Coire Ardair and Ice Cream Castles in the Air
Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2015 9:08 pm
Wanted to do this walk around the corrie edge to get a look at the cliff tops. Started walking at 7.10am in soggy mist but soon emerged into hazy sunshine and then into crystal clear air. Path excellent until I had to cross snow patches which were surprisingly deep in places, as evidence by how far I fell into them. Still, no back pain as a result made me happy. A look ahead to the window filled me with dismay as it looked awfullly snow filled and perhaps avalanche prone. So I thought a walk up to the loch and back may be in store but on such a nice day that didn't bother me too much. Once at the loch I decided to go ahead bit by bit to see where I could get to. I had micro spikes and walking poles and had the silly notion that I could improvise a shortened pole into an ice axe substitute should the need arise.
It was clear that the snow was very deep here as there was no evidence at all of the underlying scree and, at the slightly steeper top section, I felt I might be taking a little bit of a chance of a slip or of the snow collapsing. So up and over as fast as I could manage and I made it to the window.
I was surprised by how little distance I had to cover to get to an easy angled route to the plateau and I was impressed by how well the microspikes stayed on my boots as compared to crampons or at least one of them did! This I discovered when on one of the few icy stretches I encountered when I felt my foot slide and I thought to myself well they stay on but there's no grip there then noticed that there was nothing attached to my left boot. The buckle must been bent back in one of the snow hole tussles I'd had along the way.
Onto the plateau proper and there were magnificent views of the way ahead, to Cairngorm and to Ben Nevis.
The snow was mostly pretty soft with the occasional hard patch and some icy parts. The down side of all the big cornices for me was that I couldn't really get to the cliff tops views I wanted too well, just the occasional breaches here and there -still pretty spectacular though. Was passed by one speedy gonzalez on my way along the eastward ridge and then met a small party of skiers on their way up a bit lower down. Their ski tracks were helpful for finding a hole free route down though the soft snow made for pretty easy going as did the grass, heather and bog at the bottom. A large pile of avalanche debris at the foot of the ridge was the last spectacle of the day.
Straight home only to be chastised by my wife for being late and then out again for a five mile forced march / romantic stroll round the local lanes!
looking back at the soggy mist / inversion
looking up to the window -mostly softish, deep snow along the way with one or two holes to fall into
Cairngorms to the east
too steep to ascend here but didn't take long to find an easier slope
one of the sticky out bits I'd been looking forward to seeing -too little contrast for a decent picture but still a dramatic spot
distant Ben Nevis
skiers on their way up
