UKC

Strange day on Bidian today, some observations and photos below:

Went from main/top car park up the Lost Valley (only one other car there at 0730, plenty more by the end of the day though, it's almost like people WANT to get caught out in the dark at the end of the day....)

Took a wander up the valley with intention of having a look at getting up onto Beinn Fhada via something on Summit Buttress, but alas this wasn't to be, so much snow up there, and still really wet and heavy going lower down. Snow level proper started about 450m. Headed up towards the E ridge of SCnL, but a dose of The Fear set in half way up in crap, deep, wet, slidy snow with the ever increasing slide to the gorge below beckoning....so I turned and ran! (Well, stomped carefully back down as the light was making everything merge into itself, and the snow was utterly unhelpful). Got up to about 800m maybe, so yet to make a summit this year...early days though!

Avalanche debris visible on the Lost Valley/NW side of the Beinn Fhada ridge (as well as cornices on W/NW aspects), some sloughs evident from the Gearr Aonoach/SCnL ridge, and the headwall at the top of Lost Valley (Sgreamhach to Bidian col) has a filthy looking cornice that looks to have collapsed and rebuilt, triggering a fair slide with a substantial looking headwall.

Met the tourists coming up Lost Valley path when I was on my way down, jeans and trainers included....

Looked nice on Aonach Eagach, bit of sun breaking through, though I would imagine it's heavy going as it looks pretty well plastered throughout.

Some shots of folk on SCnL, looked like a couple of teams on Dorsal, with one pair making heroic speed up the lower section!!

Also saw a guy on the bridge at Clachaig turn off strolling along fully suited and booted with an ice axe, followed by his daughters (I assume...) who were carrying seaside fishing nets. Confused the hell out of me.

Photos here:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152093115970865.1073741849.7386...

Cheers folks, hope you had a more successful day than me!!!
Gordon

In reply to peebles boy:

Wow! Lots of snow about then. Here's hoping for a thaw freeze to settle things a wee bit

In reply to peebles boy:

Me and a friend had a walk up lost valley on the 27th of December and it was the pretty much the same. Now we are both quite new to the game but are both quite fit. It turned about to be an immense slog through very soft wet slushy deep snow. We got no where near the the top.Still a good day out but for newbies it was a real eye opener.

In reply to peebles boy:

you were fortunate to get some clear spells between rain then, we just arrived back from GC after a week of sodding rain. We did get up to the far end of the lost valley one day, and on Thursday despite the whiteout conditions and strong wind we did Sgorr Dhearg which was a fun grade I

It's worth checking the winterhighland.com forum as the ski centres post - and the public - info about snow. For example, glencoe slopes are loaded. Looks like more snow than ladt winter.