ANOTHER ALPINE DAY

Another fantasticly clear day on The West coast again. Yvonne and I were in Glencoe and went up Broad Gully in Coire an Lochan. Snow conditions in this Grade 1 gully were superb, in fact they couldn't be much better. The sun shone all day and hardly a breeze on the tops. After sub zero temperatures overnight everything that was snow was frozen solid. We went up to Bidean and across to Stob Coire nan Beith. Unbelievably we counted at least 10 people in the fisrt hour walking up Coire an Lochan who were wearing bendy boots and carrying no axes/crampons-totally oblivious to  the conditions they were heading into. Unfortunately when we got back to the carpark the mountain rescue were in action and tragically one person died in a accident  today. Take care out there folks.

ALPINE DAYS AND ITS ONLY DECEMBER

It has been a fantastic day here in The Highlands. Clear skies above foggy glens. The overnight sub zero temperatures froze the snow pack at all levels and eas wonderful cramponing all day. I went up No. 4 Gully on Ben Nevis today, excellent covering of hard snow in Ciste Corrie and ice on the buttresses. The cornice is only small at the moment. Only a few climbers about so had the summit to myself. Very clear air and great views across to Cairngorms and Perthshire hills. Amazed to see a couple of folk wandering up the pony track on the descent. One guy at 800m at 1.40pm still wandering up carrying only a jacket in one hand and a fleece in the other! Looks like cold and clear days ahead for some time. So here's the question: Alpine peaks piercing blue skies for days or would you rather be Christmas shopping? Check out today's movies on YOUTUBE:

COLD & CLEAR DAYS AHAED

It was a dry, cold day with some high cloud as well as a layer of fog in the glens today. A big continental High pressure is edging over the country bringing cold and clear conditions for some days to come. The top of The Ben was in cloud today but the Mamores were clear of cloud and still holding snow high up. The next few days should firm up the snow pack nicely with day time freezing levels gradually dropping. Gully lines should provide some good fun.

Have a look at the new formated reports from

 Scottish Avalanche Information Service; which comes into action again on the 17th December

WRONG PLACE

Seems like I missed a cracker of a day last Friday with excellent snow cover and blue skies in the Cairngorms. I was down in The lake District still on the BAIML AGM weekend http://www.baiml.org/ and CPD workshops. The workshops I attended were IML rope work day and a day on wilderness mountain medicine. Now back in the Highlands and the snow is still on the higher tops with a wild day tomorrow then cold and dry forecast for a week! Should be good, get out there! The pic is on Red Screes just above Ambleside, a quick run up in the snow last Thursday.

NEVE IN THE LAKES?

Overnight sub zero temperatures in The Cumbrian Fells gave a clear bright start but the cloud soon crept in from the SW. The snow was getting well consolidated above 700m on Blencathra with lovely crisp snow underfoot. Not quite cramponing conditions but getting there. Another day of bitterly cold and strong Northerly winds. Good day to test out the winter clothing.

THE NORTH WIND DO BLOW....

A bitterly cold morning on the fells today with a strong Northerly wind blowing. Superb cloud formations in the morning and by afternnon a clear sky. Saw no one on the way up to Skiddaw, who said the Lakes was crowded?

ENGLISH SNOW

Winter as certainly hit the hills this weekend, even down in the Lake District. There was a light dusting of snow down to 700m. Looks like a cold, snowy few days to come in the Highlands too.

WINTER

Winter is definately here, with snow on the tops and some strong winds over the last few days. Sumit teperatures have dropped so safe to say winter is here.

I'm away from technology for the next few days but can be contacted via the mobile: 077 2000 1326.

Winter bookings are filling up with February getting busy.

FRESH SNOW

There had been a drop in temperature overnight and a fresh covering of snow down to 700m this morning. The rain/snow didn't arrive until afternoon and with the cloud quite high it looked a good day to be on the hills. Down in the Lake District next week. Places still free for navigation courses based in the North Lakes. Then it's off to BAIML AGM and CPD workshops at the beginning of December. Bookings have been coming in for Christmas winter skills/guided walking recently. Lets hope the weather cools down again after this tropical spell.

