Snow+++!

Large volumes of snow to all levels just now, meaning the possibility for fun is endless----walking, sledging, snowshoeing, climbing, skiing, all possible! Higher up there has been significant movement of snow on the strong winds, so check the avalanche forecast carefully (www.sais.gov.uk) before heading out. This morning we went for a snowshoe in the forest en famille. One of those beautiful midwinter days when one can strap on skis or snowshoes at the door and head out into the woods or hills. Beautiful crisp sunshine, forests more redolent of the Alps in winter given the volume of snow.

Forecast to stay cold all week. Enjoy!

Winter Navigation Workshop

Yesterday I was a delegate at the Mountain Training Association (MTA) winter weekend, hosted at Glenmore Lodge. I attended the Winter Navigation workshop as part of my Continuing Professional Development. We had a great instructor, Nick, and we spent the day navigating around some of the lower slopes on Cairngorm, looking specifically at how to 'winterise' navigation. In the evening there were two excellent talks, one on the history of navigation (really interesting), and one on decision making in avalanche terrain. Only a couple of hasty phone pictures from the day-----too busy concentrating! Many thank to the MTA and Glenmore Lodge for putting on such a great event for MTA members.

Northern Corries tour

A short tour around the N Corries and into Lurcher's gully today. Stronger winds than forecast, with lots of snow movement going on, lots of wind slab and wind blown powder, definitely glad to be on easy angled slopes today.  A new variation on the raised footprints theme.....dog prints today! Plenty of folk out on the hill, either skiing, walking or learning winter skills.  Lots to go at at all levels at the moment, the snow shows no sign of leaving us just yet. The hills and forests look so beautiful just now....proper winter. Long may it continue!

Snowshoe Scotland

Deep drifts of snow at all levels just now, we're in a winter wonderland. I took advantage of a few hours between other tasks to get out on the snowshoes in Rothiemurchus. Knee deep drifts in places, skis or snowshoes a definite advantage. It's apparent that this is all heavily wind blown as some slopes have been stripped bare of snow almost, whilst the lee slopes and sheltered spots are groaning under snow. Getting to the start of the day was fun, and would have been impossible without a 4x4! More storms tonight but there should be some great off piste skiing to find when things settle down a bit!

Ben Wyvis ski-touring

Fantastic day out ski touring on Ben Wyvis today. The full gamut of Scottish conditions, from heather survival skiing to perfect untracked powder, from glorious sunshine and views to whipping winds and Baltic temperatures. Brilliant! From the Garve road there doesn't look to be too much snow, but we had a hunch that with the prevailing winds of late that a good amount would have collected in the back bowls, and this it proved. Plenty of folk on the hill, but mostly hill-walking rather than skiing.

There is also a video from today available here

https://www.facebook.com/pages/On-High-Hills/805745176138694?ref=tn_tnmn

Freeze-thaw see saw

Since my last post we have had some dramatic weather, at one turn thick snow to all levels allowing cross country skiing, then a few days later much milder and vanishing snow. The last couple of days have been a thaw period, and the hills are looking a lot less white than they were. However, there's likely to be still plenty to go at over the New Year period. Today was mild with strong winds over the tops, a good day for mountain biking in the glens! We went to Inshriach forest and the bottom of Glen Feshie. It was hard going in the sections (thankfully short) that were exposed to the wind, even at glen level, but once in the forest is was a lovely day. The pictures are looking west and show the extent of the snow at present on those slopes.

Happy New Year to all who have shared a path or rope with me with this year, thanks for all the fun, here's to 2015!

The excitement builds.......

The familiar rush of excitement this morning as  I woke up this morning to snow at my doorstep. Beautiful atmospheric day. We spent some time exploring more of the wonderful Abernethy forest. Great views in between the snow showers of higher hills, looks like they have caught a good amount of snow, particularly further west. Hopefully this will be the the first storm cycle of the season that lays a proper base for us to build on.