Hard Going on Foot.
27th January 2025
It was a cloudy day with some light snow. The recent storms have packed the snow into some areas, while leaving other areas scoured. On Aonach Mor the North side of the hill has caught the snow (as you would expect given that the recent snow came on a predominately Southerly wind). Heading up through the ski area there was, many places, a melt freeze crust within the snowpack which was not quite strong enough to support my weight. Other places where were deep drift of sticky snow. All the made for hard going on foot, for the first time this season I wished I had been on my skis.
![](https://lochaberblog.sais.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/P1270289-740x493.jpg)
Looking up the burn line towards the Goose ski run. Cover is quite good on this side of the hill with the burn itself fully drifted in.
![](https://lochaberblog.sais.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/P1270291-740x493.jpg)
An icy layer on snow fences and within the snowpack suggested the freezing level had been up near the summits at some point recently.
![](https://lochaberblog.sais.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Screenshot-2025-01-27-151426-740x164.jpg)
The temperature at the hut at the top of the ski area (altitude 1200m) over the past few days. The freezing level had risen to just below summit level during the stormy conditions on Friday.
![](https://lochaberblog.sais.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/P1270296-740x493.jpg)
The top of Coire an Lochan. Easterly aspects have some drifts on them, but generally less than the Northerly aspects.
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