Creag Meagaidh Blog & Mountain Info » White room redux but with extra snowiness.

White room redux but with extra snowiness.

15th January 2026

Very wintry today but with slightly less snowfall than anticipated. Nevertheless, weak windslab was in place and continued to build on high lee slopes after I exited the hill at lunchtime. The windslab problem will persist throughout Friday but be confined to the upper reaches of lee slopes whereas today instability was more widespread in those places.

We move from Considerable to Moderate avalanche hazard… but the avalanche danger hasn’t gone away just will be less widespread and confined to places a little higher up the mountain (above 950m) where a windslab problem will persist. Less cold conditions should initiate a consolidating trend in most other snow at lower altitudes. Newly formed cornices also worth giving a wide berth at the moment given their traditional fragility when recently formed. Wouldn’t be surprised to see a collapsing cornice trigger the slope below too.

(Above) The European Avalanche Hazard Scale. Progression of avalanche danger against categories. Contrary to what quite a few winter hill-goers think it’s definitely not a simple linear progression! For more background check out this link: https://www.avalanches.org/education/avalanche-danger-scale-2/

(Above) Behold! The Post Face of Coire Ardair is…err…somewhere over there beyond the lochan. Yes, very poor visibility again today combined with really quite snowy conditions above 650m.

(Above) A glimpse into the gaping maw of Easy Gully. L to R Pinnacle Buttress, Easy Gully and the incised Post Face of Coire Ardair. Was difficult to see but there was some blocky debris in Easy Gully just below South Post, possibly from a cornice collapse from the crags at the top of this well-known gully.

(Above) Absolutely terrible shot of the N-facing crags of the Inner Coire – The Window is right of centre. Very poor mountain conditions here all through the morning and into the afternoon.