HELLO WINTER, NORTHERN CORRIES

Summit of Cairn Lochan

Cairn Lochan looking west

Cairn Gorm and Coire an t-sneachda

Great light, snow and company

Crags well rimed

Fiacaill Ridge

Complete snow cover on the plateaux

Braeriach coming out of the cloud

Coire an t-sneachda

Coire an Lochain

Fingers ridge

The much heralded and anticipated dump of snow and colder winds well and truly arrived over the weekend. With snow falling to glen levels through much of the Highlands over Friday & Saturday. We had a great day out on the Northern Corries today. A lot of low level cloud this morning, so we set off late morning and the forecast was spot on, cloud lifting and breaking. We timed it perfectly, just arriving on the top of Cairn Lochan as the tops became cloud free. Despite the strong winds, I was surprised at the full snow cover all across the plateau. A great mixture of deep powder and rime ice on the rocks. The corries looking superb with their rime encrusted snow. There was only a very light breeze today, even so it was a very cold one. Full winter gear a must. Going a bit milder tomorrow but cold again over Tuesday & Wednesday, all good news to get some fantastic snow conditions. Winter has definitely arrived in the Cairngorms, indeed across many mountain areas.