Walking Forum

Regions - Trip reports, destination advice, recommended routes, etc. => Scotland => Topic started by: troy on 15:54:40, 03/12/11

Title: Disney land, better known as Coire an t-sneachda
Post by: troy on 15:54:40, 03/12/11
Disney land in Scotland, I hear you proclaim – well no it isn’t actually the Disney land that your all remember taking your excited young’uns too, it’s just what I call Coire an t-Sneacha in the cairngorms, and why I hear you ask;

1, because it has that climb referred to as Aladdin
2, In the height of climbers season (winter) the clanging and banging of their axes resounds around the coire reminding me of that scene from snow white and the seven dwarfs, and lastly
3, in winter the cairngorm is in reality just one big boys/girls play park.

This is not the route report I had planned, as originally I was going to go up onto the plateau and go somewhere, perhaps macdui, had not made my mind up. However, on the day the leaving of one important piece of equipment at home changed my plans dramatically. Only a few weeks ago, the cairngorms were as void of snow and cold wisp of wind as smoking is of healthy goodness where as today the place looked more like a scene from frozen planet, the bit where the male penguins withstood high winds and blizzards. ye wasn’t far off that where me and the surprising many others who braved the place today were blown around like rag dolls.
 
It was OK walking in as the wind was behind me and was helping now again to blow me from rock to rock, but as I neared the top of the coire (using the easy route) the wind picked up even more and more consistently. Which was OK but upon whenever I planned, returning it would have been blowing a blizzard right into my eyes, due in part to the fact that I’d forgotten my goggles and seeing as the wind only seemed to be getting higher as I climb, I thought it best to retreat until it got too bad. Ye I know only wimps do that but have you ever tried breathing in high wind as well as see where the heck you’re going. After all it’s not like the cairngorms are going anywhere soon, plus I’ll wait for a crisp clear day to finish what I planned.

I think the route today was only a few miles and not much climbing, but I took a few photos and thought perhaps others would like to see what the place looks like if they have plans going there.

click here (http://www.mtn-m.co.uk/web%20components/cairnwinter/disney-pan) to see pan of coire

(http://www.mtn-m.co.uk/web%20components/cairnwinter/1)
just beyond the ski centre car park
(http://www.mtn-m.co.uk/web%20components/cairnwinter/2)
fiacail buttress ridge
(http://www.mtn-m.co.uk/web%20components/cairnwinter/3)
approaching the coire
(http://www.mtn-m.co.uk/web%20components/cairnwinter/5)
looking down from the coire to frozen lochs
(http://www.mtn-m.co.uk/web%20components/cairnwinter/6)
view of cairngorms on drive in
 
 
Title: Re: Disney land, better known as Coire an t-sneachda
Post by: Ridge on 16:04:02, 03/12/11
Oh my word!  O0   O0   O0
Title: Re: Disney land, better known as Coire an t-sneachda
Post by: HumperLumper on 16:14:51, 03/12/11
Fantastic  O0
Title: Re: Disney land, better known as Coire an t-sneachda
Post by: Cheviot Stroller on 16:24:59, 03/12/11
Wow  O0 O0 O0
Title: Re: Disney land, better known as Coire an t-sneachda
Post by: sunnydale on 17:34:21, 03/12/11
It's great to see some snowy pics, thanks for posting! O0
 
Tracey :)
Title: Re: Disney land, better known as Coire an t-sneachda
Post by: amnesiacjimmy on 19:51:10, 03/12/11
Whoa! Some of those pics are very other worldly  O0 O0 O0 O0 Very inspiring!!
Title: Re: Disney land, better known as Coire an t-sneachda
Post by: dibble on 20:39:04, 03/12/11
Those photos are absolutely brilliant!   O0

I think I may have been there in summer...
but not in weather like this!

Thanks for sharing.  :)

Title: Re: Disney land, better known as Coire an t-sneachda
Post by: docpaul on 21:06:33, 03/12/11
Fabulous pictures - and exciting to see winter arriving! Thanks for the post!!  O0 O0 O0
Title: Re: Disney land, better known as Coire an t-sneachda
Post by: gary m on 08:07:18, 05/12/11
very very good, the first photo is my fav
Title: Re: Disney land, better known as Coire an t-sneachda
Post by: angry climber on 05:20:55, 08/12/11
Is it not Aladdin's Mirror?
 
(http://gb.fotolibra.com/images/previews/891474-cairngorms-aladdins-mirror-climb.jpeg)
 
Being Scottish and having first heard about this ice by word of mouth for several years I thought it was Aladdin's Mum or as we would say Aladdin's Mither. It was only by the point of reading a guide book I realised my mistake.
 
Some cracking pics thanks for that. 
Title: Re: Disney land, better known as Coire an t-sneachda
Post by: gatebuilder on 23:54:29, 09/12/11
Wow. That looks ace, just gone on my to do list.