Monday 9 January 2012

CARN MOR DEARG ARETE

The NE face of Ben Nevis from Carn Mor Dearg
NE Butress & Tower Ridge
CMD arete
Good snow on the arete, mixed with a few rocks
Coire Leis & Little Brenva Face
The gales had calmed down and the  precipitation had ceased today and we even had some brief sunny spells. First traverse of the CMD arete onto The Ben for 2012 today. A lot of snow has been stripped off Carn Mor Dearg over the last few days of mild and wet weather but the arete itself was still holding snow, and it was hard snow in places. A few rocks protruding so awkward in places. Around this time last year it was a beautiful Alpine snowy ridge and we had blue skies, oh well we can't keep harking back to two exceptional winters-can we? The cloud was down on the summit of The Ben and deserted for a few minutes. Along most of the plateau it is hard snow too. Came down via The Red Burn but the snow disappears at the steepening but there is still snowfields to the side of the burn down to the 2nd zig zag. It was a mild day, freezing point probably around 900m. Looks like a couple days of mild weather but looking good from Thursday onwards with much colder temperatures and winds light by Friday.

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