Weather and snow contrasts by aspect and altitude.
29th January 2026
Busy at Creag Meagaidh today. Plenty of climbers on the East and North East-facing crags of the Post Face and Inner Coire as well as a sizeable winter mountaineering/snowholing group from the Joint Services Mountain Training centre at Ballachulish hoping to scope out some overnight accommodation beyond The Window. All east-facing aspects have been comprehensively scoured down to a crust or firm snow-ice by the unrelenting south easterly airflow. By way of contrast, the lee areas, particularly above 950m, have accumulations of deeper old well-bonded and dense snow that’s been topped off with some new weaker windslab. The areas of concern tended to be localised today though this problem is expected to become more widespread by the end of play tomorrow.
(Above) Returning towards The Window. Visibility was poor at this elevation all day.
(Above) Quite a lot of rime on the crags at the moment. Climbers on this NE-facing buttress closest to The Window. With strengthening SE winds the venturi effect of this high mountain bealach amplified the effects of cold air temperatures and made for bitterly cold belaying here today.
(Above) Climbers aplenty in the Inner Coire and on the Post Face.
(Above) Looking down to Lochan a Choire from the Inner Coire. Unsupportive crust below 800m, but much harder and icy above this altitude – in particular on the ascent/descent to/from The Window.
(Above) The Inner Coire and The Window. We had some light snowfall but stronger gusts also raised and transported surface snow at times.
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