much as possible."
One hiker said he was thankful to decide not to take to the mountain having witnessed difficult conditions over the weekend.
On Saturday two people were carried down the mountain at 1pm after another avalanche in the same gully.
Richard Parkinson, a 35-year-old accountant from London, who was staying in Fort William while touring Scotland with friends said they had been climbing in Comb Gully and ventured into Number 5 Gully before deciding conditions were "too difficult".
"You could see that there was some wind slab (layer of snow caused by wind) instability around on Saturday and saw a fair amount of snow drop but not yet at the levels that would have been witnessed on Tuesday. We headed to Number 5 Gully because there was a staggering quantity of spindrift, conditions were wild but we lived with it and headed in an easier route.
"Then the snow was thicker, the mist was thick white, and the wind picked up very strongly and there was a marked deterioration. I stepped off a common track and the snow around me moved at one point, it felt like a loose block vanished from under me and I fell a short distance, turned my ankle, and scrambled back. There was no serious damage done thankfully, but decided to head back for base.
"We heard later there were people helped off due to an avalanche and with the forecast very poor over the next days with the avalanche status high, decided it was not worth the risk for and decided not to go out.
"My thoughts are with those families who have lost loved ones out there, it is a dark day for those of us who love climbing, and yes, I guess we were lucky. It does serve to bring home the message of what avalanche risk means.
"We made our decision but it is too glib to say that that is a decision that is right for everyone and in all circumstances.
"Sometimes as with walking across the street, you can just be in the wrong place at the wrong time."
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