Stellar day.

12th April 2021

Covid -19
The Scottish Avalanche Information Service issues information to support permitted activity under current Scottish Government guidance.
Please be aware of current mandatory travel restrictions in Local Authority areas within Scotland and respect local communities by referring to Scottish Government guidance and safe route choices for exercise. For further guidance please refer to the following information for hillwalkers and climbers and snowsports on ski and board.
This blog is intended to provide hazard and mountain condition information to help plan safer mountain trips.
(Above) Cloudless, cobalt sky and really clear air. Milder in the sun: +2 degrees C. shade temperature by Lochan a Choire here in Coire Ardair at 1.30pm. The wild/cold water swimmers out there might like to know that the water temperature in the lochan was +3.3 degrees this afternoon and that there was a very thin skin of ice on it this morning. (I’m tempted to leave a large bundle of birch brashings by the loch so that you can use them to self-flagellate Scandi-style before or after your swim. S’posed to be really good for the skin as well as raising the sport to a whole new level of masochism).
(Above) By way of contrast. A north-facing aspect just a little east of Bellevue Buttress. Distinctly cold all day in the shade. Snow surface temperature was -9 degrees C. and the shade air temperature -2 at 1pm. Definitely felt like winter hadn’t lost its grip at all here! A covering of soft, dry snow in many places on these north aspects aspects which may well start to sluff, especially on very steep slopes, with the onset of milder temperatures expected later on Tuesday.
(Above) Localised instability confined to heavily shaded areas at the moment. Quite easy releases in very cold snow, though this is only characteristic of some NE aspects and a few steep and deeply incised E facing gullies above 900m.
(Above) A view across to the northern shoulder of the Post Face and the entrance to the Inner Coire. The prominent rightward-slanting ramps which form the traditional start to ‘Staghorn Gully’ partially illuminated by sunlight. Still quite snowy/wintry at the western end of SAIS Creag Meagaidh area with noticeably less snow further east.

Comments on this post

  • Stan Wygladala
    12th April 2021 6:30 pm

    Beautiful!

    • meagaidhadmin
      12th April 2021 11:00 pm

      Definitely one of the better days, Stan.

      Last Thursday is now (thankfully!) a distant memory.

  • Daniel Arnold
    12th April 2021 8:18 pm

    Meggy at her finest!

    • meagaidhadmin
      12th April 2021 10:59 pm

      …and the camera didn’t fully do it justice.

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