Winter returns!

A real shock return to the depths of winter after the sunshine and warmth of last week, with bitterly cold, strong NE winds and heavy drifting snow; deep accumulations of unconsolidated snow lie on all lee aspects, are often knee to thigh deep and present hard going. Stability wise, the snow is lying on bare ground generally,  the snow was soft and loose when it first fell , this has since been covered by a harder slab of snow which currently presents an unstable snowpack situation, especially on slopes of any steepness and which are convex in shape.

Loch Morlich, Aviemore and the Spey Valley from ski road

A glimpse of Coire an t Sneachda from windy col 

Fragile cornices overhanging N facing cliffs

Cairngorm and Northern Corries

Coire Lochain from Glenmore

Conditions at the summit weather station on Cairngorm