V.cold & wind speeds ramping up
8th February 2024
Clear weather again today allowed for somewhat better photographic opportunites.
(Above) The Big Picture. Quite a lot of the white stuff you see here on Sron a Ghoire and Puist Coire Ardair centre is a very thin covering of superficial snow some of which was being stripped and redistributed this afternoon in the strengthening ESE wind.
(Above) Beinn a Chaorainn as viewed from Luiblea. Again, frosty white fresh snow promotes a wintry look but in reality it’s a case of ‘thin wintry coat and nae knickers’, if you get my drift.
(Above) Into Coire Ardair. Bellevue Buttress left and Pinnacle Buttress right divided by Raeburn’s Gully. Was expecting to see a fair covering of ice on Lochan a Choire but not today.
(Above) The Post Face of Coire Ardair. An east-facing aspect. Quite a lot of scouring was going on at the top of all the Post Face gullies later in the day.
(Above) The Pinnacle, Easy Gully and part of the Post Face. Hard or very crusty snow ice predominates in Easy Gully. Only limited ice build where Last Post – ‘Meggie’s signature route – normally forms.
(Above) The NE-facing crags of the Inner Coire. A late-starting team were shaping up to ascend either The Wand or Diadem at around midday today. More scouring going on here, too.
(Above) The Window – the bealach summit at circa 950m. Hard and unforgiving snow-ice here: a trip or stumble could mean an unplanned and rather rapid transit down through rocks and boulders on this popular ascent/descent route. Note the tell-tales wisps of snow being scoured near the top of the bealach.
(Above) Looking out from the Inner Coire towards N-facing aspects below the summit of Puist Coire Ardair. Main old snow accumulations are on N through to SE-facing aspects above about 750-800m.
With projected summit temperatures of -6 to -7 and 50 gusting 60mph winds (possibly more than that), it’s going to feel bitterly cold on Friday. Wrap up warm!
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