SO TERRIBLY SAD. FOUR PEOPLE DIE IN GLENCOE AVALANCHE

From the Daily Mail. This is Bidean. The avalanche was in a valley - as ever - and they were on their way down - as ever

Webcam showing the area now

This is a webcam from the Kingshouse Hotel, which lies in a moorland area, about 5 miles from where the accident took place. You can see very little snow, even high up on the mountains looking South. The accident took place in the Glen itself. They must have been swept away, their feet going from under them sliding down the hill.  

It is so sad this. So awful for their families, and friends. Awful for the survivors, too.

The Scottish avalanche warning system had warned of wind-swept snow lying on top of soft snow in  the Glencoe area together with warnings for the other districts of Lochaber, and in the Grampians. This can easily be dislodged by human movement. At this time of year it is not unusual to have this warning. It does not need deep snow, just unstable snow. To-day six winter climbers dislodged it. Four people have died, a woman is badly injured and one escaped. Apparently other walkers raised the alarm

They do not have to be idiots, they do not have to have bad equipment, they do not have to be inexperienced. They can be totally expert in every sense. But they had bad luck. Like probably 40 others people in the area  they were just out on the most wonderful mountain on a fine day, enjoying the spectacular scenery. They were walking home, towards the area where the infamous "Glencoe massacre" took place 330 years ago, in February.

The usual advice is to move one at a time in an avalanche prone area. You can often "feel" it to be unsafe, just an instinct. Climbers learn to rely on it. 90% of avalanches are caused by the movement of people.

This one was in a dangerous area. The wind direction was from the South, that leaves drifting snow on the lee side of the mountain which is where they were. It would look safe, but snow lies in layers of different ages. When one of these starts to slide, you get catastrophe.

Yes, I know it puts a big strain on the rescue services. They are truly good people, and truly expert. One of their big problems is to avoid starting another avalanche themselves.

The accident happened in the area of the highest mountain in Glencoe, Bidean. It took place at a place called  Church Door Buttress at about 2pm. The Central gully, next door to it, is known as an easy winter climb. This is probably where they were. The area has had beautiful weather and not even a lot of snow.

There has been a run of avalanche accidents in the past five years in this area.. 3 climbers were killed in January 2009 at the notorious Buchaille Etive Mhor.The following year near the same spot  two climbers were killed and one escaped from an avalanche.

The avalanche forecast for Glencoe was
"Poorly bonded windslab will persist, mainly on West through North to East aspects above 800 metres. These deposits will mainly be hard windslab, often overlying a weak softer layer. Soft windslab will also be present in places. The avalanche hazard will be Considerable."

The website for avalanche prediction is
http://www.sais.gov.uk/

So terribly terribly sad. Winter climbing carries these objective dangers with it. Don't stop them. Don't stop Formula 1 drivers either, nor soldiers in Afghanistan, nor horse riding come to that. They are all dangerous. Including cycling in London.

John
WEATHER WEST COAST
Weather Misconceptions Glencoe Oban Fort William and West Coast
January February Weather Glencoe Oban Fort William and West Coast
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September October Weather Glencoe Oban Fort William and West Coast
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Wind in the mountains and West Coast
What to do about Rain in Scotland
PHOTOGRAPHERS GLENCOE
Glencoe is the photographers paradise
Photographic locations Glencoe
Winter Photography Glencoe

OBAN PEOPLE MAY BE 8,500 YEARS OLD, SOME OF THEM

Scottish harpoon head made from the antler of deer. Dated to 4500 bc. Impressive?

Oban is famous amongst archaeologists who study very ancient people. Rubbish found in caves in the area has been dated to Mesolithic times. Because Mesolitihc people did not have permanent sites, they moved from place to place, their remains are very few and far between. Some of them are now underwater as sea levels have risen.

Dating evidence shows that the Oban finds were of the time when the older Mesolithic people, morphed into the Neolithic people who tended to farm and stay in one spot. It is the dating of this borderline between the two which makes the place so unique and important. Why, how, did the hunter gatherers, turn into farmers? This period is actually called the Obanian period.

