Bright sunny day

We've had strong winds high up with mild temperatures. The snow is firm on Northerly aspects and on South facing slopes there is some very nice spring snow to ski on.
Looking over towards Beinn Mheadhoin

Mild again

The Cairngorms are looking and feeling very spring like in the mild temperatures. Beneath the cloud there is still enough snow to for winter sports, you just need to avoid the brown bits. Today's pit was dug is Ciste Mhearad where we did manage to find some dry snow even the odd bit of graupel. It may look like it's snowing in the picture but alas it's drizzle.
Kathy

Windy and mild

It's been another mild windy day. The snow is thawing rapidly, but there is still plenty left in the main gully lines.

Very Windy and Warm

Wed 1500hrs

What a difference in a couple of days !

Friday 1400hrs

Coire Lochain today

Coire Lochain showing avalanche crown walls, path and debris, most likely triggered by cornice collapse from The Coulouir.

Cold, Windy but Glroious

Looking toward Loch Etchachan

Cold and windy on the tops but sheltered with firm snow in the Northern corries. A great day, tomorrow though it will be wet and windy - depressing!!

Milder and Calm

Looking toward Fiacaill Buttress Coire an t Sneachda

Looking up Aladdins Buttress

A milder day with hard icy snow below the buttress and crusted snow on shallower slopes. Pockets of slab in gully heads. It felt very muggy but it was good to have no wind.

Windy and Heavy Drifting.

Snowstudy pit at 1020 m - East aspect

A wild day with drifting snow on a SE wind - old snow pack has refrozen - new snow drifting onto N aspects

Windy in the hills

We battled against strong winds today and after being blow over a couple of times decided we had gone far enough. Our pit was dug at the top of the gun barrel in a deep snowdrift to the right. There were dry layers beneath the wet surface which sheered easily on a graupel layer.
See below.

Snow in the Cairngorms

Triggered avalanche debris in Ciste Mhearad.

The Northern Corries.

Canadian observer Alan Dennis triggers a small avalanche in Ciste Mhearad.

Full Scottish winter

Preperation for Tap Test.
We have full Scottish winter conditions in the Cairngorms with foot penetration up to your oxters!
Kathy and Alan (former SAIS observer now evicted back to his home country of Canada).

Cold and Windy

Coire an t Sneachda

Very good snow conditions, well cleared out by the wind - this is in strong contrast to Southerly aspects which have unstable snow accumulations.

Toward Coire Lochain from Glenmore

A mild, grey and windy day with wet snow throughout the area, getting colder tomorrow though.

Back to a thaw

Coire an t-Sneachda today.

Trident Gullies.

After yesterday's snow we now have another thaw. The main gully lines are still complete and they saw lots of ascents today As you can see the buttresses are very bare with some ice here and there.

Winter again

Winter's here again in the Cairngorms with continuous snowfall above 600 metres, heavy drifting and a high wind chill. Deep drifts are developing again on lee slopes above 900m. Rain and mild temperatures are moving in again tonight...It's never dull being an avalanche observer in the Highlands!

Kathy

Wet and windy

Note the large crown wall on the West flank of Coire an Lochain.

There was heavy rain and strong winds at all levels today causing a huge thaw. This is how Lochain looked at around midday. Summit winds gusted to over 120 mph today.





This small cornice at 820 metres had collapsed earlier causing a small slide on the scarp slope below.
Back to freezing temperatures again tomorrow!

Blizzard condtions

Heavy snow showers at all levels affected the highlands today.

Our pit was dug in Ciste Mhearad (a popular site for us). We had white-out conditions at times with the occasional clear spell. There are a lot of deep drifts, cornices are becoming very unstable and some avalanche debris was noted that had naturally released from a scarp slope.

A short clear spell gave us views out toward Bynack More.

Kathy

Wet and windy

Eric Pirie measuring the slope angle.

The SAIS co-ordinator Blyth Wright gazes out towards Lochain.

Coire an Lochain today.

Scarp slopes.

This cornice is situated on a North-East aspect at 1100 metres, its reasonably solid at the moment, the scarp slope below consists of deep firm windslab.
Kathy

Large Cornices

The photo demonstrates the size of some of the cornices in the Cairngorms, this curly one was on a North-East aspect at 1100 metres. Tomorrow temperatures are going to rise in the afternoon with the onset of rain therefore cornices will become very unstable. Kathy

Lochain

Conditions in the Cairngorms are still cold and a bit breezy high up but the cloud lifted a little this afternoon giving nice views into Lochain. Underfoot its generally firm with a breakable crust at times higher up.

