Overnight avalanches
31st March 2026
This morning was just as forecast; mild, drizzly and poor visibility. The freezing level rose above the summits around midnight and there was some drizzle. These are good conditions for triggering avalanches in the unstable windslab that was there yesterday, either directly or from cornice collapse which is very likely in these conditions. I decided to go into Coire na Ciste on Ben Nevis to see if I could see any debris. Unfortunately visibility in the corrie was too poor to see much at all. On the way up I passed 2 other areas which frequently avalanche; the Castle gullies and Number 5 Gully. There was fresh debris at the bottom of both of these and I’d be very surprised if there weren’t quite a few other avalanches in the Lochaber area last night.
Thanks to the guys in the CIC hut for the tea on my way down. It was nice to find the fire on and tea in the pot.
Debris from an overnight avalanche in the Castle Gullies area.
Very limited views of Ben Nevis on the walk in.
Slush at 700 metres.
Patcht snow cover in the area above the CIC hut.
The lochan in Coire na Ciste can just be picked out. Still a widespread snow cover at 900 metres here.
Comments on this post
Got something to say? Leave a comment
