WINTER BEGINS

Stunning sunrise on Monday 23rd October

 Last week we had our first proper snow on the Cairngorms. Much of that snow vanished in the warmer, wetter and windy conditions. By Friday it turned cold again high up. Whilst most of the UK suffered with heavy rain and floods, this precipitation was falling has heavy snowfall on high ground. Keen to see exactly how much snow had landed on the hills I had a quick nip up Cairn Gorm, I didn't start walking until late morning on Saturday, timing it with the winds forecast to ease.

Snow down to Coire Cas carpark on Saturday morning

There were a few big puddles on the road through Glenmore. Up at the Coire Cas carpark there was wet snow and slush on the road. Poor visibility from about 800m upwards, all day. I walked up through Coire Cas where the snow lay at a fair depth.

Two feet of snow at 800m

Nice to see lots and lots of Mountain hare footprints on my way up.

Mountain Hares had been active

I didn't see anyone all the way up to the summit of Cairn Gorm. The high winds from Friday had eased off to around 35mph on the top but enough to put the ski goggles on in the heavy snowfall.

First day this season for the ski goggles

Rime ice had formed nicely above 1000m. The cafe below the summit starting to get filled in with snow. The funicular and cafe are closed for the foreseeable future. The saga of the troubled train up the hill continues. After spending 25 million pounds fixing the rail and support structure, they have found more faults. Or should that be they didn't carry out the repair properly? Quite shocking really, not that I have ever used the thing and would never use it. If you're interested in this financial disaster then an excellent read on the finances and environmental issues can be found here at the excellent Parkwatch Scotland website. 

The white elephant (cafe) on Cairn Gorm

I contemplated heading around the Northern Corries from the summit of Cairn Gorm but very poor visibility wouldn't have given me any views today!

Cairn Gorm weather station

Cairn Gorm summit

The snow continued falling through the rest of the day and evening. 

Sunday morning dawned bright and sunny in Aviemore. A quick look at the forecast and it seemed that we were in for a couple of lovely weather days on the mountains. Last minute decision to head off up onto the Cairngorm plateau for our first winter mountain camp this season.

Deep snow, blue skies and sunsine

Big bags and wonderful views

Looking down to Aviemore from the plateau

With big, heavy rucksacks it was hard graft walking in the deep unconsolidated snow. The wonderful clear skies spurred us on. You could have been fooled thinking it was a December day with the amount and depth of snow above 750m as we trudged up to the high ground.

Deep snowcover at 1000m

Cairn Toul & Sgor an Lochain Uaine from the plateau

The only foot prints were ours

We decided on a high camp, above 1100m and in a beautiful, wild spot. The tent was up and we unloaded our luxury winter kit. Two thermarest's, winter expedition Rab sleeping bags and plenty of dry, warm layers. I was also carrying two camera bodies, one for landscapes, the other fitted with a large telephoto lens for some wildlife photography. Despite all this my rucksack only weighed in at 16 kilos.

Worth the energy for views like this down to Loch A'an at 5pm

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Camp

There was a beautiful sunset with the Belt of Venus looking superb above Beinn Mheadhoin and a half moon rising above the hillside.

Belt of Venus above Beinn Mheadhoin

Half moon

Glorious sunset above the granite tors of Beinn Mheadoin

It was probably around minus 5 C overnight/dawn. A fabulous sunrise. I was out of the tent to capture the ever changing colours s the sun slowly rose above the mountains.

First light

Loch A'an and Beinn Mheadhoin

Shelterstone Crag and beautiful sunrise

There was some wind overnight but this had died down completely by about 3am, it was wonderful. We savoured the place, light and silence in our winter wonderland before packing up and heading back to civilisation. On our route back I was keen to photograph Ptarmigan or Mountain Hares. Unfortunately no images to show, despite being close to at least 4 Ptarmigan. They all took off as the sun warmed up the land, well that's an exaggeration! It was still below freezing.

Sun's up

A layer of cloud sitting on Ben Macdui

Wind, cloud and sun

The wind increased as we made our way back across the plateau. An unusual layer of cloud sitting on top of Ben Macdui. It was all wonderful and atmospheric.

Civilisation not far!

Cloud and wind creating some lovely scenes

Loch Morlich and back to Autumn in the glens

It was good to bump into Chris Townsend on the way down and have a quick chat. He had just set off around lunchtime and experienced the higher wind speeds that weren't actually forecast. Chris and I always seem to bump into each other on the Cairngorms, funny that :)

A top few days and great early winter conditions to get you fit for what's to come. I am often asked when is the best time in winter for snow/weather or if we are going to get a bumper winter. Well if I knew that I would be a millionaire I guess. What I can almost guarantee is for the next 6 months we will get heavy snowfall, blizzards, high winds, high temperatures, low temperatures, lots of cloud, lots of sun, calm days and dull days, lots of snow-cover, minimal snow-cover. What order they will be in is anyone's guess ;) 

Meanwhile it's back to Autumn here in the Strath. The trees are just into their finest. The season's in the mountains do not follow suit.

Fiacaill Coire Sneachda