Based in Aviemore, The Cairngorms, Highlands of Scotland. Gary Hodgson runs Tarmachan Mountaineering, providing instruction and guided walking all year round. This is my regularly updated blog including the latest snow conditions in winter.
Thursday 29 January 2009
TORRIDON
Wednesday 28 January 2009
Sunday 25 January 2009
TOO MUCH SNOW?
Saturday 24 January 2009
WINTER SKILLS ON CORRANAICH
Thursday 22 January 2009
QUICKIE ON HELVELLYN
Wednesday 21 January 2009
SNOW HOLING AND CLIMBING IN THE LAKES
Tuesday 20 January 2009
LAKELAND OR HIGHLAND?
Sunday 18 January 2009
HEAVY SNOW
Saturday 17 January 2009
WINTER SKILLS
Wednesday 14 January 2009
JACOBS LADDER
Tuesday 13 January 2009
EAST FACE TARMACHAN
Monday 12 January 2009
COLDER & SNOWING
After a very wet,windy and mild weekend it was back to colder conditions on the hill with constant snow showers above 800m. Most ice has dissappeared but with the overnight cold temps the snow od snow was starting to re- freeze. I found a nice ribbon of snow just to the West of Meall nan Tarmachan's normal rout up, at about 900m. The wee scoop was quite well consolidated, again this line is usually here trhough most of the winter although has it's South facing it does tend to be soft later in the season. My usual route up direct from my home in Morenish was rather wet underfoot today with the constant rain that fell yesterday. Forecast looks good for the rest of the week, remaining cold and more snow forecast. I still have some dates free in January for winter skills.
Friday 9 January 2009
EAST CORRIE,TARMACHAN
Another excellent day in the gullies. I was in the eastern corrie of Tarmachan, one of my favourite local winter areas and very accessible. Only half an hour walk up from the Lochan nan Lairig dam, or cycle up to the dam if you feel a purist. The corrie has several easy grade 1 gullies, today I had a liesurley 11am start and went for the most northerly one which leads onto the NE ridge, a great way to the summit of Tarmachan. Wonderful conditions once more at 800m with frozen turf,water ice and neve. There was a lot of snow getting blown around on the tops and down the gullies but I was sheltered from the 40mph Westerlies until gaining the ridge. There is windslab forming on East to North aspects but a big change in the weather from tomorrow with milder and very wet and gales, but cold enough for snow on higher ground.