UKC

Thinking of heading out to some less popular hills Sunday / Monday so will probably have to break trail the full way. How deep is the snow on access to hills around Kingussie and Corrour / Rannoch (destinations reached by train) between 300-500m contours.

Last year about this time I had to abandon a route with unconsolidated snow over waist deep on the track to the hill (the corbett directly north of Kingussie). Trying to avoid the expense of another such aborted trip.

In reply to Flinticus:
Based on what I could see in the distance from Glencoe yesterday I would be inclined to change my plans and head somewhere nearer the coast with a higher snowline. With no freeze thaw in the immediate future to firm things up the snow is gonna be hard work.

In reply to Joak:

Thanks. Will be keeping a close eye on the weather. There are a few hills I am interested in at the Connel Ferry end of Loch Etive.

Had been contemplating a high camp (if weather OK) but I think the boredom of the long night would kill me. It really does my head in, the hours passing so slow they are almost going in reverse.

In reply to Flinticus: sounds like ski time to me

In reply to Flinticus:

I was on Ben Starav today. Deep unconsolidated powder snow above 650 metres. Last 500 metres climbing to the top took me almost 2 hours! compared to 1 and a quarter for the first 600. All West Highland and Southern Highland hills are heavily plastered. If you have snowshoes - take them!
Snowing heavily as I drove south down the A82 from Glencoe to Crianlarich this evening

In reply to Flinticus:

Thanks a lot.

Sounds like it's as bad as I expected, worse than I hoped.

Might stick to hills below 750m then, west coast.

In reply to The Watch of Barrisdale:

Thanks for that. Was the snow line around 650m then it lower?

In reply to Flinticus:

Snow lying down to below 300 metres.