Mountaineers all over Scotland delighted last weekend in perfect winter conditions, with clear blue skies and sun glinting off crisp white snowy hills. It was the sort of glorious weekend when no-one could question why people take to Scotland’s winter mountains.
But experienced mountaineers know that the weather isn’t always like that, and with forecasts this weekend expected to be more mixed than last weekend’s ideal conditions, climbers are being reminded of the dangers of cornices.
Found above cliffs and steep slopes, these projecting ledges of snow can be surprisingly hard to see in poor visibility. In fact last winter season 18 people walked over cornices.
Heather Morning, Mountain Safety Advisor with The Mountaineering Council of Scotland, said: “The Scottish Mountains are an awesome, inspiring and challenging environment which I would encourage all enthusiastic hill walkers and mountaineers to enjoy.
“But people do need to be cautious near corrie edges and avoid cornices.”
In poor visibility, or in a white-out, these can be hard or even impossible to see, so navigation skills are essential for anyone venturing into the mountains so that they can avoid this hazard. Necessary skills include being able to take accurate bearings and walk on them, and knowing how to measure distance on a map and assess that on the ground using pacing and reading the ground.
Heather said: “There are also simple tips that can be real lifesavers: attaching your compass to your jacket so you don’t lose it, and having your map in a small waterproof case so you can see the detail while protecting the map from the elements. Keeping your compass away from metal objects and your mobile phone is also essential as these can affect the bearing if in close proximity.
“I strongly recommend people invest in navigation skills training before venturing out in winter,” said Heather, adding that winter hillwalkers should check winter safety information, the mountain weather forecast and avalanche forecasts.