On a Ne/Sw ridge facing inland is the rock shelter, Druimvargie. Inside they discovered marine shells, crab claws, red deer bones fish and wild fowl all in a midden.

Basically these middens are mounds of rubbish. This can be analysed in many different ways these days, and dated. They are found all around Oban Bay, for example near Dunollie castle, and they have found some on the Island of Oronsay nearby.

One other interesting thing. Very interesting if you have a mind like mine. The early Neolithic people in this area depended upon the sea for a living. They knew about navigation, about tides, about holding a course, about waypoints, about navigable channels, about boat handling, This was different from the knowledge of people from the interior. Professor Barry Cunliffe, the only famous one who is not on Time Team suggests that these higher skills would have given these coastal people a much higher status in ancient communities. They were the ones who could bring in the exotic stuff from foreign parts. They were the ones with tales to tell of far away lands.

Bring it up to date more and for centuries the MacDonald clan sailed these waters and commanded all the Islands. No one could move here without a MacDonald say so. About 1,000 years it lasted. Not for nothing were they called the Lords of the Isles.

Yes, I know. Every now and again, I go off on one. Hobby horsing around again...
John
WEATHER WEST COAST
Weather Misconceptions Glencoe Oban Fort William and West Coast
January February Weather Glencoe Oban Fort William and West Coast
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Jul August Weather Glencoe Oban Fort William and West Coast
September October Weather Glencoe Oban Fort William and West Coast
November December Weather Glencoe Oban Fort William and West Coast
Wind in the mountains and West Coast
What to do about Rain in Scotland
PHOTOGRAPHERS GLENCOE
Glencoe is the photographers paradise
Photographic locations Glencoe
Winter Photography Glencoe

DRIVING ON SNOW AND ICE

From our website. Amazingly, Glencoe 4 miles away gets loads of snow yet our little hamlet of Kentallen gets hardly any. The reason is that the mountains lie behind us to the East. We are beside the sea loch, with its remnants of the Gulf stream. The rain clouds hit the mountains, are driven upwards of 3,000 feet and dump the snow. If you can't drive across the land in Scotland, then go down the coastal roads. You'll be fine.

For novices on snow and ice driving, here are our tips

Five Don'ts

Don't overtake on snow and ice

Don't rev the engine or accelerate quickly

Don't allow the battery to run down. It is very vulnerable  in the cold.

Don't use washing up liquid in the screen wash

Don't run on thin tyres

Twelve Do's

Drive very slowly, particularly around corners

Avoid steep hills, particularly those with bends

Go into corners slowly

Accelerate very slowly

Use 2nd gear if possible on ice

Keep the driving wheel as straight as possible

Leave a massive amount of room between you and the car in front

Fill the petrol tank more frequently than usual

Keep your mobile phone topped up

Use WD 40 to ease the door locks

There are  extra cold temperatures in low lying valleys, and on  tree lined roads

Choose a coastal route if possible rather than an inland route.

Take 11 things with you

Old bits of clothes or cardboard for getting the car out of snow

Wellington boots - carried inside the car

Shovel, to dig out the car

Emergency first aid kit

Spare clothes

Scarf

Hat covering the ears

Gloves

Chocolate and something to eat

Flask of hot drink

Charged mobile phone

St. Christophers charm, you never know

 John

WEATHER WEST COAST
Weather Misconceptions Glencoe Oban Fort William and West Coast
January February Weather Glencoe Oban Fort William and West Coast
March April Weather Glencoe Oban Fort William and West Coast
May June Weather Glencoe Oban Fort William and West Coast
Jul August Weather Glencoe Oban Fort William and West Coast
September October Weather Glencoe Oban Fort William and West Coast
November December Weather Glencoe Oban Fort William and West Coast
Wind in the mountains and West Coast
What to do about Rain in Scotland
PHOTOGRAPHERS GLENCOE
Glencoe is the photographers paradise
Photographic locations Glencoe
Winter Photography Glencoe