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We are planning on giving Ben Macdui a go next weekend descending via the Hutchinson Memorial Hut, the weather is looking good for this week and weekend also touch wood. However when I look at Cairngorm webcams its looks as the the snow level is around the 700/800 meter mark? Can any locals please confirm this and let me know if you think we are wasting our time try Ben Macdui with the current conditions?
Current conditions?
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47774560862_93372bdb66_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47774560862_93372bdb66_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2fMF7vd ]2019-05-11_07-19-26[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/druidh2000/ ]Colin Cadden[/url], on Flickr
Yes, snow currently down to about 7-800m and patches below that.
A friend was up Lochnagar yesterday and said some of the drifts were knee deep.
The weather this week is supposed to be pretty warm with little to no precipitation though, so lots of that snow will go.
I'll be out and about in the hills around Deeside this week, so can give you an update closer to the weekend if you want?
Cheers for the reply that would be great rugbydick
I rode Beinn a'Bhuird 2 weeks ago. There was still snow in patches on the plateau there, and looking over to MacDhui there was plenty of snow. I have done the ride you're aiming for a number of times, as had my pal, and we discussed how in the current conditions it was definitely not a goer at the moment. Since then there has been some fresh snow. This will have stuck best where there is still lying snow, and there is a disruptive amount on the Cairngorm plateau as far as biking is concerned. You'd be fine once down past Loch Etchachan, but before that would be on/off and a lot of additional effort.
There have been ski tourers out this week having a great time. If you can wait, I'd wait.
Thanks all for the replies, unless ground conditions improve this week I am thinking we will give it a miss. Can anybody recommend any other rides in the area that are of a similar ilk, but a bit lower in altitude?
Macdui/Etchachan earlier this evening.
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[url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/druidh2000/47799215482/ ]1050677[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/22384952@N02/ ]Colin Cadden[/url] - [url= https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dariogf.flickr2BBcode ]Flickr2BBcode[/url]
Its been 24C today in Aviemore and it's forecast to be warmer tomorrow so more of that snow will be gone soon. Lovely mild night here at the summit of Cairngorm.
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[url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/druidh2000/46934834905/ ]DSC_0368[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/22384952@N02/ ]Colin Cadden[/url] - [url= https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dariogf.flickr2BBcode ]Flickr2BBcode[/url]
@scotroutes Well that beats the photo of Macdui I took from Lochnagar yesterday for this thread!
Was up sgor gaioth on Sunday lots of snow on the plateau, quite deep in places and down to about 800m. Melting fast Sunday afternoon though. Suspect the snow line is more like 1000m by now.
@rugbydick yeah, the trouble I go to in order to help out folk on this forum! 😂