Snow Patches Surviving on Scottish Mountains

[Norrance]

Visited my parents up in Highland Perthshire today for the first time in a couple of weeks. Patches now gone with only a tiny[days at most] patch visible on Meall Garbh. Lasted later than in recent years at least. It was hazy over to the West so could not make out the patch on Ben More.

Looks like Glencoe could soon be the furthest South West to have patches left.

p.s. I have been given a rare opportunity to travel by helicopter from Aberfeldy in Perthshire to Stornoway in the first week of August. I don't know how much we can dictate the route and enable photos but given the general direction any ideas where to look out for snow patches, weather permitting.

Edited July 13, 2008 by Norrance

[kippure]

They are some impressive snow patch photos there

[firefly]

It was hazy over to the West so could not make out the patch on Ben More.

Looks like Glencoe could soon be the furthest South West to have patches left.

It's still there, and (according to my source) fairly large. Fully one month+ longer than last year. Also, there is still a little on Ben Lawers and Beinn Heasgarnich. There may also be some on Ben Mhanach, but that's not confirmed.

Glencoe may have to wait a while to be the most southerly patches!

p.s. I have been given a rare opportunity to travel by helicopter from Aberfeldy in Perthshire to Stornoway in the first week of August. I don't know how much we can dictate the route and enable photos but given the general direction any ideas where to look out for snow patches, weather permitting.

Certainly can! I think that by the first week in August the only patches left on the west coast will be in the Nevis area. That said, if you're flying from Aberfeldy then perhaps you could detour slightly over Ben Alder at Dalwhinnie? Geal Charn holds snow late, and I would imagine Ben Alder itself will still carry some. Also, Creag Meagaidh at Loch Laggan will almost certainly still be holding some.

Can I come?!!!!

[Norrance]

Certainly can! I think that by the first week in August the only patches left on the west coast will be in the Nevis area. That said, if you're flying from Aberfeldy then perhaps you could detour slightly over Ben Alder at Dalwhinnie? Geal Charn holds snow late, and I would imagine Ben Alder itself will still carry some. Also, Creag Meagaidh at Loch Laggan will almost certainly still be holding some.

Can I come?!!!!

Sorry no seats available unfortunately and I am told our route is dictated to a large extent by cost. [ie quickest is cheapest].

However if I can, I will see if we can cross Ben Alder then head towards Laggan. [ The Nevis area like the Cairngorm plateau / Braeriach tend to have more reports anyway.]

Date now confirmed as Thurs 7th August. Will Glencoe be snow free by then do you think?

[Norrance]

Did you spot this link on Winterhighland?

The patch on Macdui looks awesome.

http://www.scottishhills.com/html/modules....opic&t=2872

[Norrance]

Here is our proposed helicopter route for next week. [You can enlarge and rotate to view properly]. Should see Ben Alder to the East on the way up and overfly the Nevis area on the way back if looking for snow patches.

Will also see Torridon, The Cuillins, Glencoe and the Perthshire hills if weather is fine.

http://webmail.aol.com/38159/aol/en-gb/Mai...9091243_001.pdf

Edited July 31, 2008 by Norrance

[firefly]

Norrance,

It's telling me I have to be logged on to AOL to view this! In any event, if you are flying that route then I believe the only snow you will see is over the Nevis range (or possibly Loch Ericht area).

[kippure]

Nice northerly on thursday, will we get a dusting accross the tops, its happen before...

[MKN]

Any updates or more recent pics of this? could last all year id imagine. Would be good if it continued to last till winter and increase in size over coming years.

[Zerouali lives]

A bit out of date now I know but I play golf at Braemar most years on the first Saturday in July and I noticed a lot more patches this year on the east facing slopes as you look towards the Cairngorms in a WNW direction - certainly more than 1997 when i could only see 1 small patch on the same mountain. I would've liked to have know the names of the mountains i could see (quite possibly Beinn Bhreac or South Top)

[shuggee]

Thanks for posting ZL - that's just reminded me of my wee trip at the weekend. Visited Grantown on Spey and on driving up the A9 I did a rubberneck to check out the top of Cairngorm. I counted 4 sizeable patches visible from the Aviemore bypass - impressive for the start of August.

