Thursday 28 April 2016

BIG DRIFTS, RIME ICE, SPINDRIFT, COLD, SUN. WINTER CONTINUES.....

 The Fiacaill Ridge
Rime ice back again
The most snow I have seen on the Fiacaill all winter
Fiacaill from the top of Alladins
Where's the path? Trail breaking again
Cairn Gorm from the ridge
Snow, snow, snow
Pinnacles
Not everyone is happy in the snow
Coire an t-Sneachda
Strathspey from the ridge
This winter just keeps on going! The winds had swung round to a southerly direction for the first time in a long while. That didn't lift the temperatures though. A glorious clear skies morning after a few days of constant snow showers in The Cairngorms and much of The Highlands. I made an early start before the next band of weather approached from the Atlantic. Unfortunately this meant that no one had trail breaked into the Northen Corries. The path is completely covered in fresh, wind drifted snow. But what views! Once on the Fiacaill Ridge it was much easier going. Probably the most snow I have seen on the Fiacaill a' Coire Sneachda all winter. Is it really the 28th April? All the awkward sections of the Fiacaill have an amazing amout of snow and rime ice. The moderate winds were whipping up plenty of spindrit for the full on effect of a winters day, temperatues below freezing high up.  Full snow cover on the Cairngorm plateau. Massive cornices and the cories well loaded with deep drifts. I didn't see a soul until well down in Coire Cas. What an amazig period of Spring weather! It will take a lot of warmth to shift most of this lot and no sign yet of any mjor mild weather coming in. Winter in May?

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