One of the undoubted advantages of mountaineers blogging is that they almost always post very useful pictures of their days out! Max Hunter is one such chappie, and his picture of upper Observatory Gully from yesterday is very useful indeed. Compare it to Gary Hodgson's from the 5th March 2010 and note very little difference. A bit more ice in 2010, but you would expect more ice in March than in January. The level of cover looks virtually identical. The real difference, I suspect, is the density of the snow. I'll wager 2011's is going to be a tougher cookie to shift!



Edited 1 times. Last edit at 12.35hrs Tue 17 Jan 12 by firefly.

Some pics from Garbh Uisge Beag and Snowy Coire Yesterday.

Despite the lack of recent snowfall there is still plenty of snow moving around and huge drifts being deposited.





Edited 1 times. Last edit at 23.31hrs Tue 17 Jan 12 by RJ.

Attachments: GUB 160112.jpg (179kB)   snowy coire 160112.jpg (240kB)   snowy coire drifts 160112.jpg (216kB)  

More great pictures, RJ. A very impressive bulge at Garbh Uisge Beag!

The snow in Observatory gully is similar to what was there last spring as well. My flatmate Guy was out climbing on the 12th, see [guysteven.blogspot.com]
Although that was a few days ago now, there has been essentially no change in snow cover since the 7th of Jan at this level. I know this as crown walls of avalanches that released on that day remain clearly visible in some locations.
Compare the top picture, to the one that I took on myself and Firefly's trip up there last year in early April [www.flickr.com]

You can see that, similar to other locations in the West, that the was roughly the same (perhaps slighlty more snow) snow about in early April last year as there is now. Comparing the two pictures, there is a small flat ledge on the buttress on the left, that the snow was up to the right hand end of last year, but is not quite there at the moment. Also the rock patches on both the other sides of the gully, are sticking out a bit more at the moment. However, these differences are pretty minimal (less than I metre I would say). As Firefly mentioned the snow at the moment is hard and icy. It is presumable is is the mass of snow in any location, rather just the depth, which, all other things being equal, controls how quicky it melts. It is relatively easy to keep an eye on the depth, while the density (other than the very surface layers) is much harder to know. How much the average density of the snowpack varies from year to year during the melt season?, how much of a difference does it actually make?

As regards the crevasse in Coire an Lochan, big crack is not uncommon in that location. It forms at the top of an area of slabs, which can be seen at , and is caused by water lubrication the base of the snowpack below the crack, causing it to creep downards. I am sure it will fill in again in the next snow cycle.



Edited 1 times. Last edit at 16.45hrs Wed 18 Jan 12 by balir.

...like this one!

Heavy snow showers been piling in today on westerly winds. This winter has been very unusual thus far (certainly by the standards of the last few) in that virtually all the snow that has fallen has come from this direction. Also, MWIS is now stating that this will be the pattern over the next week. Not the greatest news for skiers at the Lecht or Glenshee, but positively wonderful news for snow-patch chasers...

"Generally westerly winds over the next week will frequently exceed gale force on higher areas, particularly in the Scottish Highlands. Bands of precipitation will come in off the Atlantic, bringing a mixture of rain and snow - often coming in as showers. There will be freeze-thaw cycles, but on the Scottish Highlands, milder interludes will be rare, with particularly on western mountains considerable snow accumulating.

But, Firefly, skiers interested in visiting Glenshee may be heartened by the news this evening that the Braemar-Spittal of Glenshee is closed due to fresh drifting snow and the snow gates are up.

And this morning the roads at Glenshee, Lecht, Ballater-Corgarff, and Carr Bridge (Duthil) to Glen Ferness were all closed by snow drifts, again westerly winds as again today in Deeside.

Its easy for the snow gates to give false hope. Problem is these roads are easily closed for a number of reasons, the gradient being one of them. And they will often close them before going to bed just in case theres a massive snow storm during the night (just to be safe). Although there was snow, there wasnt allot.

Firefly, looks like more good base building weather for the east facing gullies this week, heavy snow overnight and tomorrow before turning to heavy rain in evening and then a freez shortly after, sounds perfect.

Also todays SAIS readings from Lochaber make interesting reading. Test site at 1080m on Winger Wall, Aonach Mor.

Total Snow Depth: 400cm

Im no expert but i would say that is remarkably healthy for the height and time of the year?!

Aonach an Nid benefits greatly from NW winds, with some very good fetch terrain. There have been some beefy showers piling in on this direction now for a couple of days. It all helps. [www.streetmap.co.uk]

Interesting to note that the Snowgoose Ski run area is called Leac an t-Sneachda - slab/slope of the snow. Clearly snow observations have been common for hundreds of years.

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For campervan hire in Scotland visit [www.albacampervans.com] - Bhanaichean Campachaidh ann an Alba

A good avalanche photograph from the SAIS website (link here), showing just how much more snow the Dee side of the Cairngorms has received than the Spey side. Also a good example of the prevelance of snow from the west.

Location somewhere around here: [www.streetmap.co.uk]

A cracking day for a wee wander from Auchlean across the Moine Mhor to Cairn Toul, Sgor an Lochaine Uaine & some good views into Garbh Choire Mor.

Nice firm snow made travel pretty straight forward & quick.

Comparing pics from 2011 I would say there is now more snow in GCM than there was at any point last year.

Probably another 2m of accumulation has built up from 2 weeks ago.





Attachments: GCM 020212.jpg (204kB)   GCM 050311.jpg (110kB)  

Excellent photos, RJ. Sounds like a good day, and I'd imagine the Moine Mhor was a joy to walk/ski across. Probably much quicker than summer? Impressive depth there at GCM, and if we get more SW storms then it could be a very good snow patch year.

Some good photographs from Aonach Beag & Aonach Mor (taken yesterday): [www.walkhighlands.co.uk]



Edited 1 times. Last edit at 17.24hrs Fri 3 Feb 12 by firefly.

A nice photograph below (courtesy of the Mountain Motion website) of upper Observatory Gully, just at the foot of Smith's route. The gully looks well filled in general, testified by the depth shown against the rocky outcrop, left foreground (top of Tower Scoop). My estimate of the depth of snow in the narrow part of the gully (where the footsteps zig-zag) is somewhere in the region of 20 metres.