[JRMcLeod]

Was in Aviemore over the weekend and there are still some fairly large snow patches at CairnGorm. Looks like they will last all winter and hopefully longer

[coaster]

Still sizable patches on Aonach Mor this morning.

[firefly]

Any updates or more recent pics of this? could last all year id imagine. Would be good if it continued to last till winter and increase in size over coming years.

That's the Garbh Uisge Beag patch (I think, but I'm no Cairngorms expert), and that will still be a fair size. That patch did survive as recently as 2002, though it just made it by the skin of its teeth.

It seems to make no material difference to the next year's chances of survival whether the patches survive or not: there's just not sufficient volume of snow for that to happen.

Thanks for posting ZL - that's just reminded me of my wee trip at the weekend. Visited Grantown on Spey and on driving up the A9 I did a rubberneck to check out the top of Cairngorm. I counted 4 sizeable patches visible from the Aviemore bypass - impressive for the start of August.

The biggest one'll be the patch in Coire an Lochainn, which is visible from the A9. The last time that particular patch made it through to the winter was 1994, though it did manage it a handful of times from the early 70s.

[Norrance]

Re: our Heli trip over the Highlands. [Looking out for snow patches].

After an initial scare our flight from Aberfeldy in Highland Perthshire to Lewis in the outer Hebridies did happen yesterday. The helicopter was grounded for hours in the morning due to the bad weather in the Central belt [Cumbernauld airfield]but eventually we took off three hours late.

From Aberfeldy we headed due North over Farragon Hill and Loch Tummel and over to Calvine on the A9. We followed the road through Drummochter Pass but unfortunately there was low cloud and some rain over the Loch Ericht / Ben Alder area so I was unable to confirm any sightings of snow patches.

We then headed over the East end of Loch Laggan and the skies cleared. North of the loch to the West I could clearly see three medium sized patches on Creag Meagaidh and maybe one further largish patch a little lower under some lingering cloud.

There was one patch on a nearer hill near the top. Carn Liath maybe??

We then headed North and passed just to the West of Loch Ness. Approximately 20 miles NNW of Fort Augustus again looking West I could see one mountain with one snow patch and slightly further West another with three visible patches. Not an area I am familiar with so can't be sure of the hills. Somewhere North of Glen Affric perhaps??

From there we flew North West passing East of Torridon and eventually crossing the Minch from Loch Ewe. Weather over Lewis was sunny and warm enough in the shelte rfrom the wind to have some brave souls out on Garry and Tolsta beaches.

On the way back we passed just to the West of the Cuillins and turned East from Rhum, then following the rail track from Mallaig to Fort William [viaduct from Harry Potter]. We then headed straight for Ben Nevis and just when we got to Carn Dearg my camera battery went Could see a good number of patches, some still quite large. We then headed East and crossed over the ski area and to the East of Aanoch Mor and Beag. Again there were numerous patches in view, some of which were large. Further East over the Grey Corries there was one small isolated patch in the stones to the North of the ridge in a small hollow. [This one could easily be missed from the ground I think but probably won't last long.]

From there we followed the railway to Rannoch Station and turned East crossing within a few hundred metres of the top Schiehallion, then South over the Glen Lyon hills to Loch Tay for a view of Lawers then back to Aberfeldy.

All in all a day to remember.

Took some photos of the patches on the way up but unfortunately from the wrong side of the helicopter so not sure if they will come out ok. Was in the passenger seat on the way back so took a few shots from a borrowed camera at the Nevis range but am now dependent on being forwarded the pictures in order to post.

Whatever comes out, either from my camera or from the borrowed camera will be posted when I get them.

Regards

Nor.

[Norrance]

Got some of the first batch of photos so here goes.

1. Ben Nevis 2. Aonach Beag 3. Grey Corries There is a snow patch, honest. 4. No snow patch but a good view of the cone of Schiehallion.

Edited August 9, 2008 by Norrance

[BARRY]

Got some of the first batch of photos so here goes.

