Winter’s roar
12th March 2019
(Above) Wintry today. Some slightly calmer and brighter periods but drifting continued above 800m throughout the day. Very heavy scouring on wind-exposed aspects, too. Snow at lower altitudes and on less steep ground is beginning to consolidate, but weak windslab continues to build on all high sheltered lee areas.
(Above) A view over to Coire Mor a Chlachair with Beinn a Chlachair summit above it. Boiling with spindrift all day.
(Above) Another dry slab avalanche on Sron a Ghoire at 750m on a short but steep East aspect. No surprise given the weather. This is the second dry slab avalanche in this location in 48hrs, the first one carried two hillwalkers down about 20m. Both walked away unhurt but a bit chastened.
(Above) Coire Chriochairein. More avalanche activity here as well. At least 3 dry slab avalanches, one of which was cornice triggered. Steep East aspect again, all Size 2 and running out 150m. The coire was a very wintry and atmospheric place to be today. Mainly overcast with snow showers and spindrift swirling around. As always, the camera only came out during brief clear lulls!
(Above) Very difficult to get a decent view of the upper end of Coire Ardair and the Post Face due to the overhead conditions. Lochan a Choire, which is below the Post Face, just visible above.
(Above) Homeward bound. Looking SE out of Coire Chroiochairein down towards Loch Laggan and Aberarder.
(Above)Â Taken this morning, a gratuitous shot of Ruthven Barracks nr Kingussie with the snowy Monadliaths above Kingussie and Newtonmore as a backdrop. (And no, I don’t moonlight for the tourist board. Just a nice wintry photo, n’est-ce pas?)
The weather is due to ease later in the morning on Wednesday; remaining wintry just a little less stormy. Snow stability expected to remain poor on all lee slopes above 800m even after the winds moderate a bit.
Comments on this post
Got something to say? Leave a comment
