touring & backcountry
Mountain Spirit
CairnGorm Mountain // Thursday 5th July 2012
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Is this wise in a thunderstorm... It did go in for 1.4 metres

Top photo 4th July 2011, Bottom photo 5th July 2012. Different angles but I have marked the same rocks with a red dot.

 
16 turns on lovely crunchy spring snow

Some folk ski to music, we had thunder.

Hiding from the rain in the remains of a snowhole while Alan heads back up retrieve his jacket

Alan enjoying the snow

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Report
:: Tour Route(s) or Location Skied/Ridden
Up the Cas side to Ciste Mhearad
:: Weather Conditions
Warm and dry with a light breeze and the occasional sunny spell walking up to the Ptarmiagan where we stopped for lunch, then thunder, lightning and heavy rain as we approached Ciste Mhearad, so we called it a day and headed back,
:: Snow Conditions and Distrubtion
Bad timing today meant our plan to investigate and measure both Ciste Mhearad and the patch below the tor didn't go as planned. You feel quite vulnerable with skis and poles on an exposed mountain in a thunderstorm !
However Ciste Mhearad is more extensive than
it was at this time last year and the snow was hard and granular and excellent to ski. As the rain came down steam like mist formed above the surface. Just a shame we only managed two runs before we beat a retreat back to the safety of the top station.
:: Skiers/Riders
Helen and Alan
Report Edited Once. Last edited by h11lly: 2012-07-05 21:02:48

This report was posted by h11lly at 21.02hrs on Thu 5th Jul 12