SAIS Lochaber Blog » Coire na Ciste

Coire na Ciste

13th April 2021

Covid -19

The Scottish Avalanche Information Service issues information to support permitted activity under current Scottish Government guidance.

Please be aware of current mandatory travel restrictions inÂ Local AuthorityÂ areas within Scotland and respect local communities by referring toÂ Scottish Government guidanceÂ and safe route choices for exercise. For further guidance please refer to the following information forÂ hillwalkers and climbersÂ andÂ snowsports on ski and board.

This blog is intended to provide hazard and mountain condition information to help plan safer mountain trips.

I had a wee wander up in Coire na Ciste on Ben Nevis today. It was a bit cloudier than recent days, and felt a bit warmer. The old snowpack is hard and icy with a generally shallow layer of softer snow on top. Occasionally the overlying softer snowpack is a bit deeper. However, these deeper areas tend to be isolated.

Old debris from a small avalanche below Number 5 Gully.

Looking up to Number 3 Gully Buttress area. There is still some ice about. However, in the slightly milder conditions today I did hear a fair bit of ice falling off the crags, especially at lower levels.Â

Looking up at Carn Dearg. The cold night of late mean it has various streaks of ice on it. These started to thaw during the day as air warmed up and became more humid.Â

The Aonach Mor summit temperature over the past 5 days. It has been pretty cold at times, not just for April but for any time of the year, with temperatures getting down to almost ten at nights. The diurnal temperature cycle is very clear on the 10th, 11th and 12th. Things have changed today, it was less cold last night nd the temperature rose earlier and to a higher value through the day. It certainly felt warmer, and more humid, today as compared to previous days. Â

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