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.