Aonach Beag
6th March 2026
A fine winter/spring day for a wee trip over to Aonach Beag. It was cold night last night with summit temperatures getting down to about minus six early this morning, but warmed up a bit during the day. The old snowpack is hard and icy. There was a bit of fresh snow yesterday afternoon, and these accumulations are generally shallow and/or isolated in extent. The photos below should give a good idea of what conditions are currently like.
On another note, over the past few weeks photographer Murdo MacLeod has been out with some of us avalanche forecasters, and has put together a photo essay for The Guardian. His article can be seen here.
The classic Coire an Lochan shot. The coire is proving popular with climbers at the moment, and I thought it would be useful to show the latest conditions. The crown wall from the large avalanche that made it to the lochan a week or so ago can be seen catching the shadow below the crags at the far side of the coire.
The view looking East from near the summit of Aonach Beag. The Grey Coire in the middle of the photo and the Creag Meagaidh hills further back on the left.
A slightly unusual view of Aonach Mor. Looking North from near the summit of Aonach Beag.
Looking over to Ben Nevis and Carn Mor Dearg from just below the summit of Aonach Beag. There is a lot of interesting geology going on in the area. The rocks in the fore ground are metamorphic (the Leven Schist Formation apparently). The summit of Aonach Beag is the highest point in the UK (excluding overseas territories) which is not made of igneous rock. Carn Mor Dearg in the centre right of the shot made of granite hence the slightly red shade, and hence the “Dearg” in the name of that hill. Finally Ben Nevis behind, the summit area of this consists of Andesite Lavas.
Avalanche debris from 10 days or so ago. Some has stopped on the ridge on the right, but most of the debris can be seen below and left and the crags.
Looking over to Aonach Beag. The crown wall of the avalanche shown in the previous shot can be seen running along below the cornice.
Small sluffs and cornice collapses in Coire Dubh from the snow that fell yesterday afternoon. The fresh snow the fell yesterday did form some fresh unstable cornices. However, these are so small, they are not considered a hazard. There are some older much larger cornices remaining. However, these are refrozen and generally stable in the cold conditions.
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