SNOWING

Snows arrived again. Down to road level in Killin. Great stuff for the hills, looking very wintery again now and forcast is for spells of snow on the tops with a succession of freeze thaw cycles so should be great by the weekend.

CREAG MHOR & BEINN HEASGARNICH

Ian & I were on the Eastern crags of Creag Mhor today, it was a superb sunny day and great neve at 900m. This wee crag holds snow very well and a great place for mountaineering. We traversed over to beinn Heasgarnich, again great snow on the decent of the Eastern slopes.

Weather looks wintery this week with some dumps of snow and windy at times, should be good.

5 DAYS SKILLS COURSE LOCHABER

Have been away to Lochaber & Glencoe on 5 days teaching winter skills. The snow as been variable and limited to above 900m, so long walk- ins but winter is hanging in despite the very mild temperatures last week. I had Peter & Catherine out covering a wealth of skills including ice axe arresting, movement on snow/ice, avalanche assessment,navigation and snow shelters

BEINN GHLAS

It was a cloudy, sleety day. Lots of snow even after the wet, mild day yesterday. Ian & I were up in the north corrie of Beinn Ghlas, great place for reliable snow. Gradually the snowpack is consolidating but cornices should be avoided.

On the way down we passed several groups that were ill equiped to go walking in the winter hills. One group we saw were carrying just 1 small rucksac between 3 of them, no ice axes, summer boots, except the teenage daughter who was sporting jeans and brightly coloured welly boots!

Will folk never learn? Last weekend there were 12 people in 3 different areas of the Highlands who got into trouble, poor navigation & poorly equiped leading to hypothermia, benightment and 1 fatality.

BEN LAWER & AN STUC

It was a fabulous day yesterday, great snow and rime ice on Lawers. The best route up onto the summit of Lawers is via the E/SE ridge, a great wee ridge. Yesterday am was a very gusty 50mph wind, wonderful battle up against the spindrift, the winds eased by late afternoon. Not a sole to be seen. Great to see so much snow.

It's very wet & windy today but nice weather for the weekend and slightly cooler so good winter conditions on the tops.

TARMACHAN RIDGE

It was a beautiful afternoon today up on the Tarmachan Ridge. This is my 'local' hill, walked straight from the house! It was almost white out conditions between Meall nan tarmachan and Meall Garbh, then suddenly the skies cleared and a beautiful afternoon in the sun. Great rime ice on East facing crags after 2 days of strong NE/SE winds and deep, new accumulationns of snow but it was a mild day and the snow is very wet but some freeze/thaw over the next few days should help stablize the snow pack.

Forgot the camera today!

SNOWING

Theres lots of fresh snow, light, constant snow showers last 2 days. Strong Easterly winds. Bolds well for next week. Goggles a must!

SNOWS BACK

There was snow down to Killin today. I was up on Beinn Ghlas and went up the corrie on the north side. Excellent neve all the way with a fresh dump of snow on the tops, winters back!

BROAD GULLY, STOB COIRE AN LOCHAIN

A superb spell of cold, clear weather over the Highlands the last few days. Yesterday we went up into Broad Gully on Stob Coire an Lochain in Glencoe with Ian & Prter. The snow is superb despite a bit lean, gullies and sheltered corries are best, above 9oom. The hills are quite busy right now, everyone seems to be out and about.