WHAT'S LEFT OF THE SNOW

Coire an Lochain

Female ptarmigan

Some ice left

The Couloir, Coire an Lochain

Ptarmigan looking for the snow

In less than 24 hours the drifts and low level snow on Braeriach had been completely stripped in the warmer temperatures of Tuesday. Today I took a wander up into the Northern Corries to see what was left of the snow. Not a lot. At least the temperatures have come down again and it was below freezing overnight. There is some ice on some of the crags. Any remnants of snow is actually firm and crunchy. A good, cold base for the snow that is coming our way again tomorrow and Friday. Don't forget it is only mid November so plenty of time for proper winter to return. The ptarmigan were making me work hard for photographs today. Now they are almost in their winter plumage they were obviously settling into any snow that is left. A pleasant day to be out. Dry and only a light breeze up high.

WINTER DAY ON BRAERIACH

Andrew enjoying winter on Braeriach

Biking in the snow

Wind and snow

The joys of winter walking

Braeriach summit success!

Cornices and rime on Braeriach's gullies

Lairig Ghru

Lurchers Crag

For the first time this season we had snow down to Aviemore level and sub zero temperatures outside the house. Well timed for return client Andrew and his winter day out on Braeriach! Andrew has been out with me several times and we've had some great days and big days out. For today's outing he talked his brother, William, into having a taste of winter Munro walking too. This was William's first time out in winter.If you're going to start winter walking then what finer place to start than on Braeriach. The third highest summit in the UK and one of the remotest Munros. Throw in some wild winter weather and you have the makings of a grand day out hillwalking! We biked in to the Lairig Ghru from the house this morning. Just has we saddled up the snow started falling in the streets of Aviemore. It continued snowing steadily for much of the day. It was relatively calm and good visibility in the lower reaches of the Lairig Ghru. Once we got higher up on the long, featureless Sron na Lairig ridge the weather closed in and the visibility disappeared. The map and compass came out and shotly after the ski goggles were on. It was gusting above 50mph above 1000m and some drifting snow made some tough walking conditions. The guys did a brilliant job and we reached the summit 5 hours after leaving Aviemore. Winter walking isn't all about ice axes and crampons. Today's skills were perseverance, stamina, good clothing, good navigation and good humour! Winter is here!

NORTHERN CORRIES, COLDER, SNOWIER

Gullies filling up, Coire an Lochain

Coire an Lochain

Sub zero temperatures again

Rime ice

Fun way out of the corrie

Skies cleared late afternoon

The temperatures have remained well below freezing on the summits the last few days. Yesterday we had some more snow falling to lower levels. A wander around the Northern Corries today. Fun way out of Cooire an Lochain via the crags over on the West side where there was some ice but not in quantity. The tops were shrouded in cloud by mid day. High windchill and lots of rime ice over the rocks. First major snowfall over in The Cairngorms forecasted tonight and most of tomorrow so things shaping up nicely.

ICE AXE & CRAMPONS, COLD & WIND

Fiacaill 'a Coire An t- Sneachda

Fiacaill Buttress

Calm (ish) on the ridge this morning

Dawn and moon

Cold morning

Cornices forming, Cairn Lochan

High winds, windblown snow by mid day

It was -3 C in Aviemore this morning. A clear night with temperatures dropping again. Up on the Cairngorms it was maybe colder. A lovely early morning start before the next Atlantic weather front arrived later in the day. I took a wander up into Coire an t-Sneachda. There were a few climbers heading up on Alladins Buttress. I headed below the Fiacaill Buttress and onto the Fiacaill An Coire Sneachda ridge. There are some that say that winter hillwalking soon becomes mountaineering as soon as the ice axe and crampons comes out to play. Today then must have been a mountaineering day then as they were out for the ascent up the coire and along the ridge. First time this season for the ironmongery. There wasn't much ice about but any bare ground was frozen, no rime on the rocks. By 10am the wind had already picked up and by the time I got off the ridge and on the plateau it had increased to around 50mph. Lots of snow being blown into the corries, quite atmospheric. Cornices were starting to form in the gullies on Cairn Lochan. By the time I headed down the hill the wind seemed to have increased further. Nice winter morning foray and great to see real winter conditions.