ALMOST THERE

A quiet day on Ben Nevis today. John was over from Australia and in between watching rugby matches he wanted to get up The Ben. Unfortunately his leg was playing up so we never managed to get to the summit. There was a break in the weather today and a dry, pleasant spell in the morning to early afternoon. Relatively mild weather as depleted the snow on the upper slopes.

LAZY HILL DAY

A very pleasant day again on the west coast with some sunshine by mid day. I had a lazy start and cycled up to Lundavra then walked up onto a very nice wee hill above Loch Leven - Tom Meadhoin. At only 621m its a shortish hill day and a good jaunt on days when the cloud is down on the higher hills, like it was today. Like all these smaller hills you are guaranteed not to see a soul, especially as I didn't go up the logical, shorter route from Loch Leven. Looks like a wild and wet day on Saturday then a much better day for Sunday. More snow above 1000m forecast so the highest summits will all have a covering of snow.

FOUR PLAY ON BEN NEVIS

It was another calm, quiet day here in the West Highlands with another cold night. I was getting the most of the snow on Ben Nevis and went up No. 4 Gully on the North face. This is a straightforward grade 1 winter climb and is usually well trodden but today I saw was no one in the Ciste Coire nor in the gully. It was a bit Bouldery lower in the corrie with patchy snow from 950m but half way up the gully there was excellent amounts of snow. There is ice forming on the buttresses but no ice in the gully as the freezing level was around 1100m today. A lot of snow now on the plateau and the pony track is, in places, banked with drifted snow. Poor visibility at 1000m but it was sunny below this altitude and a very pleasant descent. The path is icy in places after being well trodden. There was folk still ascending the pony track in all kinds of attire, the usual 'no rucksack brigade' being the most popular way up and someone sporting a nice pair of multi coloured wellies.

FROSTY

Another frosty over-night with temperatures below freezing at sea level again. A lovely bright and sunny morning but the thin cloud cover rolling in from the SW, heralding a weather front from the Atlantic. Should be more snow getting dumped on the highest summits tomorrow, Wednesday another good looking day to play out in the snow. The path over Cow Hill as been damaged by last week's torrential downpours, seems excessive that there are 'path closed' signs up.

MAMORES

Another very nice day in The Highlands. Below freezing temperatures at sea level overnight so a frosty start. Yvonne & I were up on Stob Ban's North ridge and then over to Mullach Coirean. There was a light covering of snow above 800m but above 1000m on the higher hills there looks quite a deep covering. The temperatures rose during the day and it was quite mild by the time we returned to the glen. Another clear night tonight so freezing temps again and another clear morning tomorrow.

EARLY IGLOO ON MEAGAIDH

Another taste of winter today, Yvonne and I were up on Creag Meagaidh. It was definitely colder on the tops today and some compass work needed on the summit plateau getting across to the top of Stob Coire Puist Ardair in the cloud and lying snow. We were surprised to find a igloo ready made right at the summit. So we made use of the facilities and had a bite to eat out of the cold wind. The snow above 1000m was consolidating as the overnight temperatures had dropped to well below freezing. Saw flock of dozen ptarmigan as we headed down off the mountain. Looks like an excellent day tomorrow, enjoy the snow & sun!

WINTER ON BEN NEVIS

A superb day of sunshine and very wintry looking mountains here on the west coast. Overnight precipitation had put down more snow above 900m and there was even some ice in places. Ben Nevis is looking brilliant at the moment and some winter climbing to be had no doubt. I was on Carn Mor Dearg today where there is an excellent covering of snow. The North Face and top car park were deserted bar one car at the NF, this is an excellent time to be on the hills, while everyone else is Christmas shopping. I sat for an hour at the summit, basking in the sun & snow. On the way down the cloud came in from the east and shrouded the summit, well timed. Could be more snow tomorrow as a another band of rain passes through with snow on the highest tops.

WINTER?

A much cooler airflow last night and overnight precipitation put down a few cm of snow on the hills above 900m. It was a very pleasant day to be out on the hills, dry and bright with hardly a breeze on the tops. Although it wasn't clear skies there were superb broken spectres and a massive 'morning glory' on Sgurr a' Mhaim in the Mamores, quite spectacular though difficult to get a decent photo of it. Could this be the start of winter?