SUMMER?

It was a beautiful, warm, unbroken sunshine day around Loch Tay today. I was along the Lawers range, Meall Greigh, Meall Garbh, An Stuc, Ben Lawers and Beinn Ghlas. T shirt weather all the way.
Most of the snow as gone but it's still hanging on in the East corrie of Lawers and North corries of Beinn Ghlas, still enough for winter skills activities, in Alpine weather!

BOOMERANG GULLY

John & I were in Glencoe today climbing Boomerang Gully, grade 2 on Stob Coire an Lochain. The weather was lovely and dry with high cloudbase and some hazy sunshine. There is limited snow on the hill but still there if you seek it out. Conditions in the gullys are superb. Glencoe & Ben Nevis are best bets.

We descended from the summit into Broad Gully, grade 1.

The hill was very quiet today only a few cars parked in the glen and we only saw a couple of people with a noisy dog!

Meall Corranaich

A short rout today ( we didn't set off til2.30pm!). Ian, Peter & I went up the Western slopes of Meall Corranaich from the summit of the Lochan na Lairige road which divides Tarmachan's from The Lawers hills. It starts at over 500m so it's a leisurly stroll to the summit. There was a lot of wet snow showers from the start with the cloudbase lifting above 1100m. Just a light covering of frsh snow on this aspect but lots of snow on North to East aspects and a strong SW.

TARMACHAN

Back to full winters day today. Constant snow showers at all levels. I was on Meall nan Tarmachan from the dam at Lochan nan Lairig and up the steep, direct eastern side of the hill. Hard work pluoghing in deep fresh snow but this is a wonderful route up, full of wee interesting crags and gullies. Above 850m there is an excellent grade 1 winter gully which was well banked out with fresh snow, should be great after some freeze/thaw. Gained the north ridge from there on steep ground which was piling up with windblown snow, some excellent sunny spells between the snow showers. Snow getting blown on mostly easterly aspects.

From the summit crossed the ridge to Meall Garbh, again just below the summit lots of fresh slab piling up. Up to waist height at one point.

Descended into a shallow gully at the Cam Chreag area below the summit, all the gully climbs are looking well filled up for some nice routes in the next few days, if the weather doesnt become too warm.

BEN LAWERS

Agood day to be out, Spring like at lower levels with lovely sunshine but definately still winter on the tops with lots of spindrift, drifted snow and water ice above 1000m. Another traverse of the E/SE ridge of Lawers then over to Beinn Ghlas. Great views today as the clouds and snow showers passed through by lunch time.

BEINN GHLAS

Part 2 today of Davids & Chris's winter skills course. Another full on winters day, strong winds, constant snow showers, plenty of snow above 800m and white out conditions at times. We went up Coire Odhar then scrambled up the crags on the west side of Beinn Ghlas to the summit, practicing moving on steep ground and avalanche assessment. There are some nice craggy sections on this end of the hill, we had frozen turf, ice and windslab. Descended into the north corrie then back over the ridge and out to Coire Odhar to return to the visitor centre. The wind increased to around 60mph and lots of spindrift. A day for goggles.

WEEKEND WINTER SKILLS COURSE, BEINN HEASGARNICH

It was a very wintery day today. David & Chris were on their first day of a 2 day winter skills course. We covered navigation, axe arrests and moving on snow. It was constant snow showers through the day and some deep accumulations building up, on top of the old neve. Snowline on Beinn Heasgarnich was around 750m. It was near white out conditions above 900m at times with a strong wind. Plenty of ski tourers out enjoying the snow.

TARMACHAN RIDGE

A quiet day today on Tarmachans. Great variety of snow conditions above 800m. Old neve, water ice, deep windslab. Temperature rose slightly during the middle part of the day as the frontal system came in from the SW, bringing fresh snow above 900m by evening. A bright sunny start though. No folk to be seen on the hill today.