Creag Meagaidh Blog & Mountain Info

Ice Cave Phenomena

8th March 2013

This particular phenomenon may have as much to do with the departing ‘Perspiring Adventure’ National Mountaineering Centre encountered on my way up, as opposed to any unknown climatic morphology on the ‘way down’!

 Not a sweetie wrapper in sight (let alone the dreaded toilet debris – see previous toilet ‘rant’)

 All white and pristine (I’m sure this would have been the case in spite of the dusting of fresh!)

Nice one folks – good effort.

Todays pit site below a developing Cornice feature on a NW aspect above 900m – obvious new layers on top of old. Significant detail looked for not the layering itself but the bonding between interfaces – in this instance no weaknesses evident.

Cornice stability never an easy to predict (and outwith the remit of an avalanche forecast)
Still – a dropped cornice onto a suspect slope a significant loading and indicator of slope stability. This one seemed fine – as was the slope!
(I don’t know – boys with toys, the ultimate don’t try this one at home!) or if you do…..
a. Make sure nobody is below
b. Make sure even if you get it ‘wrong’ the resulting ‘event’ is of no consequence
c. Make sure someone is with you!

…..theory v empirical (a no brainer everytime – in the right place!)

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