CALM AND COLD

 

The team enjoying the calm

It is always nice to get a calm, windless day on the Cairngorm tops, especially right after a stormy one the previous day. For my team on day 2 of their winter course we had a good journey over the plateau. Starting off into Coire an Lochain. 

Crampons today

Hard snow above 1000m

Admiring the view

The crampons were on at the Lochan. Above 950m the snow was hard and up on the plateau are much rime ice and water ice. Great winter conditions. We linked all the good stretches of hard snow to gain Cairn Lochan.

Perfect 

Jess mastering crampon technique 

Climbers out on the cliffs

We had our picnic lunch on the top of Cairn Lochan.  Can't remember last time I enjoyed that! The cloud kept coming and going in a monochrome landscape. We watched several teams of Climbers on the cliffs. After food we wandered over to the finest viewpoint in the entire Cairngorm mountains. 

Picnic on the top

Poor visibility at times

Some navigation 

Enroute across the plateau we did some navigation. Great conditions for it. The cloud kept coming and going on big stretches of snow cover. 

Another break in the cloud

Loch A'an

Hells Lum

Hells Lum

On our way back via The Feithe Buidhe the cloud lifted and it was a beautiful,  atmospheric walk back to the carpark. Almost Arctic like. The Feithe Buidhe completely frozen up which made wonderful walking back over to Lochan Buidhe.

Arctic like

Feithe Buidhe 

Hells Lum

We reached the Coire Cas carpark at dusk, which these days is 5.30pm. Love the longer daylight in the mid winter. 

Walking on a frozen Lochan Buidhe 

More navigation 

Braeriach plateau 

Lairig Ghru

A top couple of days with a fun and enthusiastic group of friends. Jess and Rich had been out on a course with me 3 years ago. They persuaded their good friends Sophie and Liam to join them . They told me they wouldn't dream of going out on a course in a mixed group of unknown individuals.  Enough said. 😀