Kintail

[sneachda]

Hi, Has anyone been through Kintail in the past few days, and have any pictures of the corries below the South Cluanie Ridge. I'm trying to get an idea of the snowcover.

cheers.

[basscadet]

I just came back from Kintail yesterday, although I'm at work just now, so don't have photos to hand. Still quite snowy in the corries you mention.

[sneachda]

Thanks. Just out of curiosity, is there any fresh snow around. Seems like Glencoe and Nevis got some recently, but further north, there's only old stuff, that is bullet hard in the shade.

[basscadet]

There was a couple of fresh inches at the tail end of last week. We did Forcan and the a Chralaig ridge and would not of needed crampons, except on the a chralaig ridge, some of the thinner snow was going slushy, so put them on for the descent of the pinnacles, more for digging into the the turf than the snow.
Went over some big snow fields in descent both routes, but all soft enough to dig in 4 inches with the heels, and no real icy danger.. I wouldnie leave crampons in the car quite yet though - still some icy ridges out there, we were just lucky really.
The corries you mentioned, are still full, so exhausting. We contemplated a scramble, up Aonach air Chrith, but looked too snowy for there to be much rock to get a grip of, and big cornices all around.

[sneachda]

Many thanks - that's great info. The crampons will definitely be with me, as well as the skis, which is why I actually want soft snow Cheers.