Even more mild wet and windy

Weather conditions are having a dramatic affect on the snowpack which is soggy underfoot and rapidly depleting. Still large snow fields remain below the crags.

Mild and damp

We had some light snowfall last night above 1000 metres. Some beautiful stellar crystals were still preserved within the new snow which made a nice change to look at through the magnifier than the mostly wet grains that we have been seeing of late.

Light snowfall

Good snow cover remains on the plateau, which has become quite firm above 1000 metres.

Looking across to Mheadhoin

Dry light winds freezing level around the tops

Mess of Potage looking rather black, but large snow fields remain on the slopes.The snowpack is isothermal.
Today's pit was dug on Aladdins buttress crag apron

Cooler temperatures today

A smattering of new snow on the Lochain buttresses, with views of the developing creeping cracks at the top of the Great slab
Nice day for a hill walk.

Springtime

Main gully lines are complete in Sneachda and the snow is firming up again.
Fiachaill Buttress

Greyness!

looking toward Cairngorm from Loch Morlich
Colder conditions have halted the thaw and preserved the good cover, especially at plateau level - colder conditions over the weekend will refreeze the snowpack.

Another mild day

Old avalanche debris above Strath Nethy which occurred sometime during the start of the thaw earlier in the week.
This corniced edge is where the avalanche came from just North of the Cnap Coire na Spreidh top.

Mild with soggy snow

Thick blue ice on Alladins Mirror Direct; elsewhere is looking rather black with main gully lines complete although everything is thawing fast.
Wet heavy snow for ski touring, but still able to link patches above 750 metres.
Looking up towards Lurcher's gully and Lochain.

Snow disappearing fast

Views into Coire an Lochain. More cracks are developing at the top of the Great Slab due to thaw conditions. A large droopy cornice to the right of Aladins buttress.

Conditions today in Sneachda.

Very windy, Dry, Thawing !

Northern Corries from Glenmore
Coire an t Sneachds
Snowpack is shrinking fast - being virtually 'eaten' by the strong dry winds!

Hopefully this process should slow down when it gets cooler midweek ?

mild and windy+

We're having very mild windy conditions generally with a high of plus 6.4 degrees C on the summit of Cairngorm. The snowpack surface is soft and thawing but cooler snow is being maintained at depth within the snowpack. A few people were seen travelling on snow shoes and skis in the Corries today, otherwise its still hard going underfoot in the deep snow.

Dry with light drifting

New windslab on an an Easterly aspect above Strath Nethy.
Looking across to Beinn Mheadhoin
Large cornices on an E aspect
Sastrugi has been a promenant feature over the last few days.

Heavy drifting on Westerly winds.

There were gusts of over 70 mph on the increasing Westerly winds. Impressive amounts of spindrift were billowing across the corries.

Quinn turns his back on the brunt of the weather.

A short clip of the spindrift sweeping across the buttress tops.

A Sunny Day ! At Last

Hells Lum and Beinn MacDuibh
Carn Etchachan and Shelterstone above Loch Avon
Looking toward Cairngorm summit across Coire Raibert
Northern Corries
Looking South east towards Beinn A Bhuird and Ben Avon

Drifting and windslab forming in Coire an Lochain

Still snowing!

Graupel grains deep in the snowpack- a weak layer .
Low down the snowpack is slowly improving - deep snow throughout area

Deep drifts with blizzards.

It's been snowing now for over 24 hours. Deep drifts are continuing to develop and new accumulatioins are weakly bonded.Cairngorm Mountain ski patrol and SAIS North Cairngorm.

The Blizzard arrived

Winds increased throughout the day with heavy snowfall. Soft surface windslab will soon be covered by firmer slab as the winds increase leading to high instabilities.
Difficult walking conditions in the deep windslab.

Snowfall cleared and winds eased

Deep drifts have developed on lee slopes and hollows. The snow cover has significantly improved, skis or snow shoes recommended for travel at the moment.
Views looking over to Lochain and the Fiachaill Sneachda ridge.

Windy and Wet - Getting Colder !

Approaching the cliffs of Coire an t Sneachda
Milder than expected with rain to high levels - turned to snow later in the day - more is on its way ! Wind speed 106 mph recorded at summit today

Severe Winter Weather on it's Way !

looking to Coire Raibert and Loch Etchachan beyond
Coire an t Sneachda
Very firm conditions underfoot everywhere -

Blizzard conditions arriving tomorrow

Cooler calm and sunny

A few routes were being climbed in Lochain today, underfoot conditions on the approach slopes are becoming quite firm.

Some old avalanche debris above the Lochains