Massive avalanches in Coire an t Sneachda 7/3/18

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 DesperateDan 07 Mar 2018

If people are heading to the Northern Corries - the pictures of these avalanches (between Jacobs and Alladins) are worth a look! 

http://ncairngormsblog.sais.gov.uk/2018/03/a-mixed-bag-of-weather-avalanche...

According to the SAIS Northern Cairngorms Blog: "A dramatic scene in Coire an t Sneachda with some very large natural avalanches having taken place, probably in the last 12hrs. It is many years since I have seen an avalanche of this size and with such a large amount of debris in this location, there are 2 main avalanches one size 3 and another approx size 4 (could bury a small building or railway carriage)".

 DaveHK 07 Mar 2018
In reply to DesperateDan:

Holy shit that's huge. Never seen anything like that in that area.

 Andy Nisbet 07 Mar 2018
In reply to DaveHK:

In the mid 80s, the whole left side of the corrie avalanched right from near 1141 across the top of Mess of Pottage, crown wall up to 10ft. Huge.

In reply to DesperateDan:

That's a big crownwall - just to state the obvious!

Remember my first call out in early 1984 and going in to search Lochain with Bill Batson, who had me navigating.  The Great Slab had released and run into the lochain.  There were pieces of debris, deep blue snow ice, the size of a minibus.  This was the first time I really understood the potential power of an avalanche and the image has stayed with me since.    

 pass and peak 08 Mar 2018
In reply to DesperateDan:

It was that crusty layer mentioned in the blog that came close to getting us on the 23rd feb. No new snow had fallen for days, just the ice etc blown off the plato and lying on the apron. Climber/s above us triggered the failure but the slab didn't slide, just settled. took another 2hrs to retreat safely from that one! Guess its still there and now with all the new snow!!! 

 DaveHK 08 Mar 2018
In reply to Andy Nisbet:

Erick and I triggered one a few years ago (doh!) that went quite a distance round the Cas headwall but that one in Sneachda looks bigger than that.

 Root1 08 Mar 2018
In reply to DesperateDan:

There was a huge one on Ben Nevis not sure if it was 2010 or 2014. It included the whole West Face from just where it steepens, down to the Lochan and into it. It extended widthways from the tourist path included the red burn and was about 900 meters wide. Length was  just over  a kilometre and there were blocks the size of tanks. That one in the picture was a tiddler compared to that.

 French Erick 08 Mar 2018
In reply to DaveHK:

Yes, whilst it was sizable it wasn't a patch on this one in terms of surface area.

 subtle 09 Mar 2018
In reply to French Erick:

A nice bit of reverse willy waving - our avalanche wasn't as big as that one

Hmm, think its best to stay away form there tomorrow........

 

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 French Erick 09 Mar 2018
In reply to subtle:

I think I have a small willy...but I haven't measured it against my pals and just compared myself to porn studs. It looks puny and inadequate!! ?

I have triggered many avalanches over 30 years of mucking around the hills (I'm only 39, the 1st time was really scary and I did feel changed forever) and categorically say that the aforementioned  Sneachda avalanche is one of the biggest I have seen in Scotland but not the biggest I have seen, or been involved with. I did grow up in an alpine ski resort. 

I am a lippy French boy but for once I wasn't thinking about bigging myself up. I am upset this is the way I came across on this thread or that I generally come across...well not really.

 subtle 09 Mar 2018
In reply to French Erick:

> I am a lippy French boy but for once I wasn't thinking about bigging myself up. I am upset this is the way I came across on this thread or that I generally come across...well not really.

I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy
Because I'm easy come, easy go
A little high, little low
Anyway the wind blows, doesn't really matter to me, to me

It may well matter if you head into Sneachda with the winds and visibility forecast tomorrow.

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 French Erick 10 Mar 2018
In reply to subtle:

> I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathyBecause I'm easy come, easy goA little high, little lowAnyway the wind blows, doesn't really matter to me, to me

 

Nowt wrong with a bit of rhyming although I do prefer riming (one -m only for me ta very much)

> It may well matter if you head into Sneachda with the winds and visibility forecast tomorrow.

Wholeheartedly agree! Although that particular slope may be safer than untriggered others? Best err on the side of caution.


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