Falling ice and rocks.
18th February 2017
Very mild and wet up until about 2pm today. The snowpack is pretty sparse now and confined to NW through N to NE aspects above about 750m, see below:
(Above) The ground between Bellevue Buttress (on the right) and Coire nan Gamhna (just out of shot to the left). Skyline at around 1050m, facing NW to N. This about as good snow cover gets in Coire Ardair. However there’s probably a bit more snow on NW aspects above Lochan Uaine on the ‘other side’ of the The Window, plus on the steep slopes on the NW flank of Creag Meagaidh itself.
(Above) L to R: Raeburn’s Gully, Pinnacle Buttress, the Post Face and some of the crags of the Inner Coire on the far right. Ribbons of wet snow and soaking wet ice in place in a few locations. There’s a section of wet hanging ice near the top end of Raeburn’s that’s just visible in the photo. Don’t be fooled by the photo! It was a ‘minger’ this morning and the camera only came out when the mist cleared between pulses in the rain showers.
(Above) Looking into Easy Gully with waterfalls cascading onto the curtains of ice. Waterfall just visible falling on to the ice of Last Post – one of the Post Face’s classic ice routes. There was water everywhere today having been really mild and wet. Noticed evidence of recent rock fall and – given the warm weather – that ice will end up as part of the watery run-off rather sooner than later. Falling ice and rocks both objective dangers at the moment.
(Above) The ice in Centre Post succumbing to the thaw.
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