Creag Meagaidh Blog & Mountain Info

Queueing!

3rd February 2026

With the winds having been south easterly for the past week or so, most of our questing for windslab has been on the ‘other side’ of the mountain from the E and NE-facing crags and gullies of SAIS Creag Meagaidh, and stability being good on pretty much all quadrants today I thought it would be worth scoping out conditions at the windward business end of Coire Ardair. It’s been a popular venue for a few days, possibly due to an influx of refugee climbers from the northern Cairngorms escaping the ravages of fearsome winds/blowing snow/windslab that are prevalent over there.

We have some snow in the forecast for Creag Meagaidh. Not much, but in combination with colder temperatures and slightly stronger winds, we may see some windslab development – again, on the ‘other side’ of the mountain and above about 950m. Expecting it to be thin, comparatively localised and easy to avoid. However, with SAIS Creag Meagaidh being just outside of the Met Office’s ‘Yellow’ weather warning boundary it’s possible we may get a little more than officially forecast, in which case a little upward recalibration of the hazard category may be required if you’re thinking of venturing on to steep lee slopes on our patch. Those on windward slopes/crags can expect to experience more or less exclusively hard or crusty conditions.

(Above) The car park down by the A86 was pretty full today.

(Above) The buttresses and gullies of the Post Face of Coire Ardair.

(Above) Eastern Corner, Raeburn’s Gully and Pinnacle Buttress.

(Above) Easy Gully. Climbers visible on South Post and Last Post.

(Above) Panorama of the Inner Coire with The Window on the far right.

(Above) The Pumpkin. A popular choice again today which had developed a bit of a queue by late morning. Book your slot early to avoid disappointment!