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| Sgor and Lochain Uaine & Brearich above a temperature inversion, Thursday 16 Nov |
Anopther wonderful cold spell on the Cairngorms this week. On Monday and Tuesday it was well below freezing and snow falling on the high ground. It doesn't take long before the mountains come into full winter conditions. On Thursday the winds had eased to viryually nothing miles per hour on the tops. A day of sun and possibly temperature inversions was on the cards. A good day to get up high with the proper camera. Karen and I decided on a good leg stretch up Ben Macdui to see how much snow was on the hills.
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| Meall a' Bhuachaille amidst swirling clouds first thing |
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| Snowline at 850m |
We've not yet had any snow down to Strathspey level this season, but I am sure it won't be far away. We have had some good dumps up high though. At the moment the snowline is around 850m. We set off with some wonderful atmospheric cloud at lower levels with bright skies on the mountains.
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| Bright sun and drifting clouds |
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| Fiacaill Coire Sneachda & Cairn Gorm |
We gained the Cairngorm - Ben Macdui plateau and the bright skies was transformed with drifting clouds from the south. Very atmospheric as we made our way across the plateau in ankle deep snow. At the lochans we had some wonderful Fog Bows being created in these brilliant conditions.
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| Deep snow, sun & clouds at 1100m |
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| A fog bow at lunchtime |
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| Quite a few of these today |
The route up to Ben Macdui was in constant changing overhead conditions. Bright sun, fog bows, glimpses of distant mountains. If there wasn't already a track of foot prints in the snow today then the map and compass would most certainly been deployed in these conditions.
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| Will the sun break through? |
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| Yes! |
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| Braeriach above a temperature inversion in the Lairig Ghru |
We were just gaining Ben Macdui's North Top when we broke out of the cloud and into bright sunshine and blue skies! Absolutely fabulous. One of the finest weather conditions any hillwalker or mountaineer will experience in their life is a temperature inversion. The high tops were poking into clear skies above the cloud. Fine views across the cloud filled Lairig Ghru towards Sgor an Lochain Uaine and Braeriach.
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| Braeriach |
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| Looking back down to the plateau |
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| Cairn Gorm & Bynack More clear |
We enjoyed 20 minutes of fine views in the sunshine but the final few minutes to the summit of Ben Macdui the cloud drifted over again and the views disappeared.
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| 20 minutes from here to the top of Ben Macdui |
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| but the cloud drifting over the summit |
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| Ben Macdui summit in cloud |
All the way back from Ben Macdui's summit, across the plateau and over to the Northern Corries we had zero views and very poor visibility. We saw no one for 3 hrs! Only when we descended the Fiacaill Coire Cas ridge did we come back out of the cloud.
A top day out, one of many stunning winter days this season I am certain.
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| Finally out of the cloud |
FRIDAY 17 NOVEMBER
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| Stunning mid afternoon on Cairn Gorm |
On Friday the fine spell of high pressure continued. Hardly a breath of wind again on the high Cairngorms. All the snow is still there and another glorious sunny day up high. There was a bank of cloud stuck in Strathspey all day. Above 350m it was completely clears skies until early afternoon.
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| Beautiful, undisturbed snow above Strathspey |
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| Bynack More |
I had a day of photography and some wildlife watching. A lot of ski-tourers around, scaring off all the Mountain Hares. I saw plenty of footprints and wee snow shelters where they had been resting up overnight. No sign of ptarmigan, the snow quite deep so they've probably moved off to a better area with less snow cover.
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| Looking over to Beinn A'an & Ben a' Bheither |
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| Glorious surface hoar crystals |
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| Untrodden snow |
I wandered up to the summit of Cairn Gorm after midday. There was some cloud rolling in from the SW which made for lovely images. Clear skies are not what photographers are looking for. Cloud and light make more interesting images.
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| Beinn Mheadhoin |
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| Rime ice |
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| Stathspey in fog all day |
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| Spot where the mountain hare was resting |
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| mid afternoon, last of the sun light |
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| Excellent snow cover |
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Contrast of low angled light and clouds drifting in
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Windier, wetter and cloudier on Saturday. You need to catch the glorious winter days when they come along.
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| Cloud moving in over the Fiacaill Ridge at dusk |
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