JEBL SAHRO, MOROCCO

Just back from a 2 week guiding trip in Morocco. We were in a relatively unknown area of mountains SE of the High Atlas mountains, Jebl Sahro. Spectacular rock formations and excellent warm, sunny weather.

Forcast here in the Highlands is for snow by Wednesday so hopefully we'll be back to some good winter conditions soon.

Happy New Year!

MOROCCO

Looks like the next few days will be cold and dry over much of The Highlands. There is limited snow cover but what there is should be good.

I'm off guiding in Morocco the next couple of weeks.

Merry Christmas!

TARMACHAN, NE RIDGE

A fabulous day on The Tarmachans today. It was glorious blue skies all day over the southern and central Highlands. A cold N wind, strong in morning died down by the afternoon. Snowline was at 750m and temps just above freezing.

John,Kate, Ian, Peter and I were enjoying the wonderful winter conditions. After the excellent NE ridge of Meall nan Tarmachan we traversed over the ridge to Meall Garbh and Beinn nan Eachan.

Lots of snow, enjoy the fabulous day again tomorow!

BEINN HEASGARNICH

It was hard going breaking trail today on Beinn Heasgarnich after yesterdays snowfall and drifting. Paul and I headed up to the summit in near white out conditions, with a cold, moderate Northerly wind and odd snow shower. Map, compass and ski goggles a must for anyone on the hills today! Looks like great conditions over the next few days

WINTER SKILLS, NORTH RIDGE TARMACHAN

Another wild ,wonderful winter's day today. Gillian & Jill were on a winter skills course. We covered movement on snow & ice and steep ground as we worked our way up Meall nan Tarmachan's brilliant North ridge. There was some excellent water ice in places and some fresh, windblown snow as well as patches of old neve. It was virtually poor visability all day with a very strong SE winds and constant snow showers.

Looks like great winter conditions next few days, snow showers and by mid week a Scandanavian high pressure bringing cold & clear periods.

WINTERS BACK, AGAIN

After a couple of wet & mild days in The Highlands, the NW airflow is back again bringing constant snow showers today. I was in the North corrie of Beinn Ghlas checking out the snow conditions. It was a wild day, constant light snowfall on a very strong NW with a 900m cloudbase, great stuff!

Tomorrow is forcast snow again so should be good for Sunday and into next week.

CAM CREAG

I was on Tarmachan today. Ascended a gully on Cam Creag which is a great wee spot with lots of easy winter climbing gullies and crags. The snow is still un consolidated and soft but still lots of it down to 800m. There was a very strong, cold NW gusting to 50mph on the tops with high wind chill. Sunny spells though and great day to be out.

WINTERY BEN LAWERS

Beautiful day today around Killin. Tom & I were up on Ben Lawers. We started from Tombreck and took a direct line up the South face of the hill, finishing on the SW ridge. This is a wonderful feature of the hill and great spot for snow shelters. Went iover to Beinn Ghlas then headed down it's SE corrie.

Excellent snow at 800m, hpefully it'll hold on through the week.

It was disturbing to note I passed about 20 folk between Lawers and Ghlas, most of whom had trekking poles but not a single ice axe to be seen on their rucksacks, mmmm.

HENS ORIENTEERING

Today was a fun day of activity for a group of 15 women on their Hen weekend in Killin. I set up a orienteering course on ron a Chlachain, just above Killin village. They had 'challanges' to do at the check points, I'll let you decide what they were by the pictures! Great fun with some great sense of humour girls.

There is a covering of snow on the hills above 600m, looking good.