I had some holidays to use before the end of March, so I thought I’d seize the opportunity to get up to the Cairngorm NP to check out the snow and go for a camp. Given the Avalanche forecast was ‘considerable’, I decided to stay low and explore the area around Inveroran and Loch an Eilein, unfortunately I can’t embed maps, so here’s the link instead.
I say ‘explore’ the area, but the reality is that without skis or snowshoes I was limited to following the paths trampled by others with the odd excursion postholing through the powder. The path around the loch was not exactly busy, but I did see a few folk, one guy harnessed up being dragged along by Huskies.
The weather was glorious though, not the best photography-wise, but the sun was warm and I was happy enough wearing just a baselayer and my new Montane Featherlite Smock [£25 from George Fisher, bargain!].
I decided to head off toward Lochan Deo/Cairngorm Club Footbridge, I was stopping regularly to take photos and spotted a prominent tree on a snowy knoll which I thought would make a nice spot to camp with a good outlook over the forest and surrounding area.
I was, um, baws deep at some points but eventually managed to get to the top, my gaiters kept creeping up as snow was forced between them and my new Roclites. The Roclites were great BTW, bar the one problem that powdery snow gets forced through the mesh outer and forms an ice cube to keep your toes cool, not ideal, but tolerable.
The view from the top:
I started trying to make some sort of snow platform to pitch up on, but the powder was just too…powdery. I may have had more success if I’d had a snowclaw/shovel or better pegs, but the Akto pegs weren’t really cutting it. I did manage to pitch it, but it looked a mess and I wasn’t convinced it’d stay up if the wind got up overnight and with a forecast of -14C, I didn’t fancy taking the chance. I stood around for a good couple of hours deliberating the decision and enjoying the scenery, but in the end decided to drive home. I waited for the sun to go down and watched as the sky did some cool stuff.
As I watched, I realised I could hear singing, coming and going, drifting on the cool breeze. Where was it coming from?!?!? For about 20 minutes I could hear it. Singing. Foreign sounding singing. Then as they came into view I realised it was a couple and young baby [in one of those rucksack carrier thingies], the father was singing in gaelic to the child. In those surroundings, those conditions, it seemed perfect. I could have listened to it for hours…
So it was a long day out and a long drive, but well worth it to see Rothiemurchus under snow. At dusk, on the walk back to the car, I made the photo at the top of the post. I was happy 
Dear Fraser, that are some superb photographs. Too bad you didn’t stay for the night and test your limits (or those of the Akto, pad + sleeping bag) but sometimes its just the better-feeling-thing to do. And for my taste the weather also looked great photography wise!
Thanks Hendrik. Yes, another day I would have stayed. I’m planning some more camps before the snow goes though…
Fraser, great photos again. I had similar problems with the deep snow on my last overnighter. Thankfully I had skis and poles and some nearby trees that just about held the Laser Comp upright (but it was definitely not tight!).
I’ve also experienced the same icing problem with a pair of Roclites (315s). The snow gets caught in the mesh, compacts, freezes and just hangs out there until it’s defrosting in a puddle on the warm hallway floor!
Thanks Joe. I think I’ll be investing in some more suitable pegs for the Akto before I venture out for a snowy overnighter…
Beautiful, so much snow perfect for snowshoes.
Is that the remains of the castle in the first shot? (behind the tree)
The last shot is funny, how did you do that?
Richard
Yes Richard I think that is the castle, I’d walked past it in the morning, but it was getting quite dark so I couldn’t really see it, but looking at the map it looks about right…
The last shot was just done in Photoshop, I got the idea when flicking through the photos on the camera LCD. My sister thinks it’s disturbing.
Aye – that depth of snow rings a few bells.
Glad you got out & enjoyed yourself. Wise move not to camp if you had concerns about the pegs, I’d have thought. We’re having undeniably serious weather.
Yup, I’m currently researching alternative pegging/anchoring solutions…
i like the first photo. did you put a blue filter on it?
Thanks! No filters. The colour is natural.
This has had some exposure correction in Lightroom and further minor tweaking and noise reduction in Photoshop, but that’s all…