Cuillin Conditions 2nd April, Not 1st!

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
 Mike Lates 02 Apr 2015
Having been thin all winter and stripped back to bare a couple of weeks ago I assumed this season would be the first in a while with no Winter Traverses (I know of). I was shocked to find the crest of Ghreadaidh in stunning nick today, in fact by far the best I've seen the crest all winter! I've apologised (& given heads up) to the couple of folk I told yesterday that it was only mm's thick & would "evaporate at the first sign of sunshine".
Comes with a lot of provisos but with a few clear skies predicted at night (& full moon) and a general haze stopping daytime damage I reckon an enjoyable Traverse could be on. No pics as yet but will post asap.
Any section of the Ridge is probably going to be good; Ghreadaidh was mindblowingly good fun Took us 3 hours for the 1.5km 'ride' from An Dorus to Banachdaich.
 BnB 05 Apr 2015
In reply to Mike Lates:

15 degrees C at 5pm in the Sligachan car park today. Either they've got a giant heater or Spring is here! Did a tour of the Fionn Coire peaks today and what remains of the snow is very slushy. Still decent accumulations there and in Coire a Bhasteir, but the ridge was well stripped. Looks like I got here a couple of days late.
 dizzyg 05 Apr 2015
In reply to BnB:

Is there a lot of troublesome slush on the crest for a traverse? Hoping to get on it this week...
 BnB 06 Apr 2015
In reply to dizzyg:

It's not easy to assess conditions on the whole ridge from a tour of three summits but I'd suggest it wouldn't be too bad. Maybe.
OP Mike Lates 06 Apr 2015
In reply to BnB:
I'd agree with this; Could carry on being less snow & very soft but some of the snow patches could worry anyone without crampons, partcularly on open flanks & bypasses like collie's ledge, side of Thearlaich etc.

Looks like no proper winter Traverses for the whole of this season then?
Post edited at 13:46
 TeeBee 06 Apr 2015
I went up to Bealach na Glaic Moire on Saturday, and was surprised by how much snow there was - but it was quite/very slushy. Visibility was hit and miss, but I could hear snow sliding off above me through the mist, so I chickened out of continuing along the ridge.
 BnB 06 Apr 2015
In reply to Mike Lates:

Side of Thearlach traverse on wet slidey snow. Interesting.

In reply to Mike Lates:

Did Pinnacle ridge on Sgurr nan Gillean last Thursday (9th) and it had quite a few snow patches on it still, which were very useful neve which supported feet well after kicking in a bit...

The crest to the NE of Bruach na Frithe was a continuous neve crest and I'd bet there were others along the ridge. Cracking alpine conditions. Gullies running up to the col between Knights peak and Gillean were pretty much complete.

NMM
 RKernan 13 Apr 2015
In reply to Mike Lates:
Did the full ridge last Wednesday (8th) in approach shoes. Hard snow in many of the bealachs and on the ridge between Bruach na Frithe and the tooth. Dodged am Basteir on the Sligachan side, in retrospect not a great idea in the footwear and probably slower than going over the top.

A lot of the 'dodges' ie round the third top of Mhadaidh would've been a challenge, a lot of the path were under snow patches. Crest was clear.

Not a drop of snow on Ghreadaigh. Amazing how it can disappear so quickly.
Post edited at 16:38

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Loading Notifications...