Warm & sunny, if a tad windy!
11th April 2024
(Above) The Big Picture. Patchy snow cover now limited to places above 800m plus a few favoured gullies and scarp slopes at slightly lower altitudes. N and E aspects are where most of the bigger patches can be found.
(Above) Lochan a Choire and the Post Face of Coire Ardair et al. Was ridiculously warm today after heavy overnight rainfall. Windy too, as the white caps on the lochan attest.
(Above) Easy Gully and the Post Face of Coire Ardair. Not surprising there were several well-established waterfalls after the overnight deluge + meltwater. With plenty of water to lubricate the interface between the steeply inclined old snow and the bedsurface, it was no surprise that we had some full depth avalanche activity today. A minor avalanche slid off from a steeply inclined bench just on far side of the major waterfall where ‘Last Post’ normally forms centre of the shot. Wet, rotting ice is just about hanging on at the top of this gully too, which may be prone to sudden collapse during the sustained thaw. Ditto remaining cornices – see below.
(Above) Bellevue Buttress – a steep E-facing aspect.
(Above) Wash-out of a moderately inclined peaty gully betwixt the bottom of the Post Face and the usual walking approach to the Inner Coire. Our area had 20+mm of rain overnight.
(Above) The Inner Coire and The Window today.
Two forecasters on duty today so with a bit of division of labour/location we also have photos from the North side of the SAIS Creag Meagaidh area. As you’ll see, very poor cover there.
(Above) Looking W across the reservoir behind Spey Dam towards the Carn Liath massif. Top of the Post Face visible far left then Coire nan Gall, Coire Dubh and Coire a Bheinn.
(Above) Looking S at the back side of Carn Liath. Min Choire on the extreme left.
(Above) Pylons marching into Corrie Yairack then turning abruptly left over the Corrieyairack Pass. General Wade’s Military road over on the right. Very limited snow hereabouts.
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