UKC

Natural Retreats and the Cairngorm road

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 DaveHK 08 Dec 2014
I saw the chat about the gates being closed on Sunday and this surprised me as I didn't think there was that much snow or ice about.

Was I mistaken and it was a horror show or should we be worried about closed gates in the morning becoming the norm with even the slightest hint of snow?
 Blackmud 09 Dec 2014
In reply to DaveHK:
If the gates are closed and it really is just the slightest hint of snow you could always just walk up the road. Not entirely pleasant with climbing gear but by no means unreasonable for the more accessibe corries in my opinion.

Someone else will have to say what the road was like on Sunday though as I didn't see it.
Post edited at 00:34
 NottsRich 09 Dec 2014
In reply to DaveHK:

The usual problem is not the amount of snow fall, but the wind causing drifting in a few exposed points of the road.
 Cuthbert 09 Dec 2014
In reply to DaveHK:

I don't think it will make much difference. It's the job for the ski centre to clear the road above the gates and there was about 2 inches of snow on the road. I stayed in the car park the night before and drove up from Coire na Ciste to Coire Cas before the gates opened. It would have been tough without winter tyres.

They probably wont make as much of an effort until the skiing starts. That said, the road and car park were cleared by 9am which is pretty good I think.
 DannyC 09 Dec 2014
In reply to Cuthbert:

Agreed - they did well to open it as early as they did and it didn't stop people who wanted to from climbing.

We drove up from Aviemore at about 6.30am on Sunday through some of the densest snow showers I have ever driven in. The two big bends (at the Sugarbowl and Coire na Ciste car park) are tough when snowy in a normal car without chains or winter cars, and there's been times in the past when the road has been open and I've wished I've never started up it, with cars being abandoned all over the place and spinning wheels compacting the snow into an icy sheet.

The most dangerous bit of winter climbing still often feels like the drive to me, but I'm a wimpy motorist (and climber, for that matter...).

D.

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