*Looks* like the last 2 patches of snow up Glencoe, on the flypaper and main basin, have finally melted...

Zero Gully-Lasted until Aug 18th last year.This year?.......

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Aonach Mor/Beag this morning

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Doug Bryce Wrote:
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> *Looks* like the last 2 patches of snow up
> Glencoe, on the flypaper and main basin, have
> finally melted...
>

Yup, the last one melted on the 26th July. Flypaper.

coaster Wrote:
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> Zero Gully-Lasted until Aug 18th last year.This
> year?.......

Thanks coaster.

Zero Gully in slightly better nick this year than last I think. The forecast is for cooler weather this weekend, so if that persists into next week then I think a similar date is not too far out.

The last couple of weeks' warm air/rain has really dented the patches. Aonach Mor and Beag are now in considerably worse nick than last year. Even at this early stage it's difficult to see Aonach Mor making it through 'til the new snows. Looks like some late season scrambling will be called for again!

Cheers

There is a posting from this time last year that has a photo from the same view point and virtually the same date for comparison.

I agree that the demise date could be similar to last year,i'll endeavour to update over the nx fortnight (unless i'm beaten to it).

With regards to the late season scrambling i'll be there again and hopefully with some company for the walk into the Sphinx and Pinnacles at Braeriach given that i had no mobile coverage last year over some of the worst terrain that i've ever encountered.

Looking again at some of my photos from the extensive remaining snow cover of the 16th October 1994 from Nevis it's hard to imagine another set of climatic conditions where we'll see the likes of this again. For comparison to this year you would have to look at a date of at least early July for a similar cover.

I will get them scanned on soon.

Yeah, it's this photo you're talking about I assume? [www.winterhighland.info]

Quite a difference this year on Aonach Mor and, I assume, the hidden Aonach Beag patch.

The Cairngorms are in altogether better nick than this time last year, even after the last two weeks of very warm weather. I'm aiming to visit Garbh Coire on the Bank Holiday weekend, so if you're about...

As for 1994, it was exceptional. Adam Watson said (1971-2000 snow report) that the "old folks" around Tomintoul had never seen snow lying so late in the year, so even by historical standards it was unusual.

I'd still like a gander at the photos, though. Get that scanner working man!!

That's the 1 one Firefly. I'll fill the gaps that need filling in at Bank hol w/end.

Rest assured i'll get the 94' pics on here shortly-amongst others..

One of my abiding memory of the 94 season is staring at the Glenmore Gates... a lot !! One of the factors that give rise to the concept of this website for sharing info on mountain conditions/weather.

One specific day Sat 9th April 94 sticks in my mind coming to a grinding halt on the A9 just south of the Carrbridge turn off due to jack knifed artics with between 12 and 18inches of lying snow on the A9 !! Eventually reached Glenmore and it was clear no-one was going further for a day or two, you could look up the mountain and it was unbelievably plastered. Lead to one of my very few sorties on xc track skis and a few face plants in the powder around Glenmore forest! There were a few surprised campers that day!

Incidentally CairnGorm Mountain closed the Cas Tow for the season after 2nd June due to lack of demand in 1994 !! A truly epic season snow wise, but a lot of stormed off weekend days, and it was even bigger out west. Take a look through the Scottish Viewpoint photos used by VisitScotland, there are some mind boggling photos from 1994 at Glencoe and Nevis.



Edited 1 times. Last edit at 22.22hrs Tue 5 Aug 08 by alan.

Alan, do you have a link. I can't find the piccies you're talking about.

Cheers,

Firefly, I'm pretty sure that the video clips that George Paton passed on to me of him and his mates exploring underneath, then skiing on top of a remaining patch in Feith Buidhe, were shot in August 1994.
[www.youtube.com]

Helen

Summit temps should be interesting to watch over the next 36 hours. Has already been plus 2-4 C on Cairngorm today, with much colder air (relatively unusual for this time of year, about 534 thickness) due tonight. Should go to zero or slightly below at the c.4000 ft level, firming or freezing the snow patches.

On the Scottish Hills website forum there is an excellent report by "Dreamer" of his recent trip to the Cairngorms.

He has included some good photos of An Garbh Coire ,Braeriach.

Ciste Mhearad and, I believe, the mid-summer patch that all the troops skiied down. Not much left!

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Great pic from the top of Observatory Gully on the West Coast Mountain Guides
website in the Mountain Conditions Diary.