Another good photograph, courtesy of Point 5 Mountaineering, of Coire an Lochain of Aonach Mor, yesterday. [www.point5mountaineering.co.uk]

Some nice convex bulges below Grooved Arete and Icicle Gully, and the cornices are starting to look very impressive indeed. Promising!

February turned out to be a real stinker, with only a few days worth of appreciable snow falling. The relentless mild weather, as if you need me to tell you, has battered the snow below 3500 feet. Consequently there's little to feel chipper about as it stands.

However, unlike some others who have already written off this winter I'm optimistic that March and April will restore a semblance of normality. If February was unusual, it would be exceptional to have two consecutive months like it, and I anticipate a good dollop of snow to arrive this month. If a week is a long time in politics, it's an eternity in a Scottish winter!

Yes its been a disappointing month but good to hear some positive talk. I sure March WILL bring snow, we need to have faith! Indeed if this latest GFS run came to pass the high level snowbeds would start being replenished nicely.

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latest GFS looks very healthy for snow in the west in particular, also with freeze thaw cycles

Yes Ciste Mhearad was beginning to look'patch'like last Sunday but I'm sure it will be covered again

Helen

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An interesting couple of pics from Dan Bailey

[www.ukclimbing.com]

Mike in Edinburgh
Assorted scottish pics - www.prog99.com

Lets hope yesterday's blizzards gave a good top up.Looks like they were falling mainly in the west again. Much needed.

For any one interested, and in particular Firefly who may wish to comment on how this is looking in comparison with normal years, here is a picture of Garbh Coire Mor from the 4th March from Scotmuirs website www.scotmuir.com

Looks pretty loaded to me!



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Fabulous pictures from the UKC forum. Very unusual, and indicative of the big snowstorms earlier in the season, coupled with the mild temperatures of late. These sort of features normally occur later in the season, and are well known in the Cairngorms in late spring.

Scomuir's photograph shows a very snow GCM, but compare it to May 13, 2008! [www.flickr.com]

I wonder if it'll look anything like that in a couple of months' time. Remember, there's still a lot of winter left to arrive above 3000 feet before the end of April! As an eternal optimist, I always adopt a half glass full approach!

The snow distribution is quite different in the 2 pictures. There's a greater build up on the cliffs in Garbh Coire Mor right now than that picture of May 2008, but less snow on the floor of the corrie (which we could see from higher up). If you look at the area between Sphinx Gully and Pinnacle Gully (the area almost forming a V just right of the middle of my picture), you'll see what I mean. I know they are almost 2 months apart in terms of the time of year, but thought i'd mention it.

I fully intend to lug the skis in there again in April, and with a bit of luck, May as well







Edited 1 times. Last edit at 15.57hrs Thu 8 Mar 12 by Scomuir.

looks like a nice corrie to ski...I've still to do these hills even on foot (the walk in puts me off) . Good to know there should be somewhere for a spring ski - i'm getting desperate!.
How long do you reckon the walk in is?

Just found your site - nice work!
[www.steepscotland.info]



Edited 2 times. Last edit at 16.39hrs Thu 8 Mar 12 by Andy.

Cheers Andy. The site is a work in progress, but hopefully it will prove useful.

From Linn of Dee, cycling as far as Luibeg, I reckon 3.45-4 hours to the top of the cliff. This assumes good underfoot conditions, and that you head up Coire Odhar above Corrour Bothy, and skirt the back of Cairn Toul and Sgor an Lochain Uaine.

If we get a bit more snow, I thoroughly recommend the descents off the top of Cairn Toul, either to the South or East - both are superb, and don't have cornice issues like Garbh Coire Mor. The walk in is a bit shorter as well!

We were out and about this weekend. This main highlight of course is just how little snow there is.
White Mounth - very little snow. Loads of Ptarmigan.
Beinn Bhrotain & Monad Mhor - Easterly aspects still snowy but nothing major. Good bumslide to the east of the summit.

Mike in Edinburgh
Assorted scottish pics - www.prog99.com

Proof, if it were needed, of the current lean state of affairs. Stob Coire nan Lochan, Glen Coe on the 9th March. [1.bp.blogspot.com]

Not looking at all healthy.

Did a bit of filming yesterday for the BBC's Grand Tours of Scotland, talking about difference in snow cover between 19th century and today. The amount of snow present on Ben More (Crianlarich) was reminiscent of late May. The little trip around the Trossachs, Glen Dochart and Glen Falloch was depressing for its lack of winter views! The handsome northern corrie of Cruachan Ardrain was devoid of anything like deep snow, and An Caisteal had little.

Helen's picture of the Cuidhe Crom on Cairn Gorm is also rather depressing!