Sunshine and Light Winds!

3rd March 2020

It was a real pleasure to be out in the Fannaichs today; good snow conditions and great views. Showers drifted into our area in the afternoon, wintry on the summits. There is breakable crust at most elevations, but good walking above around 650m. Areas of unstable windslab persist above 800 metres, where the snowpack was not greatly affected by yesterday’s thaw.

Good snow cover above 450m on Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich (left), Sgurr Mor (centre in the cloud) and Carn na Criche (right)

Breakable crust at 500m. The Beinn Dearg hills in the distance.

The North-East face of the north top of Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich. Roller ball activity visible from yesterday’s rise in temperature. Cornices looking fragile at higher elevations.

I unexpectedly dropped into this ‘crevasse’ hole near the corniced edge, which was at least 2m deep!. On closer inspection (I had no choice really!) the whole slope had settled and slipped to full depth likely during the thaw of last weekend and caused this crack which has been covered over by subsequent snow fall/transportation.

A panorama looking west from the Fannaichs and Great Wilderness hills to An Teallach.

An Teallach.

The summit cairn on the north top of Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich, (830m) with the main top on the left and the summit of Sgurr Mor on the right. There was little evidence of a surface crust at this elevation, but wind exposed and scoured areas were icy in places.

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