Sunday, March 31, 2013

A more cloudy day in Glen Coe

Buachaille Etive Mor: Stob na Doire (L) and Stob Coire Altruim (R).

Buachaille Etive Mor: Coire na Tulaich.

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Another sunny day in Glen Coe

Stob Coire Sgreamhach, Bidean nam Bian, Stob Coire nan Lochan 
from Buachaille Etive Beag.

Buachaille Etive Mor: NW slopes.

Friday, March 29, 2013

Easter Sunshine.

 A snow angel (or demon?) guards the summit slopes of Meall a Bhuiridh 

 Looking snowy on Clach Leathad.

 Some good raised foot prints.

Snowy Meall a Bhuridh.  There was some good skiing down the face on the left, but care needs to be taken as it a pretty serious place. There was a huge avalanche down the left hand side of this face back in the winter of 2010. 

A tasty Easter snack in the snow. 

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Buachaille Etive Mor

Had a pleasant wander up Buachaille Etive Mor today. I found the snowpack to be quite variable, a complex mix of neve, facets, hard slab and soft slab. Although in quite a lot of areas stability is reasonable, there are definitely some patches that feel distinctly "spooky". I changed my route slightly a number of times to avoid a few of these patches. Glen Coe in particular with it's steep, rocky complex terrain means that even a very small slide can have serious consequences.

Good conditions and a good weather forecast mean that I suspect that there will be plenty of people out enjoying the hills this Easter.  Have fun, but take care.
 Looking over to Buahaille Etive Beag and Bidean nam Bian.

 Meall a Bhuiridh

Along the ridge to Buachaille Etive Mor to Stob an Doire.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Stob Coire nan Lochan

During the late morning and early afternoon it clouded over completely, 
with light snow showers.  Otherwise it was a fairly bright day.

Head of Coire Gabhail.

Coire nan Lochan

View north to Ben Nevis and neighbouring hills.

A welcome near the bottom of the Coire nan Lochan path.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Remaining Cold

West face of Aonach Dubh.  Number 6 Gully looks like it could be in good nick, and Eliots downfall is close to touching down. 
Looking back down the Glen. 

The higher buttresses and summits are well hoared up.
In some places there is quite a depth of windslab from the latest storms. 2 metres, 40 cm in this location.

Monday, March 25, 2013

Slime Wall, North Buttress, Buachaille Etive Mor

Buachaille Etive Mor  North Butress, Slime Wall

Buachaille Etive Mor looking West

Buachaille Etive Mor looking South

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Stormy conditions in Glencoe

Buachaille Etive Mor

Looking West down the glen

Unstable windslab accumulation in sheltered locations

West face of Aonach Dubh

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

A brighter day, but still cold with strong Easterly winds.






Monday, March 18, 2013

drifting snow

large fracture cracks in windslab

Blasted by the Easterly winds




looking into Stob Coire nan Lochan

Stob Coire nam Beith

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Poor visibility today - quite a lot of new snow with more on its way.





Saturday, March 16, 2013