Cold and sunny
24th December 2025
There were lovely conditions on Aonach Mor today. Light winds, sunshine and a summit temperature around 5 degrees Celsius. The air is very dry and this lack of humidity gave a wet bulb temperature of around -2 degrees Celsius. This meant that the snowpack surface was frozen and firm. The low and weak sunshine wasn’t really softening it although the sun was warming the rock which resulted in lumps of snow falling from steep South facing rocky faces.
Photos below show the snow cover but not how firm the surface is. I met a runner today with bloody knees from an accidental slip – be warned!
The top of Aonach an Nid.
Aonach an Nid looking down.
Coire Dubh
Looking down Chancer to Braveheart chair.
Checking out climbing conditions from the top of Coire an Lochan.
This cornice has slumped over the last few days in the mild conditions. It is currently frozen hard.
Glide cracks in Coire an Lochan. The flat area below, where the gliding snow gathers, is one of the places that sometimes holds snow all year round.
Looking down Easy Gully.
Easy Gully looking North.
Aonach Beag (left) and Aonach Mor (right). Note the cornice collapse which would have happened sometime over the last few mild days.
Looking down the summit run at Nevis Range.
Carn Mor Dearg with Ben Nevis behind.
The Grey Corries. There was cloud to the South of the area today with clear skies to the North.
Snow cover on the North side of Aonach Mor.
Icy areas starting to form.
A mountain hare.
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