Bracing?
18th December 2022
(Above) Looking towards Coire a Bheinn from near the trig point on Carn Dubh. From late morning onwards the wind was, shall we say, bracing? More accurately, a strong and unrelenting south-easterly airflow that picked up a lot of snow and moved it onto adjacent lee slopes. Bracing (against the old fence posts) was most certainly required to hold the camera at all steady in the maelstrom (aka: violent turmoil). By far the best approach for camera work today was lying supine with the camera tucked up against my chin and pointing out over my feet. But I digress.
(Above) Unexceptional photo of part of a long shooting crack formed on a minor lee slope terrain feature. Was about 4m long and indicative of a fragile weak layer beneath a firmer slab (windslab) of snow. Not good! But at the time of reporting the extent of this new weak snow on recent lee slopes was limited but will have increased before the turbo thaw properly establishes itself on Monday.
Rain on new snow is a typical cocktail of weather/snow conditions leading to instability and/or avalanche activity in Scotland. The faster the transition from cold new snow to rain/mild conditions the less the snow likes it.
(Above) Supine shot. The view down to Loch Lagganside from Carn Dubh. The camera captures none of the drama of the weather and moving snow.
(Above) Once off the hill the sun came out. Typical! Looking towards Stac Buide from near Garvamore. Stac Buide overshadows the gorge-like Dirc an Uillt Fhearna (not fully visible here).
(Above) The white backside of the triangular mass of Newtonmore’s local hill, Creag Dubh right of centre. In the foreground, some of the infrastructure associated with the reservoir behind Spey Dam.
Got a good view of the Glen Feshie hills (part of SAIS N. Cairngorms) on the way home. Plumes of spindrift visible from 20 km away. Looked wild!
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