Avalanche on NW aspect

This recent avalanche debris ran from windy col all the way down and across the corrie floor, a total length of 500 metres.

Few people were in the N Corries today.

Most were on ski's or snow shoes.

The snowstorm has passed

An impressive amount of snow fell during the whole of Thursday night and Friday leaving a blanket of deep soft snow at all levels. In the forest deep holes have developed around some of the trees and without ski's or snowshoes its waist deep in places. Views in and around the ski area on Cairngorm.

All Change!

Blizzards heavy drifting and a very unstable snowpack are now a feature of the Cairngorms and will most likely be with us for the next few days - Below, conditions today at 1100 metres.

A clear dry day

Ben Nevis and Creag Meagaidh in the distance
Hells Lum crag
Descending to snow pit site Coire Raibert
Good conditions continued today with deep surface hoar layers carpeting the mountains

Another stunning day

Fiacaill Coire an t-Sneachda

The crags of Lochain

Huge Cornices to the right of The Vent

Coire andLochain plastered in snow

A stunning day.

Large surface hoar crystals developing in the cold, calm frosty conditions

Cimbers on the Seam, Fiacaill buttress.

Sneachda today

The plateau looking South.

A Stunning day!

Avalanche cas headwall Wed 17 Feb - N aspect 1100m
surface clues (blocks breaking away 'underfoot') on route to triggering point on convex slope.
isolated snowpack weaknesses will remain in these areas ( photos from Ski Patrol - Ruari) See snow profile dug near start point for details.
Surface hoar
Cairngorm and Coire an t Sneachda
Fiacaill Coire an t Sneachda

A Glorious day

Coire Lochain
Ben Macduidh and the plateau
Looking S to Etchachan
The fiachail buttress of Sneachda
Cracks in the snowpack at 1090m on a W aspect - located at the corrie rim - underlying weak layers of buried surface hoar and graupel

Visibility in the Cairngorms!

Drifting snow this morning on WSW winds.

Today's pit was on a NE aspect. Yestereday debris from the rising temperature seen to the left of Mess of Potage.

Another poor vis day

It was completely white again above 800 metres with no views, so here is one from Glenmore lodge today, looking up towards Coire na Ciste Gully....there is still plenty of snow with more forecast this week! And just for a change further West this is looking up into Coire Garbhlach (Glen Feshie) Looks like some ice has formed on the right side of the Glen.

Light snowfall and no wind.

Perfect ski conditions with a few centimetres of fresh snow overlying a firm base.

Our pit was dug on a E aspect at 1065m. The clouds cleared for a short time to reveal Cnap Coire na Spreidhe above Strath Nethy.

FOG!

Couldn't see a thing all day - so have posted this image taken yesterday from Cairngorm looking toward the Northern Corries. This is what it can look like !

Cold and Misty, with some bright spells

Leaving Loch Avon and Coire Raibert gully
Carn Etchachan
Coire Raibert - Loch Avon below.

Good conditions predominate in the Cairngorms for both climbing and skiing - some weakly bonded windslab lies on South and West aspects above 950 metres on corrie rims and on gully side walls - but generally this can be avoided.

Occasional Views!

Looking into Sneachda from windy col - good climbing conditions - hard neve.

Some weak isolated deposits of slab - see image of cracking blocks underfoot at around the 1000m level on a west aspect

Another pea soup day

Unfortunately no views again today, but we could hear some voices from the ski area below the Chais Headwall where we dug our pit. Here's my mountaineering assistant Patrick happy in his work despite the weather.

Strong winds and milder temperatures

In places the milder temperatures have begun to consolidate the snow surface layers but a weak soft layer was sitting beneath this where we dug the snowpit at 1070m on a N aspect.

Warmer and Clear

Climbers on Mess of Potage - Coire an t Sneachda

new snow cover

Cold, Clear and Windless

Looking toward Carn Etchachan

A rare day of no wind and great conditions for skiing and climbing - but with a reminder from the mountain gods at the end of the day when the wind turned Southerly with snow - a reminder not to be complacent - all change tomorrow with Southerly winds pushing new snow onto Northerly aspects - keep a look out!

Cold and Very White!

Alladins Buttress and the Trident Gully area in Coire an T Sneachda - some soft snow areas but generally very good on cliffs - biting wind on the tops though !!