No further avalanche forecasts are expected to be issued for Southern Cairngorms, Glencoe, Creag Meagaidh, Lochaber and Northern Cairngorms. The Sports Scotland Avalanche Information Service (SAIS) has been issuing weekend forecasts for these mountain areas since the daily service stopped.
SAIS says, “We will continue to monitor weather and,snowpack conditions and recommend the following:
“Avalanche hazard considerations should always be part of any winter hill goers daily plans and we would recommend that climbers, walkers and off-piste skiers currently venturing into the hills, continue to note snow and weather conditions in respect of any potential avalanche hazard. Be prepared to modify your plans accordingly.
“The SAIS forecaster team would like to thank you for all the support we have received this past winter.”
Daily reports will begin again in December 2013 for the 2013/14 winter period.
Plenty of snow remains on the hills and this week Heather Morning, Mountain Safety Officer with the MCofS issued a light-hearted warning about the dangers of snow patches.
These snow patches will often be hard and located high up on the shady, north side of the mountain. Many traditional mountain routes cross through such terrain and are the usual choice for Munro baggers. Hill walkers are advised to treat these old snow patches with caution, particularly if the ‘run out’ below is over steep ground. Route choice is really important and hill walkers should consider a ‘snow free’ alternative or simply turn around.
Heather Morning says, “Ladies should be particularly careful regarding their choice of location to take a pee. A friend of mine; in a bid to search out somewhere discrete; out of the sight of the rest of the party, stepped onto an old patch of snow and headed off down the hill with her pants round her ankles! Fortunately, she only slid a few metres onto grass and the only thing that was hurt was her pride!”
Carey Davies, the British Mountaineering Council’s (BMC) hill walking officer, said: “When spring arrives a lot of people feel the pull of the mountains and want to get outdoors again. But sometimes people get caught out at this time of year. While it may feel like spring has sprung at low levels, up on the mountain tops it can be a very different story.
“Mountains in Scotland often hold areas or patches of snow well into summer. The higher mountains, like Ben Nevis, are never snow free. And because they’re further north and often higher they can have a lot more snow on them than the uplands of England and Wales.
“If you’re going into the hills remember you may encounter the white stuff – anything from the odd patch to large areas. So be prepared!”