Is it snowing in Wicklow?

Noangel72

From the city I can see that the Wicklow Mountains are covered in white; is it just a dust off or proper snow? I haven’t heard anything on the news but wouldn’t mind going for some early winter mountaineering!

I am probably just dreaming but if anybody from up there can confirm……….

Alun

It's not snowing here in Bray, just a few stray snowy / haily bits now and then, but the temperature is down to 2.5 degrees and dropping in my back garden. Experience shows that if it snows extremely lightly like this where I am, there's usually a bit more in the hills, but only enough to make it look white from afar, probably no more than a cm or so on exposed places where it's drifted. Not exactly winter mountaineering conditions yet, I fear.

Someone on boards from the Weather forum has a weather station over in Annamoe that's accessible via the net ... it's only 1.6 degrees there ...

http://annamoe.net/

Noangel72

....just daydreaming that one day I could go mountaineering in Dublin.........:rolleyes:

Alun

Noangel72 wrote: »

....just daydreaming that one day I could go mountaineering in Dublin.........:rolleyes:

When / if it snows properly and stays really cold for extended periods, you can sometimes do a bit of snow / ice climbing in the Prisons off Lug I understand, although if conditions are that bad in the Wicklow Mountains, generally you can't get near them by car because they haven't cleared the roads

Noangel72

...wouldn't be Ireland otherwise..........:D

chiefwiggum

im in rathdrum and can see the tops of the mountains and hills are white for sure

mckildare

I went hiking around Turlough hill yesterday, there's a bit of snow around alright but not much, a few inches at most in some places.

Jemmy

Little bit on very high locations but not much at all tbh.

Slogger Jogger

Took this in Wicklow yesterday... Smattering of sleet on the ground. No snow. Ice and shallow sleet in parts.
Cushbawn hill, near Aughrim, looking south.

Slogger Jogger

Trails here are unbelievably icy. Backroads are probably dodgy if you were planning a drive and a walk. Lug was looking splendid this morning though from my local hill..

Noangel72

...nice!...are those the north and south prisons?

larryone

I missed the oportunity to go up Lug today. Woke up to find a voicemail on the phone =0(
Went up Lobawn again (from backdoor) and there was still a fair bit of snow on it.

That photo looks like the South Prison, and I'd guess the picture was taken from Ballycurragh. I'm more used to seeing the North Prison, but I had very little visability fron Lobawn today. I was up a few days ago, and it was really amazing, but my Camera was out of batteries.

I'll be heading for Lug again new years day.

Noangel72

..is that supposed to be a winter route?....I am up for it if somebody is interested (fully equipped, need somebody with knowledge of the route):D

larryone

Every new years day a crowd leave from Fentons Pub in Seskin in Glenn of Imaal at 11ish. There will most likely be ice and snow.

Noangel72

cool!....how do I join?...is that a club?

Slogger Jogger

I'm in Annacurra near Aughrim, east of Aughavannagh which guards the Ow river route to Lug. So its South Prison looking at you.

larryone

Noangel72 wrote: »

cool!....how do I join?...is that a club?

It's the Imaal Walkers that organise it, but AFAIK a lot of non members turn up for that one.

Noangel72

...ok, are we talking proper mountaineering up the south prison or regular hike via some other route

liamo333

By the sounds of it its just a hill walk, twill be a rather cold walk though.

larryone

Noangel72 wrote: »

...ok, are we talking proper mountaineering up the south prison or regular hike via some other route

Aah, no, this is a hike.
It is possible to do ice climbing in the south prison, but it's not often the oportunity arises.
The North Prison is better for ice climbing, but you'd have to go well off the safe routes in the artiliary range to get to it. This hasn't stopped some people I know. Foolish.
Also - does hiking not qualify as proper mountaineering in your estimation?

Noangel72

No!...hiking is not mountaineering, at least in my opinion.......

Slogger Jogger

Lug, taken this morning. Visibility would be difficult I reckon...

larryone

Cant see the top of it from here either =0)

Alun

Visibility was about 50m on top of Lug at around 2pm on Saturday, and pretty cold too, but when we started at about 11am it was blue skies and not a cloud to be seen. There was not much snow on the ground coming up from Fentons over Camara Hill, only a few cms but when we dropped down towards the base of Slieve Maan it was deeper, maybe 30-40cm and more where it ahd drifted, and visibility not much better. We carried on over Slieve Maan and Ballineddin back to Fentons. Not a soul to be seen away from the main track up and down though which was nice.

Noangel72

Is there a different access to Lugnaquilla other than the Baravore car park?....just thinking that that long and steep descent into Glenmalure would be dangerous if the road is icy…….

Alun

Yes, as mentioned above, you can access it from the west side from Fentons pub in Seskin (S 972 935). There's a fairly simple route straight up from the back of the pub over Camara Hill. There's also a longer route that goes up to Table, and then follows the edge of the firing range boundary over Camenabologue.

You can get to Fentons by driving down the N81, and through Donard. I can PM you some detailed instructions on how to get there if you like.

larryone

Aslo a good idea to pop your head into the army information centre at the old school. Free maps are good =0)
There are many ways to go up lug, numerous routes from Glenmalure, and 3 different routes from Imaal, as Alun described above - Via Camarahill, Via Table & Camenabolouge, Via Ballineddan and Slievemann.
Camarahill is the shortest of these - about 2 hours to get to the top.

Noangel72

Alun wrote: »

Yes, as mentioned above, you can access it from the west side from Fentons pub in Seskin (S 972 935). There's a fairly simple route straight up from the back of the pub over Camara Hill. There's also a longer route that goes up to Table, and then follows the edge of the firing range boundary over Camenabologue.

You can get to Fentons by driving down the N81, and through Donard. I can PM you some detailed instructions on how to get there if you like.

Thanks Alun, details would be welcome!

I have been only once on Lug from Baravore, nothing too exiting!....but snow is forecasted for Wednesday, that might make for an interesting hike!

sarsfield06

new snow has arrived in Wicklow, see pics below

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055782672

it will make the planned new year's day hike interesting!

larryone

Loads of snow here. Firday will be interesting.

extremebogman

Lots of snow in the mountains SW of the Reeks in Kerry, where I was today. Great fun!