Getting Colder
1st April 2026
Mild this morning with +4 degrees centigrade on The Cairnwell (933m) at midday. Then the WSW winds veered Northerly and the freezing level dropped rapidly with snow falling to increasingly lower levels. My colleagues on the north side of the Cairngorms have wet snow settled at Glenmore level (340m). I’m currently looking at light snow on the hillside at 650m and we have wet snow falling to glen level.
I went up to the top of the Lochnagar cliffs today to see what the snow around the corrie rim was like. Into the cloud by 900m with very little visibility at 1140m. However, I could see that pretty much all the overhanging snow has fallen off, leaving very steep remnants behind. There is very deep snow at the top of some of the gullies and although wet it was generally well bonded. Stability will continue to improve as the freezing level lowers to around 450 metres tonight. So the wet surface layers are going to become very firm and probably icy in places. Black Spout Right hand has quite a steep finish at the moment, especially on the left hand side as you look up the gully, slightly less steep on the right. Interestingly, Left Hand Black Spout has an easier angled finish than it often develops.
Sorry – mizzle on the lens and poor visibility don’t lend themselves to good pictures!
Lochnagar cliffs – all the overhanging snow has dropped off. Very steep remnants left behind.
Easier angled finish to Left Hand Black Spout than it often has.
Looking down Left Hand Black Spout
Very steep snow in Black Spout Right branch, left side of the exit bowl when looking up the gully.
Top of Right Hand finish Black Spout, right side of the bowl.
Moisture on the lens – Ptarmigan plumage change well under way
Young stags in the glen – staying out of the weather higher up
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