Ben Nevis day.

Another mild and spring like day on the Ben. However, a return of colder conditions is expected next week.

The North Face as seen from the approach.

Still a fair bit of snow in Coire an Ciste and Number 5 Gully.

A team of three head up the lower section of Observatory Gully to get onto Tower Ridge. The top of observatory gully might not be the wisest place to be at the moment given the continued risk of rock and ice fall in the spring conditions.


Carn Dearg. The lowest patch of snow, at about 600 metres, is the lowest remaining snow on Ben Nevis, (and possibly in Scotland?) at the moment. It is formed from the debris of the many avalanches which come down the Castle Gullies every winter, and is evident most springs.

Conditions on Thursday and Friday

Relatively cold on the summits today with a cool plus 2 degrees - its been 10 degrees for the the last few days! Certainly not a return to winter though.

Heard a report of somebody snow boarding all the way down Easy Gully earlier in the week so there is still some sport out there for anyone with a sense of adventure.

Forecast for Friday suggests some light rain with moderate NW winds. Freezing level around 2700m with summit temperatures around 4 degrees c

Ben Nevis.

Looking onto the Orion Face, Observatory gully area. It felt more like June than March up there today.

Zooming in on the top of Observatory gully. Three keen skiers can just be seen carring their skis up. Thy are just below the rock which is almost directly above the top of Tower Scoop. There was a couple of climbers on Tower Scoop, and it you look carefully you can just pick one of them out at the bottom of the route.

Coire na Ciste, quite a substantial patch of the snow at the back of this.

The CIC hut with Carn Dearg and Number 5 Gully behind.

Aonach Mor and Aonach Beag

Coire an Lochan SE of Easy Gully

Coire an Lochan North of Easy Gully.

South end of Aonach Mor, from Aonach Beag.

Sunshine : )

Despite the sun beating down the snow on the Goose was hard and icy.

Coire an Lochan.

Alpine conditions on Ben Nevis and Carn Mor Dearg.

It was an amazing sunny day in Lochaber.

The temperature dropped below freezing at higher levels last night which meant that any snow in shady locations was hard and icy. However, on Southerly aspects it was softening in the sunshine.

Clear day.

It was a nice clear day with a dusting of fresh snow.

Looking over to Carn Mor Dearg.

Coire an Lochan.

The ice is nearly gone from the lochan in Coire an Lochan.

Cavity hoar (sometimes called crevasse hoar) forming in the edge of a crack. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frost#Hoar_frost for more information on how this forms.

Looking up into No2 and No3 Gullies on Ben Nevis this morning

Fresh Snow!!!!

If you look really, really closely, you will see a VERY light dusting of fresh snow!

Not really enough to affect the avalanche hazard!

Cloudy

It was very cloudy on Aonach Mor meaning no great photo's i am afraid. I did come across this chunk of rock that has come down recently. It was the largest of eight or ten pieces spread about the snowslope (you can't see the other pieces as they are further down slope.) Rock and ice fall will continue to be a hazard in the mild conditions.

A wet morning in Coire Leis, Ben Nevis.

Allt a' Mhuilinn.

Coire Leis

Bottom of Observatory Gully and Douglas Boulder.

The rain returns

A distant picture of the Ben taken at lunch time just as the freezing level was going above the summits. It was raining!

Before the mist descended.

Across Coire Dubh to Stob an Cul Choire.

View northwards.

Nice winter day out there today

The Back Corries of Aonach Mor earlier this morning

Winter returns

Descending northwards out of the mist on Aonach Mor.

A hint of winter on the tops.

A slight amount of drifting behind a snow fence at about 1180 metres. These were the deepest fresh drifts that I saw today.

No fresh snow at the top of Easy Gully.

A trace of fresh snow on the goose.

Almost winter on the summits, looking a lot more like spring on the hills in the background.

Coire an Lochan.

Some sunshine at last.

After a long period of mild, cloudy and damp weather (the last time we saw any hint of sunshine was Sunday the 19th of Feb, almost two weeks ago) it was nice to see sunshine and get some views todays. Here are a few pictures of Aonach Mor today.

The North side of Coire an Lochan.

Cracks above Easy Gully.

Looking down to the loch of Coire an Lochan. I am not sure if you can see it in the picture, but the remaining ice in the loch is covered in mud, dirt and rocks, which must have been transported there by avalanche.

The South side of Coire an Lochan as the cloud starts to roll in.

Looking over Carn Dearg Meadhonach to Ben Nevis.

Aonach Mor on Thursday

This lovely green (upperside) and orange (underside) montane lichen (Solorina crocea) is now visible on parts of the plateau as the snow has receded considerably.

Aonach Mor: Coire Dubh

Carn Mor Dearg East slopes

The thaw slows down.

It was a bit colder on the tops today than the past few days. It was also generally dry, if rather cloudy. The remaining snowpack is slowly thawing. Still plenty of snow on higher East facing aspects. Unfortunately I the cloud prevent me from seeing if any ice remaining in any of the gullies.

A pair do some winter skills on the Nid Ridge.

Looking down Easy Gully into the gloom.

Aonach Mor North-East side

Coire an Lochan below the cloud

Coire Dubh

Its still winter up there

You could be forgive by thinking that winter is over. Certainly driving around Fort William when the cloud is at 700m you cant see any snow but....

.... round the East side of Aonach Mor today at 800m there was plenty! Only 20 mins walk from the top gondola station and its still winter!

On my return I did manage to ski all the way back to the gondola station but the last 1km was on steep wet grass, which actually is quite fun. Could be a new sport?