No new snow today, just lots of graupel, hurt in the wind! Overall snow cover is still very localised with deep accumulations in place. If out tomorrow it will be slow going at time. Its due to get milder later tomorrow but its still definitely Winter. A blanket layer of graupel.   There is one layer of graupel within the snowpack. It’s likely this will just melt out tomorrow.   Initially I thought this was an avalanche but realised its surface layers roller balling. Probably from yesterday afternoon rise in temperatures.   An old crown wall.   I’m not sure I’d be ..read more

A cracking day to finish the season on… A selection of photos below showing conditions on Lochnagar. Currently hitting snow and staying on snow at 850 metres… Milder conditions forecast for the next few days so the snowpack will continue to thaw and slowly diminish. This is the last post for the 2022-2023 season. We will return full-time in December with a stand-by service available if required. We would like to thank our local supporters: Police Scotland and Braemar Mountain Rescue Team for the generous use of their facilities. Balmoral Estate, NTS Mar Lodge Estate, Invercauld Estate and Glen ..read more

Another classic Spring day. A bit chilly to start off and cloudy over some of the tops but it all came good. Kudos for those in shorts today! However, many of you will have read tomorrows forecast, looks like a return to Winter. We are currently forecast up to 40cm of snow with strong winds, could be a challenging day! I’d leave the shorts behind tomorrow! Lochnagar today, may look bit whiter tomorrow?     Bowie and Rogue having fun in the soft snow. Much colder from tonight, it’s likely this old snow will be very firm again ..read more

Well that was a bit of a shock to the system! Goggles on, drifting snow, impossible to see your thermometer, crystal card, record book due to snow getting dumped on them… Where yesterday there was heather, today there is snow – But only in wind sheltered locations. Snowfall overnight down to around 800 metres, then snow showers today down to 600 metres. Over knee deep drifts above 850 metres. The distribution is really localised and the snow has only accumulated where it could drop out of the wind – so steeper, or really well sheltered locations. Where it has accumulated, it is deep. Starting ..read more

Not a bad day at lower elevations but the cloud was firmly sitting at 900 metres and refused to budge. Quite a cold wind as well with any exposed skin chilling down pretty quickly. Despite the cold wind, the natural world is definitely getting on with its Spring time pursuits… the Red Deer stags are dropping their antlers and both the black and red grouse are active, with the males putting on impressive displays for the females. Great opportunities for photography if you are subtle about it. We have some snow forecast for tomorrow – Just a small amount in the South Cairngorms but a little bit ..read more

A mild day with a bit of rain thrown in but otherwise not a bad day. A fair bit of traffic around but the hills were quiet. Looks like it’ll get colder with potentially some snow later this week. Walkers on the Glas Maol Plateau. Little snow left around this area.   Mountain Hares well and truly going into Summer mode but currently an easy target!   Below is an article on hares and camouflage from the Hutton Institute. https://www.hutton.ac.uk/news/new-research-shows-increased-camouflage-mismatch-mountain-hares-due-climate-change   ..read more

Its suddenly got a lot busier! Good conditions for walking, running biking. Let’s not talk about snow and skiing. The super keen will be able to carry/walk ski’s into the main Cairngorms but it’ll be quite an effort. As I looked over to Ben Avon today it reminded me of photos of a body recovery in our Braemar Mountain Rescue Base from when local Police, gamekeepers and estate staff were the only help and assistance in the hills. The person was a well dressed ‘city’ gent and the incident sparked much discussion, who was he, what was he doing in a remote part of the Cairngorms? It is still a mys ..read more