SNOW SHOEING IN SPRING

Deep snow and great cloud formations 

Snowshoes today

Glorious afternoon 

Coire an t-Sneachda looking quiet

Fiacaill Coire Sneachda very quiet 

Fiacaill 

Fiacaill Chais

Wonderful late winter

Gullies loaded in strong winds

Easier going on ridges

Snow aretes

Breaking trail

Wind scoured 

Alladin's 

Warmer by afternoon 

No tourers out this way?

We had a good couple of days of heavy snowfall here in the Cairngorms. With a Northerly wind the NE Highlands will always get the best of the snow. The snow gates at Glenmore were closed on Wednesday. We also had snow lying at Aviemore level. Friday looked the best day to get out and indeed it was. With deep snow accumulations it was always going to be a tough time breaking trail. A day to get the snowshoes out. There was just 3 folk behind me as I broke trail over to the foot of the Fiacaill Coire Sneachda ridge. It was hard going even with the snowshoes on. Conditions for these did improve above 800m. It's always a decision whether to take them out in the first place. Does the extra weight make it worth while? I only ever get a handful of days each winter that they make life easier in the Scottish mountains. My original plan was to head  up to Ben Macdui but after half an hour I quickly shelved that plan! It took double the time to get to the bottom of the Fiacaill this morning.  Up on the ridge itself it was much easier going as the strong SE winds had blown it clear. Great fun higher up with some big drifts filling in the awkward section this making it easier. The snow, of course,  is very much unconsolidated. Along the plateau it was mainly wind scoured and big areas of bare ground. The strong 40mph+ winds had eased by mid afternoon and bags more sunshine. I saw no one else until the foot of the Fiacaill Chais ridge. Great snow cover down here and an absolute joy to descend in glorious Spring sunshine.
Winter continues .........

APRIL SHOWERS (OF SNOW)

Another fine day for Mountain Hare photography

Coire an Lochain 

The locals outnumbered climbers in the Northern Corries today

Twin Burns area

Mountain Hare still in their winter pelage

April showers

Reindeer enjoying the cold conditions

Enjoying the sun

More winter like than most of February

Graupel

Typical April skies

Wonderful eyes

The temperatures on the tops were well below freezing today. A lovely clear skies morning with no wind in the corries. Nice conditions for more wildlife photography. The ptarmigan are just into their Spring plumage but the Mountain Hare are hanging on with their winter pelage. Getting to know one character in particular recently. Seems quite photogenic and happy with close quarters, another hour of photographing in the sun and sitting on dry ground. There were showers of snow in the afternoon, with graupel thrown in. Staying in winter mode for the rest of this week. A big dump of snow coming tomorrow.