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 !!

Cold with poor visibility

Testing for weak layers on a SE aspect...
Multiple weaknesses were found mainly due to the large quantities of graupel within the snowpack.

Whilst wandering around on the same slope the sub-surface layers cracked into large blocks.

Lots of Corrie action

It's been a good day to be out and about in the hills for skiing, climbing or practicing your winter skills. The winds were much lighter than expected and visibility improved. There were many ascents of all grades on the buttresses and in gullies today... Conditions are great!

Another day at the office

Temperatures were extremely cold in the Cairngorms today....Minus 9 on the summit with a strong Northerly wind. The new windslab accumulations contain a large percentage of grauple leading to snowpack weaknesses. Grauple starts its life as a snow crystal and whilst in the atmosphere depending on humidity levels riming develops covering the crystal which can eventually form a ball bearing like shape.

Thawing and Damp

A thaw has helped with the consolidation of the snowpack the forecast refreeze should really improve the climbing conditions.

Good conditions with biting cold winds

Looking toward the Fiacaill Buttress in Coirean t Sneachda
Blocks forming underfoot - a good indicator of a weakness in the snowpack

Conditions are generally very good but with much digging on cliffs to find belays etc, good walking and good snowcover. Some unstable windslab forming on E to S to W aspect blocks release underfoot as shown on photo on a E aspect at 1000 m.

Many routes climbed today

Conditions have been great for skiing and climbing and the visibility improved dramatically once it stopped snowing around midday. Many climbers were making the most of the good conditions especially in the Northern Corries (note all the black dots!) .

Calm dry day

Conditions in Coire Laogh Mor today: Wind scoured up to the base of the Coire... yesterday's windslab accumulations lie on NW to NE aspects.

The herd enjoy calmer weather.

Still Windy with Heavy drifting

At snowprofile site at 600 metres - heavy drifting on N aspects

Windy with heavy drifting

It has been a day of very strong gales and blizzards above 500 metres -

see pic illustrating conditions today at 600m Andy Nisbett (Who else) and friend enjoying the weather.

Mild with firm snow

Coire an T Sneachda

The snowpack is pretty icy and firm - so easy walking - good snow in gullies - a great improvement.!

Everyone's is digging

The weather has calmed down enough to allow the Cairngorm mountain staff to finally start excavating the funicular railway line. Not an easy job as the snowpack has a hard crust after yesterday's thaw freeze cycle. Well done to the diggers!!

Climbing conditions have improved in the Corries and a few routes were being done today.

A stormy day

Very strong winds eased as the day progressed with clearer skys. Creag an Leth-choin (Lurchers crag)

Conditions this morning with views looking out towards Stac na h-lolaire.

Strong winds and rising temperatures

It's been a wild weather day, with very strong South winds and drifting snow from around 500 metres. Even the reindeer herd found it tough hence taking shelter in the Ciste car park beneath the huge piles of ploughed snow.

Skiing out of the bottom of Ciste Gully with a strong South wind for extra speed.

Due to rising temperatures cracks appeared at 570m on a NW facing slope.