Snow distribution: the core-periphery.
21st March 2025
(Above) The crags and gullies at the top end of Coire Ardair. Here, and places near to Creag Meagaidh summit, is the location of most of SAIS Creag Meagaidh’s snow. In general, it’s confined to locations above 950m but there is some below this altitude in a few favoured gully lines. More snow loss anticipated during and after Saturday’s mild, wet weather.
(Above) Lochan a Choire in Coire Ardair. Some orphaned ice floes, emanating from the last frosty spell, coralled into a small bay and just hanging on in there this morning. Here today, gone tomorrow?
(Above) Easy Gully, Coire Ardair. The gully was complete for most of its length today with a fair amount of wet and rotting ice hanging precariously to the gully wall above it. Falling ice and rocks both potential objective hazards during the forthcoming wet and mild conditions.
(Above) The Inner Coire of Coire Ardair and The Window. Mainly bare ground, though with a little old snow in ‘Cinderella’ itself and also around the rim of the same gully.
(Above) Beinn a Chaorainn at the west end of our patch and looking more or less snow-free on its east-facing side. Snow distribution in other places on the periphery of the SAIS Creag Meagaidh forecast area are similar if not somewhat worse than this. However, the Grey Coires and surrounding locations do seem to have a little more, but not much!
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Tony Stott
21st March 2025 9:30 pm
We went there on Weds with the aim of getting Raeburns. The loch was pretty much frozen over and the ice was thick. Raeburns was incomplete and when we looked at Easy Gully there was stonefall and some ice coming off the Post Face where the sun had an effect. We retreated but it was a great walk in the sun.