A busy week in the hills both getting out climbing for ourselves and very windy day on the hill with clients. Conditions in the hills have turned very stormy over this weekend unfortunately mild stormy so no new snow at the moment although there is some in the forecast next week.
Earlier in the week there was a few good days to be had. We where out in the Northern Cairngorms of which the Cairngorms being the only place with snow. Another good day at Cha No and some wetter days in the Northern Corries making the best of things.
I had a day on Ben Nevis this yesterday which was not the billed skills or summit. Ferocious winds and torrential rain hit the West Coast battering those trying to tackle Ben Nevis. We turned tail around the halfway mark as the winds where to much. It was the sort of wind and rain that would be tempting fate to much to have carried on. Unfortunately there was no snow on the hill either. This time of year its often stormy on the West Coast mountains and its a weather pattern which forms the famed Nevis ice later in the season however that’s assuming its tawing and refreezing the existing snow and ice, at the moment there is none. That does seem unusual to me that in mid December there is no snow on the ground yet.
Earlier in the week it was somewhat contrasting conditions with some climbing in good mixed conditions above the clouds and in the sunshine at Creagan Cha-No. A wonderful day in the Northern Cairngorms heading back for a second day at this venue. I also had a couple of days in the Northern Corries which where less than ideal but still snowy. Jo has was out in the Northern Corries pre thaw and ticked off Wavelength and Jacobs Left Edge with Alice.
So as it stands the conditions are not ideal for winter climbing, walking and skiing as a very stormy mild weather system passed through over the weekend. It does look like the temperatures will be lowering through the course of the week so fingers crossed that the snow returns.
The avalanche service has now resumed for all areas and has plenty of useful info not just in the daily reports but also the blogs.
We have some availability on winter skills and guided summits over the coming season and into the new year. Click here for our winter page. You can follow the conditions on our social media as we shall try and post as much as we can when we are out on the hill.