Ben Macdui…
31st March 2019
With such a fantastic weather forecast I had to push the border of the Southern Cairngorms area a bit and head to the ‘outer reaches’ of Ben Macdui. I knew that it was due to cloud up a bit in the afternoon and so I got an early start and had the summit to myself. It is very noticeable that the 1200 to 1300 metre mountains are holding that bit more snow than the 1150m and below ones. After a clear night it was a cold start in the glen and the old snow was firm on the way up. The boulders in the Luibeg Burn had verglas on them meaning that a decision had to be made…. was it going to be  ‘Wet feet’ or ‘Bare Feet’  ?  I decided that pain is only temporary and that wet socks at 1300m and minus 3.5 temperatures are decidedly unpleasant….So it was off with the footwear, roll up the trousers and get on with it! Good job there was nobody to hear me – It wasn’t just the sky that was blue! There were some fairly chunky bits of cornice debris on the slopes above Lochan Uaine which is still frozen over.  It looks like a least a couple of avalanches made it down onto the loch. It was cold on the summit with the thermometer reading -3.4 but as I had it to myself it would have been a shame to not stay a while and enjoy the 360 degree view. I’m glad I did as the weather is breaking down again tomorrow with the wind increasing and some snow forecast for the afternoon….
Early morning view from Sron Riach to Cairn Toul (1291m)
On Sron Riach looking across the slopes above Lochan Uaine. Some big chunks of cornice debris.
Lochan Uaine still frozen over. Looks like a couple of avalanches made it out onto the loch.
The ruin at 1300m, just SE of the summit. Fresh snow on this aspect.
Approaching the summit of Ben Macdui from the South
Looking across from Ben Macdui (1309m) to Cairn Lochan (1215) and Cairn Gorm (1245m).
Some large areas of snow remaining on the higher mountains.
Sometimes words aren’t necessary….
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roger
31st March 2019 7:47 pm
What a fantastic day to be on the hill Sam! I’m so envious having had to be ‘confined to barracks’ today. Great photos. Let’s hope winter has a wee bit more to offer us yet.