Wednesday, February 06, 2013

Cold North Wind

It was dry day, but cold in places exposed to the North wind. Generally pretty good winter conditions in Glen Coe at the moment, but be wary of patches of slab, especially where it is sitting on top of the old, hard snow ice. 
 Stob Coire nan Lochan.

 Buachaille Etive Mor. 

 Looking North West from Meall a Bhuiridh.

The windslab is shearing easily on the old hard snow ice. In this cases a section of slab about a metre long and 40cm deep sheared away quite easily when I stepped on it (the remains of my footprint can be seen near the left of the shot). Notice the rock in the picture, I did this test at the edge of small snow patch, I wouldn't have fancied trying it out in the middle of a large snow bay.

Windslab with some evidence of wind erosion in the foreground. Old hard snow ice in the background.  There are some significant areas of this hard old snow about.