Another stormy day

On the summit of Aonach Mor as the conditions deteriorated rapidly at lunchtime

Still windy up the Ben

After a night of 100mph winds, it was relatively calm up the Ben today, only getting blown over a few times. Some good looking ice continuing to form

Some climbing action on the top section of the Curtain. Not entirely sure they climbed the bottom pitch!

General view of Corie na Ciste

After the brief thaw

Managed to get a view of the crags on Aonach Mor this morning before the weather took a turn for the worst. There was a brief thaw at all levels last night which has helped to consolidate the recent new snow

A wild and snowy day

It was another wild day with lots of fresh snow on Ben Nevis. The freezing level remained around 800 meters for most of the day.  

 The weather was a not quite so wild during the morning. Carn Dearg buttress looming out of the cloud. A party can just be seen heading up the hill. 

 At the pit site. We found various shearing layers, this one at 22cm. Weather conditions started to deteriorate rapidly around this time.  

Wild and snowy conditions at the CIC hut when we passed it on the way back down the hill. 

Heavy snow showers

Last night summit temperature rose to plus three degrees Celsius, and it rained heavily. According to some folk that had been staying at the CIC there had been no snow on the crags first thing this morning.   This brief mild spell and subsequent return to colder conditions will have helped stabalise the existing snowpack.  However, heavy snow showers through the day soon started building up fresh layers of unstable windslab. 

 Carn Dearg buttress this morning. The CIC hut cascades look in quite good nick despite last nights thaw. 

 Todays snow is shearing quite easily. 

 The CIC hut during a period of heavy snow in the early afternoon. 

A pair stumble out of the storm back to the CIC hut. 

Stormy times.

 The crags of Coire an Lochan looking pretty white today. Note the fresh cornices building up on the left. More stormy weather is expected over the next few days. 

 A brief view over to Carn Mor Dearg. 

 Nice patterns as the soft snow which was sitting on the plateau gets eroded by the strengthening winds. 

Nice light this morning. All the protruding objects are nicely frosted after the previous few days. .

Clearing during the day

Very poor visibility over the summits this morning but as I came down the hill the cloud typically departed!

The view out towards the west

Another cold and windy day.

 Nice wind scoops and shapes on a North-Eastlery aspects. 

I found patches of windslab of variable stability. Some patches felt well bonded to the underlying snow ice. Other areas were not so well attached, as is seen by the cracking below my feet.  

 In the cold conditions plenty of ice has formed in water courses and in some places on open hillside. Areas like this prove difficult to cross without crampons. 

There was plenty of spindrift blowing about in the strong winds, but not much of it seemed to be settling on the ground. 

The cold continues.

It was another cold day with temperature of around -8C and a bitter wind on the tops. It was also cloudy up there so no great pictures I am afraid.

Some very dense windslab has been packed into areas which were sheltered from the strong Southerly winds which we had on Thursday and Friday. In the current cold temperatures facets (weak sugary crystals) are starting to form underneath these layers of windslab. This is a potentially unstable combination, which given the current forecast, is not likely to go away rapidly. 

The base of todays snowpit where I found about 65cm of dense windslab sitting on top of a much lower density layer of facets (which I have brushed away slightly) sitting close to ground level. 

Wind speed dropping.

 After a couple of windy days it was much calmer today. The hills are looking pretty black as the strong winds have blown off most of the soft snow that was present a few days ago.

Some of the soft snow has been packed into deep drifts of hard windslab. Some of the drifts are quite poorly bonded, especially where it lies on the old hard snow ice. The CIC hut icefall is forming nicely, and can be seen in the background.

Looking up into Coire na Ciste. It tends to consist of areas of very little snow, old very hard and icy neve, and drifts of hard windslab.

Bright and clear on Aonach Mor.

Looking East from Aonach Mor.

Coire Dubh.

Looking North from Aonach Mor.

Looking West from Aonach Mor.

Coire an Lochan: southern side.

Ben Nevis Today

Some pics from up the Ben earlier today

Looking up Carn Dearg Buttress. Some ice starting to form on The Curtain

Looking over towards Carn Dearg and Trident Buttress area

Orion face and Observatory Ridge

Sunshine!

Looking towards the Ben

Coire an Lochan, Aonach Mor

Winter is still here

Conditions on the Eastern Corries of Aonach Mor

Very variable amounts of fresh snow in the back corries. 

Fresh snow

 Some interesting shaped drifts behind snow fences. 

 Plenty of fresh snow behind the snow fences at 1150m.

 Not just climbers and skiers who were enjoying the return of winter. 

Snowing though most of day at the top of the gondola.

Cloudy on Top.

It was cloudy on the top of Aonach Mor this morning so no nice pictures of the crags or the view over to Ben Nevis.  It did clear up later, but I was down in the office by that time.  The existing snowpack is very hard and icy. There has been a dusting of fresh snow above about 800 metres and things were riming up in the thick cloud. 

All change tonight and tomorrow with a fair bit of fresh snow being forecast. Although this should improve the climbing conditions care should be taken as I suspect the fresh snow won't stick to the existing snowpack very well. 

 Busy at the top of Easy Gully.   

At 1000 metres it was clear with good views to the North. The summit was still in could at this point.

A dusting of soft snow on the grass on the Right. The old snow, on the left of the picture, is very hard and icy. 

A dusting of fresh snow.

Coire Dubh on Aonach Mor: looking south.

Looking east from Aonach Mor north ridge.

Views of the Ben

 Looking over Tower Ridge towards the Orion Face and Observatory Ridge

Carn Dear Buttress and the West side of Tower Ridge

Fresh Snow!!

If you look closely enough you will see a very very light dusting of fresh snow on Aonach Mor, taken this morning. Not enough to get excited about though!

The queue for the patch of snow this morning! Actually its not that bad. There is still plenty of snow round the East side of Aonach Mor for doing winter skills. This picture is at around 800m, 20 mins walk from the top Gondola station