MORE SNOW, BEN MACDUI

Cairn Toul, Sgor an Lochan Uaine & Braeriach

Cairn Gorm from Sneachda

Loch Avon Basin

Cairn Gorm rom Macdui

Coire Domhain

Lairig Ghru & Braeriach plateau

Ben Macdui & Cairngorm plateau

Coire an Lchain

Dusk, Loch Morlich

Coire Bhrochain, Braeriach

Another dusting of overnight snow across the Highlands. The Northern and Eastern Cairngorms have fresh snow down to about 800m this morning. It was well below freezing on the tops. I took a wander up to Ben Macdui. The weather front from last night had quickly passed through by this morning and by the time I reached the plateau the tops were clear and some blue skies on the horizon to the west. Timed nicely for the sun to break through as I reached the summit of Ben Macdui. Not as windy as previous days so very pleasant on the tops. The view from just west of Ben Macdui's summit is one of the finest in The Cairngorms. The Cairn Toul - Braeriach plateau and Lairig Ghru set out before you in a massive area. In the afternoon I headed back via the lip of the Loch Avon Basin and then The Northern Corries. There seems to be more snow here than over in the corries of Breariach. The snow, of course, isn't consolidated and quite soft in most places. There is some ice on north aspects and some frozen ground. Beautiful late afternoon light as the sun broke through the clouds again and a fab sunset.

WINTER HAS ARRIVED

Cairn Gorm and Ben Macdui

Northern Corries

Beinn Mheadhoin

Coire Raibert

Beinn Mheadoin and Loch Avon

Loch Avon, Ben Macdui

Cain Gorm

Cairn Gorm plateau

 Temperatures dropped again overnight along with more snow showers. This morning there was a few more cm's on the Cairngorm Mountains. More snow fell over on the west coast hills by the looks of it. Karen and I had a wee afternoon wander up Windy Rige and onto Cairn Gorm summit. High windchill on the tops. The cloud broke up in the afternoon and some nice views. We escaped the crowds on Cairn Gorm and headed down toward Loch Avon. Lovely late afternoon light. It really felt like a winter day today. Frozen ground, rime ice, snow down to 700m and a cold wind. Brilliant! Looks like a bit milder tomorrow but snow showers forecast through out next week. Bring it on!

DUSTING OF SNOW IN THE CAIRNGORMS

Dusting of snow on Fiacaill Ridge and plateau

Cairngorm plateau

Fiacaill 'a Coire Sneachda

Coire an Lochain

Sun and snow showers

The Vent

Clear skies in the morning

Reindeer out for Christmas

The temperatures had dropped to single digits and there was some precipitation overnight in The Cairngorms. It was a lovely clear skies morning in Aviemore and up on the hill looked good. I took a wander into Coire an t-Sneachda and up onto the Fiacaill of Coire Sneachda. Just a touch of fresh snow abover1000m, only a sprinkling really. There were a few icy spots on the rocky ridge to the plateau but these could be avoided. At the top a big snow shower came over and sprinkled some more over the tops. The sun came out again and everything was looking lovely. A large group of students looked like they were heading across to Cairn Lochan, then saw me and changed their route to head down the Fiacaill. One of the group (the leader?) then asked a series of questions about getting down the ridge. I think some forward planning and a map may have helped them out. There was beautiful sunny spell mixed with some more light snow showers into the afternoon. A nice wintry day, finished off with Christmas songs blasting out of the cafe across he Coire Cas carpark along with the Reindeer on show. Christmas has come early to the Cairngorms it seems. We haven't even done the bonfire and fireworks thing yet. A very surreal day at times but generally a fab day and nice to see the snow. More forecast into tomorrow. The west may well have had a lot more snow too. Winter coming.