Approaching Coire an t-Sneachda. Photo: Iain Lees CC-BY-SA-2.0
Two people were airlifted from Cairn Gorm after being caught in an avalanche.
Two other climbers were able to limp away from the scene on Cairn Gorm yesterday after being swept away by a separate avalanche.
Both incidents happened in Coire an t-Sneachda in the Northern Corries, one of Scotland’s most popular winter climbing sites. Two people were flown from the scene by a Sea King helicopter from RAF Lossiemouth when they were hit by snow sliding from the Goat Track. The avalanche left a large crown wall.
The two climbers were caught when a slab gave way under the Fiacaill Buttress. One was treated by a Cairngorm Mountain ski patrol member and the pair were then able to make their way to the ranger base.
On their blog, the sportscotland Avalanche Information Service assessors said: “There have been several natural and human triggered avalanches today in the Chais headwall area and Northern Corries.”
The SAIS forecast for today put the avalanche risk at ‘considerable’, with heavier snowfall expected today, leading to windslab building up on an already weakly bonded snowpack.
Above 850m (2,789ft), avalanches can be expected on north-westerly and north-easterly aspects, but localised areas of considerable risk are also likely.
