We're toying with a few ideas for this Friday / Saturday.

One is to follow the HTR to Ben Alder cottage. I guess there is some snow on the tops. Any idea if there is much snow under 400 metres?

Ta Rich

Some clues here

http://lochaberblog.sais.gov.uk/2017/02 ... pong-ball/

http://www.mwis.org.uk/scottish-forecast/WH/

Hi Rich,

I was up around Kinlochewe at the weekend.
Very little snow below 600m or so.

On the drive south there did appear to be more snow around, but I think you'd be OK below 400m, especially if the freezing level is rising.

MWIS has a variable outlook though, so all that could change

Cheers,
Pete

Yup. Tons above 500m, especially on leeward slopes, which the forecasted high temps won't make much of a dent in. Rivers will be high with snow melt also. Having spent a lot of Sunday dragging my fatbike through thigh deep windslab above 500m I'd advise waiting until it clears to make the most of the descent.

OK thanks y'all. Sounds like it'll be a goer then.

Rich, if there's snow melt then the burns around Ben Alder will be high. We had to build stepping stones to get across them at new year. There's a big one at the bottom of Bealach Dubh heading towards Culra if you go that far.

The last Km before Ben Alder cottage will be damp but I doubt it's ever "dry"

The temp here is going up at the moment, as has been mentioned the burns will be the problem. This weekend wouldn't be my first choice TBH.

I've looked on the map, and there doesn't seem to be much in the way of water features before the Cottage, and that is defo our turn around point.

From the WHW to Loch Lyon there are several river crossings which could be quite deep. Howard reported crotch level water the week before the group start last year. This could be a real problem for Tom. Not the best time of year to be soaking wet from so early on in the day.

From the WHW to Loch Lyon there are several river crossings which could be quite deep. Howard reported crotch level water the week before the group start last year. This could be a real problem for Tom. Not the best time of year to be soaking wet from so early on in the day.

I'd not looked at the bit before the Loch, though I have now.

All of those crossings are fed by burns which originate above 900m so I suspect they will be high. The last 2k before Ben Alder cottage from the south will be a swamp. As above - wait for better weather as the trails are worth it. Alternatively head up to Dalwhinne and go in via Loch ericht - gives you a chance to suss out condtions, check out the views, avoids any river crossings (as long as you follow the HT route backwards and not the track around Loch Pattack) and riding to Ben Alder cottage and back again from Culra is amazing.

Hi Rich, Alan is correct - I got very wet in the first few miles. This was the deepest. It felt fairly safe - but it would have been above Tom's waist and I was wet and cold for a while after! From memory I don't think trying to get across the "stepping stones" was a goer.





PS. Looking forward to meeting you both tomorrow night at Craigdon.

Interesting pics of the river crossing by Loch Lyon. This was rideable and just a couple of inches in the summer. Snow melt making a big difference.

padonbike wrote:Interesting pics of the river crossing by Loch Lyon. This was rideable and just a couple of inches in the summer. Snow melt making a big difference.

Phil, these were taken on May 21st last year - no snow melt - just lots of rain!

Yep, I looked up your pics Howard, F that.

Had a complete rethink, as there is heavy rain forecast for Saturday, so even if we made it out in one piece, we might be in bother on the way back.

Going to park up in Lockerbie on Friday instead and head over towards Tibet.

Richpips wrote:Yep, I looked up your pics Howard, F that.

Had a complete rethink, as there is heavy rain forecast for Saturday, so even if we made it out in one piece, we might be in bother on the way back.

Going to park up in Lockerbie on Friday instead and head over towards Tibet.

Thats a nice road and the tea shop is ace! Say hi to the Yaks