Munro · Glen Coe & Lochaber
Aonach Mor
Aonach Mor is the 1220m Munro north of Aonach Beag — the larger but slightly lower of the Aonach pair. The Nevis Range ski centre sits on its lower north-east flank, the gondola lifting walkers and skiers to 650m and shaving an hour off the ascent. The summit is a large cairn at the south end of a long flat plateau, with the steep eastern slopes dropping into Coire an Lochain, home to one of the most popular avalanche-condition snow-pit research sites in Scotland.
Gaelic: “high ridge, big” · Pronunciation: oeun-ach more
Quick facts
- Height
- 1220.4m/ 4004ft
- Prominence
- 133 m
- Distance
- 9.5 km
- Ascent
- 860 m
- Time
- 4–6 hrs
- Grid ref
- NN193729
- Parking
- NN171774
- Nearest city
- Fort William· 9km
- Dogs
- Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗
Height and prominence cross-checked against the Database of British and Irish Hills (CC BY).
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Standard route
Good path from gondola 40% · Open hillside 30% · Summit plateau 30%
The popular ascent uses the Nevis Range gondola from Torlundy (paid summer/winter operation) to reach the An Cul Choire approach, then climbs onto the broad north-east ridge of Aonach Mor. Around 9.5km with 860m of ascent for the gondola-assisted round including Aonach Beag; about 15km with 1450m on foot from Torlundy. Most parties continue south to add Aonach Beag for a paired Munro day.
Terrain
The Nevis Range gondola makes for an easy start at 655m; from there an established path winds up the broad north-east ridge. Above the top station the ground is grass and short heather giving way to rocky plateau. The summit plateau is flat short turf — easy walking with no exposure on the standard line. The eastern corries are steep-walled and edge-undercut in winter.
In winter
A major Scottish winter venue. The east face of Aonach Mor holds the longest period of climbable winter ice in the country, and the SAIS snow-pit research site sits on the east-facing slope of Coire an Lochain. Skiers and freeride snowboarders use the back corries off the resort piste — the avalanche history here is significant. Walkers should check SAIS Lochaber and avoid the corrie rim in unstable conditions.
This hill is in the Glen Coe SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow2h 26m
- Edinburgh3h 5m
OS maps: OS Landranger 41
Mobile signal: Good signal at the Nevis Range gondola base station (Torlundy). The gondola runs to 655m, dramatically shortening the ascent. Signal fades above 900m; no signal on summit.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 05:02
- Sunset
- 21:50
- Civil dawn
- 04:07
- Civil dusk
- 22:45
NOAA Solar Calculator · 23 July 2026
Pair with
Curated multi-hill combinations from Aonach Mor.
Around Aonach Mor on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Getting there: Fort William station
Ben Nevis, Mamores, Aonachs, Knoydart ferry connection
9km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TripSCOTBase yourself in Fort William
Ben Nevis base, West Highland Line, gateway to Lochaber
9km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TasteSCOTAfter the hill: Ben Nevis Distillery
Fort William — Lochaber distillery at the foot of the Ben; long-aged Japanese-owned classics
8km from the hill
tastescot.co.uk
Aonach Mor — common questions
- Is Aonach Mor a hard climb?
- Aonach Mor is rated 3/5 (moderately challenging) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. The standard route covers about 9.5km with 860m of ascent and takes most walkers 4-6 hours. Underfoot: The Nevis Range gondola makes for an easy start at 655m; from there an established path winds up the broad north-east ridge.
- What is Aonach Mor's prominence?
- 133m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Aonach Mor to the next higher ground.
- Where do I park for Aonach Mor?
- Most walkers start from NN171774. Verify the grid reference on an OS map before you set off — space is tight on busy summer weekends.
- When is the best time to climb Aonach Mor?
- May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on Aonach Mor. Beyond that window the high ground turns wintry: carry full mountain kit, be confident navigating, and check the SAIS avalanche forecast for the area.
- Is Aonach Mor dog-friendly?
- Yes, but dogs must be kept on a lead — there is livestock or ground-nesting bird interest on the route.
- Is there mobile signal on Aonach Mor?
- Good signal at the Nevis Range gondola base station (Torlundy). The gondola runs to 655m, dramatically shortening the ascent. Signal fades above 900m; no signal on summit.
- Is Aonach Mor safe in winter?
- A major Scottish winter venue. The east face of Aonach Mor holds the longest period of climbable winter ice in the country, and the SAIS snow-pit research site sits on the east-facing slope of Coire an Lochain. Skiers and freeride snowboarders use the back corries off the resort piste — the avalanche history here is significant. Walkers should check SAIS Lochaber and avoid the corrie rim in unstable conditions.
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