Wicklow mountains are like sheets of ice

hmmm

I was out today - I've never experienced anything like it in Wicklow. The tops of the mountains are pure ice. What seems to be happening is that the sun is melting the snow, which is refreezing as ice. It's quite dangerous at the moment if you don't have crampons.

Alun

Agree .. was up on Camaderry early Saturday, and it was lethal. Later on in the afternoon the sun softened it just enough to be able to walk on but it still wasn't great. What's worse is that in places there's a thin dusting of fresh snow which lulls you into a false sense of security. Once you get off the exposed tops though it's OK.

sarsfield06

Seems to be same everywhere in Wicklows, Kippure an ice sheet on top and was up Turlough Hill today, crawled parts of it and slid down! Lucky it's not a steep walk up the road.

sarsfield06

What to expect

Alun

That's the road up to Turlough Hill isn't it? I'm surprised it hasn't been cleared by the ESB folks as they might need access.

jimmer123

Just back from Djouce Mt very tricky going up and down just in boots

sarsfield06

jimmer123 wrote: »

Just back from Djouce Mt very tricky going up and down just in boots

Yes, it's partially cleared but it would take some work to clear this ice.

Few photos taken in Cooley on Thursday, so it's not just Wicklow affected. Where these were taken is more or less east-facing so I reckon it was the sun doing a bit of melting and the nighttime combined with the cold easterly winds freezing the meltwaters.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/269326_579948242025071_1041261866_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/486277_579948135358415_1562097539_n.jpg

Daithi2004

I am thinking of going up to the Spink. Does anyone know if it is safe in these arctic conditions?

Orion

Was on spink yesterday from miners walk. Was on except for a few icy stretches on the boardwalk.

Daithi2004

Orion wrote: »

Was on spink yesterday from miners walk. Was on except for a few icy stretches on the boardwalk.

Thanks for that. Hope to be there on Thur....

dogmatix

I was at the powerscourt waterfall yesterday, and to one side of the waterfall where curtains of frozen icicles in descending layers. Looked quite interesting. Smaller ‘icicle curtain’ on view at the discussed granite quarry on the east slope of the three rock mountain as of Friday last.