Thaw conditions

I spotted this pair of male and female Ptarmigan creeping around the boulder field. They are never very far away from each other, also their plumage is changing very fast now from white to the motley brown and black. (The male is the one with the red strip across his eye).

The photos above are of the trident gully's and the Fiacaill buttress in Coire an t-Sneachda.

Mild wet and windy

Warm Southerly winds gradually increased with gusts over the summits of up to 75 mph. Visibility was poor and this thaw is expected to continue through Friday with cooler conditions moving in over the weekend.

Westerly winds with snow.

There is new snow above 600 metres and quite a lot of drifting has taken place at higher altitudes. Our pit was dug on the South-East side of Cairngorm today, the visibility was pretty poor on route especially as there is a lot more snow on the ground making the terrain look very featureless. During the afternoon the cloud lifted and the Cairngorms looked stunning.

snow showers

Any new snowfall has been above 1100 metres today and new windslab accumulations have formed on NW to NE aspects. Visibility did improve during the afternoon. We are expecting more snow tomorrow...winter is not over yet!

Dry and windy

Mountaineering assistant Alexy admires the view.

We had dry conditions in the Cairngorms today although the winds gradually increased as the day went on.

The mountain hare's and Ptarmigan's are beginning to change colour from white to speckled brown, summer must be on its way.

Clear and sunny

Conditions in the Cairngorms have changed dramatically after yesterday's gloom. The old snow surface has re-frozen and new accumulations have developed on lee slopes.
The photo's from top to bottom are Coire an t-Sneachda, the plateau and

Loch Etchachan with South Cairngorms behind.

What's this.

Unfortunately the outdoor photography was totally uninspiring today as the cloud level eventually dropped to around 600m along with wet snow and heavy rain:( and so I took advantage of a grand tour around the bowels of the Funicular on Cairngorm mountain which we can use on a regular basis as part of our commute up the hill weather permitting. (We are eternally grateful for this!!) The top picture shows the underneath of one of the trains and the clip is of the huge wheels that run the funicular line. Apparently the funicular generates power into the national grid if it takes a carriage load of people down to the bottom. It can also transport over 1000 people up the hill within the hour.

Warm and windy

It has been another lovely day in the Cairngorms. The sun is really catching East to South aspects where remaining cornices are still prone to collapse.

Dry, Sunny and Warm

Hells Lum crag, and the summits of Cairn Lochan, 1176, and Cairngorm from near Beinn MacDuibh
snow profile site - Gharbh Uisge Beag
Cornice triggered slab avalanche on a Easterly aspect on Sron na Lairige - time unknown

Warm windy and sunny

Looking into Coire an t Sneachda
Hells Lum Crag with debris at crag base probably due to cornice collapse
Cock Ptarmigan on the Cairngorm Plateau
Looking toward Cairntoul across the plateaU

Thawing!

                               Note large new cornices above Central Gully area
                                  A changed scene after yesterday !

Large quantities of spindrift

Fiacaill Buttress seen inbetween strong gusts which carried large amounts of spindrift from the plateau.
Many people were climbing on Mess of Potage today.
The short video clip shows large amounts of spindrift loading the top of the Goat Track in Sneachda.  It looked like The Niagra Falls

The clearing

There has been snow showers on North winds and cold temperatures for the last 24 hours. We left the summit of Cairngorm to go and dig our snowpit on the South side noticing 3 walkers wandering around on the summit.  They were still wandering aimlessly when we returned half an hour later.  "Which mountain are we on" they asked "is it Sneachda we seemed to be lost can you show us the way down!?" "Yes do you have a map and compass so we can point out your location?".  "No" was their somber reply.  "Oh dear"  So the girls were just about to lead the boys safely off Cairngorm when we heard an engine close by... it was Adam in his Piste machine also on route to rescue the disorientated 3 after receiving a mountain rescue call.  Well done everyone it could have been a long, confusing, and exhausting walk for the 3.  
A brief clearing in the Northern Corries
Michele scribbling at the pit.  Below you can see some very large Graupel which was continually drifting into our pit.

Cornice Bunny

Cornice Bunny Steve, testing conditions at Ciste Mhearad today.

Storms and Blizzards

                                        A glimpse of buttresses of Coire an t Sneachda

Conditions near the moraines of Sneachda

Mild with drizzle

Poor viz on the tops today and a poor photo in the rain of the corries from Glenmore - Deep accumulations of slab have formed on East to South aspects above 1000m.

Cold and Windy

Looking towards Cairngorm

The 'Dubliners' dodging the wind

' Skinning' up Cairngorm

Another day at the office

Winter has returned with snow, cold temperatures and strong winds....

Wet and windy at times

A very quiet Coire an t-Sneachda.It was quite a windy day in the Cairngorms with showers of rain falling as very light snow above 1000 metres.     

Mild and damp

The morning looked very promising with some sunshine but this was soon replace by thick mist and rain with 20 metres of visibility. It didn't last too long though as later in the day the cloud lifted just as quickly hence the photo of Lochain. We are expecting a return of the snow tomorrow fingers crossed!

Warm and sunny

The snowpack is rapidly thawing in the mild temperatures (+7.8 degrees C) at 1050 metres today.  Some recent debris was noted from Cornice collapse on an Easterly aspect.  
Hazy sunshine over the Cairngorms. 
Ranger Heather on the catwalk in Ciste Mhearad.

Continuing Mild

                                         Climbers ascending the Fiacaill a Choire Chais
                            Cloud boiling over the Northern Corries

The snowpack is diminishing fast but the snow remains reasonably firm - the buttresses are black, loose rock and stonefall has been noted at the base of crags. Still ok for touring on the plateau

Sunny with good snow cover on Plateau

                           Coire an Lochain form Glenmore

Shaded slopes remained frozen and hard pretty much throughout the day,  whilst the sun-touched S and E slopes and the plateau, softened to provide good spring snow conditions for a number of ski tourers
Skiers heading toward Ben Macduibh

Mild and damp

Debris from a collapsed cornice on an East slope above the Strath Nethy

Collapsing cornices - very soft snow with surface cracks showing snow creep.

It still mild

Even though mild today there was quite a strong chilly wind blowing in exposed areas.  A few folk were out climbing today; the main gully lines are still complete and there is even some ice remaining on steep ground.  Rock fall is the main hazard at the moment.  This is enhanced over a period of time from many freeze thaw cycles which eventually loosens the blocks and due to the lack of snow leaves them exposed, and some end up a bit loose and teetery.  Be careful out there and mind what your pulling on!  

Wet and windy

Drier snow crystals still exist within the snowpack
It wasn't such a nice day in the hills today with rain and strong winds.  A layer of slush has developed within the snowpack at around 30cm.  During tests this particular layer sheared.  In the meantime SARDA lakes are in the Cairngorms all of this week.  They will be making use of the snow by training their search dogs to find avalanche victims who have been buried.  Below trainee search dog Einich has a successful find in one of the Ciste Mhearad snow holes.

A layer of slush at 30cm,