Current snow conditions

[veletron]

A whole load of thawing occurred yesterday. Been snowing over Ben More this morning with road level temp @ 4.5deg

Nigel

[mortal]

Hi, does anyone know current condition in Kintail?
Peter

[Caberfeidh]

Hi, does anyone know current condition in Kintail? Peter

Aye, much the same as Skye ~ lashin' wi' rain and blowin' a hoolie! Welcome to Scotland.

Broadford Pier, Isle of Skye Dec 24th 2013

[Boris_the_Bold]

On Monday 30th December I was defeated in my 3rd attempt to get up Tom Bhuidhe and its neighbouring tops from Glen Doll by soft snow which started at about 550m and was waist deep (or more) in the White Water valley floor beyond the howff at NO234778 - Jock's Road was completely hidden from the howff onwards by snow which generally failed to support my weight (too many Christmas pies perhaps?), so that I would sink knee or waist deep on every 3rd or 4th step

We got to the ridge SE of Crow Craigies before giving up - it was snowing hard as I headed back down to Glen Clova, so I suspect any high valley floors in that area will be hard-going for a day or two

Can anyone recommend a good brand of snow-shoes??

[malky_c]

Fannichs yesterday - snow line at about 600m. There hadn't been any fresh snow for a couple of days and there was a slow thaw on. Still some quite well consolidated stuff high up, but quite soft and tedious at about 7 - 800m.

[mountainboy12]

Cairngorms on sunday snow started around the Derry Lodge quite deep (crampons will have to be used)

[OpenC]

I was up in Coire Leis on Monday; snow became unavoidable around 550m but was wet and slushy and slippy, and just generally unpleasant in every respect. Looked better higher up, but I didn't go that high so can't confirm.

[jmarkb]

Good day out in the Fannichs today. Patches from 500m, full cover above 700m. Mostly firm and icy, some breakable crust lower down and softer windpacked snow on N and E aspects above 900m. Some big cornices on E facing scarps. Crampons recommended!

Only patchy cover on Assynt hills, but likely to be very icy.

[mountainboy12]

Snow in The Cairngorms on Sunday
this photo was on the ridge between Beinn Bhreac and Beinn a'Chaorainn

SAM_0145 by Mountainboy12, on Flickr

[malky_c]

Good day out in the Fannichs today. Patches from 500m, full cover above 700m. Mostly firm and icy, some breakable crust lower down and softer windpacked snow on N and E aspects above 900m. Some big cornices on E facing scarps. Crampons recommended!

Only patchy cover on Assynt hills, but likely to be very icy.

Whereabouts were you? Sounds like some of yesterday's stuff may have re-frozen a bit. There were only a couple of really hard sections but I'd crossed them before I could be bothered to get the crampons out.

[jmarkb]

Whereabouts were you? Sounds like some of yesterday's stuff may have re-frozen a bit. There were only a couple of really hard sections but I'd crossed them before I could be bothered to get the crampons out.

Meall a' Chrasgaidh and Sgurr nan Clach Geala. There's been a lot of breakable crust around in the last few days but today it had frozen enough to be mainly weightbearing. Still managed to go down a few holes though!

[Meatball]

Aonach Mor on 29/12/13.
Snow line 550m, over 2m at 1100m where I was digging.
A lot of unstable windslab too.
Take care

[jmarkb]

Strathconon Corbetts today: slight thaw since yesterday. Mush at snowline, breakable shin-battering crust between about 600 and 750m then firmer above this with a thin cover of fresh.

[Meatball]

Location - Moruisg

Snowline 650/700m
The snow is consolidated (ice) with very little loose snow around.
Ground frozen and icy above that height too.

[Tomsie]

Location - Moruisg

Snowline 650/700m
The snow is consolidated (ice) with very little loose snow around.
Ground frozen and icy above that height too.

Same for East Fannaichs, Saturday 18th, was starting to snow as leaving Beinn Liath Mhor. Sgur Mor had a lot of soft snow around summit area.