Coire an t-Sneachda

Coire an t-Sneachda
Coire an t-Sneachda
Translation	Corrie of the snow (Gaelic)
Pronunciation	Scottish Gaelic: [ˈkʰɔɾʲ ən̪ˠ ˈt̪ɾɛ̃xkə]
Location
Location	Inverness-shire,  Scotland
Range	Grampian Mountains
Coordinates	57°06′48″N 3°39′50″W / 57.1132°N 3.6640°W / 57.1132; -3.6640Coordinates: 57°06′48″N 3°39′50″W / 57.1132°N 3.6640°W / 57.1132; -3.6640

Coire an t-Sneachda (sometimes misspelled as Coire an t'Sneachda) is a glacial cirque or corrie landform in the Cairngorm or Am Monadh Ruadh mountain range in the Grampian Mountains of the Scottish Highlands.

The summits of Cairn Lochan (1215m) and Stob Coire an t-Sneachda (1176m) lie above Coire an t-Sneachda's headwall.

The Gaelic Coire an t-Sneachda roughly translates to the English language as "Corrie of the Snow".^[1]

Location and access

Coire an t-Sneachda is located in Invernesshire, Northern Scotland. The nearest major town is Aviemore. The nearest road access point is the Cairn Gorm ski centre, which is located approximately 4 km away (approx. 45–60 minutes walking, in fair conditions).

Geology

The last glacier occupied this corrie or cirque approximately 10,000 to 11,000 years before present during the Younger Dryas stadial. This cold period, which is also known as the Loch Lomond stadial, was the last mini ice-age that brought glaciers and tundra conditions to the Scottish Highlands. ^{[2] [3]}

Mountaineering

The corrie is a popular destination for mountaineers, primarily because of its easy accessibility from the Cairn Gorm ski centre and the relatively reliable snow and ice conditions throughout the winter season.

A number of climbers have been killed in the corrie, attracting some media attention. Most notoriously, in the winter of 2007 five climbers died after falls or from exposure in adverse conditions during a two-month period. A member of the Cairngorms mountain MRT (Mountain Rescue Team) was quoted by BBC Scotland as stating, "... it may [be] down to a combination of factors such as how easily accessible the corrie is – it is about an hour's walk from the ski centre car park – people not having adequate equipment and poor climbing conditions".^[4][5]

References

1. ^ "Cairngorm Landscapes: Coire an t-Sneachda". http://www.fettes.com/Cairngorms/coire%20Sneachda.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-17. ^{[dead link]}
2. ^ "Scotland's Glaciers". http://www.scottishgeology.com/findoutmore/geosites_twinning/lomond_glaciers/lomond_glaciers_01.html. Retrieved 2008-03-18. 
3. ^ "Cairngorm Landscapes: Coire an t-Sneachda". http://www.fettes.com/Cairngorms/coire%20Sneachda.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-17. ^{[dead link]}
4. ^ "Fifth climber dies in the Cairngorms". BBC Scotland. 19 Jan 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/6279871.stm. Retrieved 2008-03-18. 
5. ^ "Police name Cairngorms climbers". BBC Scotland. 2006-11-21. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/6168554.stm. Retrieved 2008-05-22. 

External links

• Geological information
• Database of winter climbs from ukclimbing.com
• "Death in the snow: why have five climbers been killed on one peak", Guardian
• Journal article from Nature: "Loch Lomond Stadial"