Cool and Bright

23rd January 2017

There is a bit of warmth in the sun now, especially out of the biting wind. Another bright day with great views. Only the slightest dusting of fresh snow observed on some high summits. Becoming warmer again, with insignificant amounts of precipitation forecast.

Coire Domhain and Creag Dhubh, Beinn Eighe.

Ok, it’s out of focus! But it’s a rarity to get a crow mobbing a Golden Eagle with a ‘point and press’ camera. Shot taken above the Caledonian pines on the approach to Beinn Eighe.

Where the Eagle dared!

The basal layer in the snowpack on some aspects comprises decomposing graupel – now icy polycrystals, 4-5mm in size. The plant top left in the picture is Juniper.

Most of the bedrock on the east end of Beinn Eighe is a light grey quartzite, basically a quartz sandstone. There is a horizon in the quartzite that, when exposed, has a peculiar dimpled surface – piperock. The dimples are a trace ‘fossil’ of burrows in the quartz sand made by a worm-like organism several hundred million years ago. Nice!

A cirrus cloudscape, looking north through Slioch.

A more or less snow free Fannaich mountain range.

 

Comments on this post

  • Ruth Love
    23rd January 2017 10:46 pm

    Simply stunning! Forgive the out of focus one of course.

    • torridonadmin
      24th January 2017 8:59 am

      Thanks Ruth. We all try to make the blogs interesting and a means to provide information, even if out of focus!

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