WINDY AND A THAW ON THE WAY

Bynack Mor from Meall a' Bhuachaille

Two easy shears at our test pit today

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Busy on the Bhuachaille!

Earlier in the day

A partly frozen Loch Morlich

Time to head own

Changeable weather on the way today. Weather forecasts suggesting gales in the afternoon and temperatures on the rise towards dusk in The Cairngorms. With this in mind it was a day at lower altitudes. Carol and I headed to Meall a' Bhuachaille for Day 3 of her Winter Course this week. Today's plan as for Navigation (the number 1 winter skill), avalanche awareness (again this week) and some ice axe arresting (quite a low skill on a list of winter skills). It was very pleasant on our way up to Meall a' Bhuachaille which was mobbed with lots of folk, more groups than on a nice summer's day! The summit wasn't at all windy. We walked down and around to to the NE slopes below the Creagan Gorm summit. This is a great wee spot for some sliding and avalanche awareness. The small depression just below the summit collects snow well from the SW winds through the winter months. The winds suddenly increased around this area as we dug our avalanche test pit. As fast as we were digging it out it was filling in from the heavy drifting. We found two relatively easy shears at 30cm and 55cm. Our plan for some sliding was abandoned with the high winds increasing minute y minute. Carol navigated back to the main path in deep drifts and 50-60mph winds. It wasn't actually snowing but it may as well have been. Snow racing through the air as we plunged through deep snow and back to civilisation. A very different day out from the last couple of  days. A Scottish winter always throws up brilliant conditions and never two days the same. Funny that there wasn't a single person left on the hill when we were getting wind blasted down the path!