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.

GETTING COLDER, COIRE AN LOCHAIN AGAIN

Top section of great slab now with snow/ice cover

The lochans

Getting more like winter

5 Mountain Hare spotted  today but still no decent photo

Coire an Lochain and a bit of sun

Gret Slab icing up nicely

Getting thicker

Another slightly colder day and mainly dry. The much colder air mass will be over us by tomorrow coupled with some winter showers to low levels. Had another foray into Coire an Lochain today. Plenty of wildlife on the way up with 5 Mountain Hare and lots of ptarmigan as usual. Went over to the eastern side of the coire which gives a fine views down onto the Great Slab in the centre of the coire. A bit more ice building up and the crags seemed a bit icier today. A few snow showers above 1000m.

COIRE AN LOCHAIN ICE

First proper ice this season

Overnight melt/freeze

The Great Slab, Coire an Lochain

Not so windy for our ptarmigan today

Coire an Lochain

Iced up slabs

Plenty of hard snow at the top of the Twin Burns

Coire an lochain

Some overnight Melt/Freeze cycle on the hills and the snow is consolidating. Up in Coire an Lochain today I had the pleasure of experiencing the first proper ice in any quantity this season. It was axe & crampons all the way up from the lochan to the plateau. The area between the main climbing crags and the Twin Burns was the best. With some large areas of iced up rocks & turf. The higher section 50m from the plateau was superb with hard refrozen snow or neve whichever you prefer! There was only a 'Cairngorm Breeze' on the tops after overnight storms. More high winds coupled with some more fresh snow over the next few days so the hills should be even more wintry! A great start to the season, lets hope it continues. Full winter kit carried the last few days. Winter has definitely arrived.

A WINTRY NORTHERN CORRIES, CAIRNGORMS

Coire an Lochain, cornices forming quickly

Rime ice on Cairn Lochan

Cornices, Cairn Lochan

Plenty of snow on eastern aspects, Fiacaill Buttress

Some wading

Eastern aspects, plenty of snow blown over

A very pleasant day out on the Cairngorm plateau. It was cold, dry and a stiff breeze making it feel a definite wintry day. Plenty of snow blown onto Eastern aspects from the strong westerlies over the last couple of days. The plateau, crags and ridges are rimed up. It's all looking good for winter if this cold spell lasts. We had a great day over the Northern Corries today. Not many folk out. It was overcast with poor visability at times. If you are thinking of heading out to Ben Macdui then make sure your navigation skills are up to it!

WINTER HAS ARRIVED IN THE CAIRNGORMS

Cairn Gorm & Northern Corries

Cairn Gorm & Loch Morlich

Definitely winter on the summit

No wind lower down,beautiful snowy trees

Cairngorm and Northern Corries, some sun

Mine the only bike on the Glen More track today

The Glenmore squirrel feeding up for winter

Ankle depth snow

Northern Corries

Glemore ducks enjoying the snow

A colder airflow brought overnight snow down to Aviemore level. The  remanent of Hurricane Abigail didn't really make an impact over Strathspey area. This morning it was lovely and still lower down. I had a great blast on the bike up Glenmore then a quick dart up onto Meall a' Bhuachaille. It was dry and even some sun on the lower slopes but this didn't last long. Within 15 minutes I was in cloud and a big snow shower all the way to the summit. The wind, as always, picked up strength on the final slopes to the summit where it was blowing to around 40mph. I was almost reaching for the goggles on the way down. The first full winter day from bottom to top today. A great ride home through a snowy Glenmore cycle path and not a soul seen all day. Welcome to winter, it's arrived!

COLD, WINDY AND THE SNOWS ON IT'S WAY

Cairn Lochan

Sunset over Lurchers

Ptarmigan ready for winter

Coire an Lochain

Braeriach

Sunset and a chilly end to the day

where's the snow?

The remaiming snow patch at Ciste Mheared

A respite from the rain and some welcome sunshine this afternoon. Some sunshine after a few showers. A strong 50mph wind high up on the Cairngorm plateau made for difficult wildlife photography, the hands are getting cold now! The ptarmigan were well hunkered down in the hollows and behind the boulders. Their plumage almost completely white and they are all set up for winter. At long last it looks like the end of this week and particularly Saturday we will be getting some proper snowfall. All brought in on gale force winds. It look and feel good shortly!