Mountains in challenging conditions: snow,ice,gale,whiteout

[Petr Dakota]

Winter is slowly coming...but faster in the Mountains !
Below is what to expect and what to be ready and prepared for...

Photo from ascending CMD from the CIC Hut under Ben Nevis in December...CMD arete in the background

Movie - selection of bad weather & challenging conditions in the mountains:

Mountains included in the Video - Movie:


Ben Nevis 3x ( January, 2x December ) - gale, snow storm, whiteout, ice and snow

Drumochter 4 Munros in December - deep snow, gale, whiteout

Arrochar Alps The Cobbler + Beinn Ime + Beinn Narnain via snowy/icy Chockstone Gully in February

The Saddle via Forcan Ridge in January - gale, ice, little of snow

Bynack More in February - strong gale, ice, snow, whiteout sometimes...

Glencoe in December - strong wind, frost...

Carn Eighe - Affric in April - strong wind, some snow.......


Excuse the noise of the wind, but it's only shortly on the beginning...
In this video you can see some of my "bad weather" and challenging conditions in the Mountains. Not all of them, but the ones I recorded on my trips...You will see Ben Nevis - the highest mountain of Scotland ( and the whole Britain ) in January and 2x in December, also the wild and cold Drumochter Mountains in December, Arrochar Alps 2 Munros & 1 Corbett via Chockstone Gully in February, Glencoe Mountains in December, The Saddle via Forcan Ridge in Kintail - January, Cairngorms in February and Glen Affric Mountains on the beginning of April, but still in snow...
I love challenges and overcoming obstacles, reaching my goals through this way it makes it more appreciating then for me, memorable and enjoyable. Every climb gives you new experience and it's good to learn the lessons, but you need to be prepared for all ! Ready for any conditions and weather changes, never underestimate the Mountain and never overestimate your abilities and skills, be open to learn from your mistakes and be always with the respect to the Mountains.
Please don't go to the mountains in the bad conditions if you are not experienced with Winter climbing, skilled in poor visibility navigation, without physical fitness and without proper clothes and gear...Ice axe and crampons for winter climbs ( October - April/May in Scotland ). Map, compass, GPS device ( no just mobile phone ), batteries fully charged before and carrying an extra outdoor charger ( power bank ), hand and head torch, surviving bag, enough food and drinks.......
Hope you will find this video helpful and useful to see how it looks when the weather changes quickly or if you judge the conditions by the bottom views which is mostly very different from the top !

Enjoy the Mountains and stay safe always.


Here is a better quality Movie below how it looks and what to expect to climb a mountain ( Ben Nevis in this case ) when the Top is totally different from the bottom...Sunny and peaceful bottom, but snow, wind and cold temperature on the summit. It clearly shows the BIG difference and how tricky it can be to judge the mountain by the bottom conditions and how it can really surprise someone who is not ready and prepared for the conditions on the top !

Hope it can help when planning a mountain climb and avoid any troubles...

Photos of the Difference in the same Day:


Bottom:

Middle:

Top:

Enjoy the Outdoors...and stay safe ! ! !