1. Ben Nevis 2. Aonach Beag 3. Grey Corries There is a snow patch, honest. 4. No snow patch but a good view of the cone of Schiehallion.

nice photos and yes the snow patch's are their

[multi cellular thunderstorm]

Nice photos, it must be great flying above such amazing landscapes. I really can't see the snow patch in the third pic, no matter how hard I look.

Looking forward to my holiday up there in October, i'm hoping for an early dusting of snow for the tops

EDIT: I thought the photo further up the page looks upside down, so I thought I'd flip it

[Cookie]

thanks for all the updates,

love this thread, keep up the good work

[Somerset Squall]

EDIT: I thought the photo further up the page looks upside down, so I thought I'd flip it

It definitely does doesn't it!

[Doc]

EDIT: I thought the photo further up the page looks upside down, so I thought I'd flip it

Works well flipped if it wasn't for the legs! Interesting sky

[Norrance]

Nice photos, it must be great flying above such amazing landscapes. I really can't see the snow patch in the third pic, no matter how hard I look.

Looking forward to my holiday up there in October, i'm hoping for an early dusting of snow for the tops

EDIT: I thought the photo further up the page looks upside down, so I thought I'd flip it

It was great day out and just brought home to me how empty The Highlands are North West of the Tay. Despite a bit too much cloud about the scenery was magnificent.

Unfortunately on the way North I was in the back right of the helicopter and the best views were to the West and my photos were across the helicopter, so with the glass and some cloud they are not too clear. [Different in the far North West and Lewis where it was clear.]

On the way back I was in the front but my battery went and I had to switch on and hope the picture took before the camera went dead. I did borrow my brothers camera for shots of Ben Nevis and Aonach Mor so am hoping he doesn't delete them. He is only interested in snow patches if they are big enough to have a ski tow on them.

Looked again and enhanced picture three above and have to admit I can't see the patch either. From memory it was further along the ridge away from the peak. Here is one more from the way up in which you might just about see a patch and one of Torridon where the last patch went a few weeks ago.

Looking again I can't see the patch and it may be behind the door frame. The ones further away on Creag Meigaidth are too lost in haze to see unfortunately.

Edited August 10, 2008 by Norrance

[firefly]

Norrance,

Absolutely top drawer reporting! Alan Whicker would be proud!

I'll speak to someone regarding the hills NNW of Fort Augustus looking west, as I'm not au fait with that part of the world myself. I know a man that is, though.

Wonderful pictures of Braeriach/Macdui etc in this thread: http://www.scottishhills.com/html/modules....opic&t=3033

Garbh Coire Mor still wide and deep, and in better nick than last year by quite a distance.

[Norrance]

Norrance,

Absolutely top drawer reporting! Alan Whicker would be proud!

I'll speak to someone regarding the hills NNW of Fort Augustus looking west, as I'm not au fait with that part of the world myself. I know a man that is, though.

Wonderful pictures of Braeriach/Macdui etc in this thread: http://www.scottishhills.com/html/modules....opic&t=3033

Garbh Coire Mor still wide and deep, and in better nick than last year by quite a distance.

Thanks Firefly

Should have some closer photos of the Nevis area snow patches when I get the dowmloaded disk from my brother. Will be a few days though as he is off to Ireland for a funeral. Unfortunately he told me that he has deleted the photos that were either unclear and of mountains he did not recognise. Hoping that there are a few good ones left though. We took a good number also in the North West where the weather was clearer and also of the Black Cuillins in ominous looking clouds. Anyway will post any that contain snow patches when I get them.

Some really clear photos in Scottish Hills forum and nice to hear that the Garbh Coire is looking good.

Nor.

[firefly]

Any updates or more recent pics of this? <...>

Picture of Macdui from Cairngorm taken on the 8th August. The patch is the one on the right hand side of the screen. Still a considerable size, and deep. Certainly a possibility to make it through 'til the new snows of Winter.

Cooler conditions forecast for the remainder of the week, which helps enormously. August can be a very warm month, and (as July showed) can decimate snow-patches rapidly.