Tomorrow is set to be another cold day.

Cold again

After a brief thaw in the Cairngorms temperatures have dropped again and the old snowpack has a crust. We had snowfall last night and winds of up to 132mph. Luckily they eased down to 60mph today so walking conditions up high were bearable. Today's pit was dug in Ciste Mhearad where new accumulations were quite deep. There is a hug cornice on the East corner leading to quite a server drop below!
Kathy

Bracing conditions!

Winds increased during the early part of the morning making conditions quite difficult on the hill, with all the spindrift. Huge drifts have developed on sheltered Northerly aspects.

Wild conditions at the top of the Funicular station.

Kathy

Can't see a thing on the Tops !!

Looking toward Cairngorm from Glenmore

Sorry no pics from the hill today as we couldn't see more that 10 metres. There is a blanket of fresh snow on all aspects and ski travel is improving at plateau level.

Misty and Colder

Looking toward the base of Jacobs Ladder - Coire an t Sneachda

Slowly getting colder - difficult walking underfoot with crusty snow - Snow though is getting firmer, and buttresses looking good.

Overcast with some fresh snow

Descending toward Strath Nethy

Some fresh snow on Eastern aspects , Plateau still quite rocky with sparse snow cover due to past high winds. Lots more snow should be with us tomorrow afternoon !

Warm very wet and windy

A total contrast of conditions today after yesterday. Our waterproofs were put through their paces successfully.
Kathy

Cold and Calm

Once the mist lifted at around midday the views were once again perfect. The photograph's say it all.

This little chap's photo was taken just before the mist lifted.

Sorry no pictures today

Due to a technical camera error unfortunately there are no photographs for today's blog and so instead I will describe to all you viewers out there how it looked. The skies were mainly blue with light Westerly winds, there is plenty of snow out there to play in, the skiing on and off piste has a lot to offer and the Northern Corries look very surreal and wintry. If this makes you a tiny bit jealous because you've been indoors all week, don't despair, it will still be there in the morning and it's a good forecast...Enjoy
Kathy

Calm and overcast with light snowfall.

Looking toward Mess of Potage from the top Alladins Coulouir

The plateau is good and firm underfoot due to the windblasting of the last few days clearing away any fresh snow. The majority of the snow lies on lee aspects and lower altitudes.

Strong winds - Heavy Snow

Conditions at the Snowpit site today at 670 metres.

Strong winds (135mph on Cairngorm Summit) today with heavy snow and drifting. Poor visibility. Trail breaking in deep snow from 400m alt. Bodes well for the future snowcover.

Cold with increasing Southerly wind

DESCENDING FROM THE PLATEAU INTO COIRE CHAIS

New soft snow on East aspects but mostly blown clear with exposed old hard snow-ice areas on areas facing west and at plateau level. Strong Southerly winds with heavy snow and drifting will affect the Northern Corries with windslab.

Sunny and cold in the hills

After a cloudy start the day rapidly improved and became very clear and sunny. This view is looking towards Loch Etchachan and Beinn MacDuibh from the summit of Cairngorm. Our pit was dug on the SE side of Cairngorm in the newly deposited soft slab.
Kathy

The weather in the Cairngorms was much calmer today than of late. Many people were enjoying the good ski conditions which included the Ciste Gully this afternoon. The Northern Corries are looking very white and there is snow on the path all the way in from the car park.

Today's snow pit was dug in Ciste Mhearad at 1100 metres on a SE aspect.

Stormy weather again.

The winds weren't quite as ferocious today but at higher levels walking was still difficult and visibility poor in the squally snow showers. Deep drifts of firm slab are continuing to developing on lee slopes. Today's photo was taken looking up the Fiacaill a' Choire Chais ridge.

Poor Viz - Heavy Drifting

Snowpit at 1110 m

Soft snow at all levels with heavy drifting largely above 600m. Snow lying on bare ground. Still very windy . Heavy build up near corrie edges and on gully exits and very unstable snowpack especially on Northerly aspects.

Storm force winds and Colder

Toward Cairngorm from Glenmore

A very windy day with poor viz - The old snow has set like concrete!
Snow has started to arrive and hopefully will continue.

Misty,wet and mild in the Cairngorms

Mist boiling into Coire an Lochain

Old hard snow remaining, with any soft snow disappearing in the rain.
Plates of wet ice on summits and at plateau level. getting colder though!

Happy New year