Icy Mountains
5th April 2018
With the freezing level fluctuating between 100m overnight and 400-600m during the day, ice has reformed in the usual places at higher elevations, even on south facing crags when under a cooling blanket of cloud. However, when exposed to the strong spring sunlight, the icefalls rapidly thaw and ultimately collapse – as observed today!
A cloud cap over Liathach early morning. A dusting of overnight snow down to 200 on the coastal hills, lower on the mountains more inland.
Icefalls on the south face of Pyramid Buttress, Liathach. The fresh snow melted under the influence of the sun and the snowline steadily rose up the mountainside.
The impressive coire of Toll a’ Meitheach, the location for today’s snow profile, on the south side of Liathach. Pyramid Buttress on the left with the snow covered main summit of Liathach (Spidean a’ Choire Leith 1055m) immediately to the right. When the sun appeared, there was a continuous sound of collapsing icefalls resounding in the coire.
Looking across Glen Torridon to the Achnashellach/South Torridon mountains.
Debris from an old cornice collapse running out of a gully in Toll a’ Meitheach. Beware of falling ice – not a place to stand for any time!
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