Mountain Guiding in the Cairn Gorms

 Our winter season is coming to a close but actually the climbing conditions in the remaining gullies is really good, One has to take care for loose rocks  but watch the  weather forecast, make sure its freezing on the summits and start nice and early with the aim of getting finished by early afternoon before the snow softens in the spring like temperatures... there is still some good winter  experiences to be had.  Its worth checking the Scottish Avalanche Information Services avalanche reports and blog. Just a touch of fresh snow on the tops and with some wind can transport the new snow where it will gain depth and build unstable windslab onto wind sheltered coire rims and scarp slopes which even at this time of year can be a danger to climbers as they exit the tops of the climbs onto the plateau.

Coire an t- Snechda a glacier cirque or coire landform in the Cairngorm.

Gullies are narrow with firm and stable snow.

No snow no the approach walk, so there is not much trail breaking at this time of year.

I was guiding Luke, it was a cold wild on the tops with the snow firm and stable.