Members can control adverts, create their own log,
& contribute to the site for just £10 per year.
Would you like to know more about membership?
Home   Glossary

Cairn Gorm

Munro
Quick Facts
This is the height of the mountain above sea level. However, on the climb, it is the ascent that matters, i.e. the sum of all the uphill parts of the route.
Altitude
1244 m (4081 ft)

This is the standard notation used on Ordnance Survey Landranger maps.

Each reference consists of two letters identifying a 100,000 metre square block then three digits defining the Easting and finally the three digits defining the Northing with reference to the South West corner of the block.

NN166712 is the grid reference for the summit of Ben Nevis. Where you are given the map number ( For Ben Nevis = 41) it is acceptable to omit the two initial letters e.g. 166712. (Instructions on how to read the references are given on the OS maps).

Grid Ref.
NJ00560407
An indication of this mountains height rank within its class. Where two mountains share the same height they are ordered alphabetically.
Stature
6 of 283 Munros
The number of ascent routes currently available on Munromagic.
Routes
2
Mountain names are usually in Gaelic, the native language of the Scottish Highlands, or have been derived from the old Scots and Norse languages. We give the most commonly accepted meaning, but accept that some of these are disputed.
Meaning
Blue cairn like peak
 

The UK is covered by 204 Ordnance Survey Landranger 1:50,000 scale maps. Maps numbered 1 to 86 cover Scotland but for the highest mountains (Munros) only 23 maps are required. The name given roughly describes the area covered by the map.

You can click on the map name to purchase the map for £6.29 including postage which is one of the cheapest prices we have found.

OS Landranger Maps Required
  36   Grantown & Aviemore, Cairngorm Mountains
Only £6.29  (£11.69 Laminated) from  

A description of the characteristics of the mountain including any hazards of which you should be aware.

  Description
Cairn Gorm has many ridges on its N and W slopes giving rise to a series of corries. Of these Coire Cas and Coire na Ciste are scarred by ski equipment and debris and are best avoided unless you are in a hurry, in which case you may as well use the ski lift.

To the S and E are steep slopes some craggy leading to Loch Avon and Strath Nethy.

Cairn Gorm can be ascended from Coire an Lochain and Cairn Lochan to the SW, Ben Macdui to the SSW, Loch Avon to the S or from the N ridges of Cairn Gorm, all of which offer better views.

Hazards you may encounter on Cairn Gorm include
 Crags within 1km of summit.
 
General Considerations
 Temperature decreases by 1degree C for every 100m of ascent.
 Wind usually increases with altitude.
 Visibility can change markedly with cloud level.
 River/Stream levels can increase markedly in one day.
Picture Gallery for Cairn Gorm

climbers in coire an lochain jan. 07

© Ken Mcinnes
Image by Ken Mcinnes

The Cairn Gorm plateau from the summit of Bynack More

© Chris Bowles
Image by Chris Bowles

The summit of Cairn Gorm. (2008-10-13)

© Kevin Woods
Image by Kevin Woods

Cairn Gorm reflected onto Loch Morlich. November 2008

© Mike Watson
Image by Mike Watson
View All 28 Images for Cairn Gorm

A selection of weather forecasts local to #GetMountain.Top_Name#.

Ordnance Survey digital maps are also available to members.

  Weather & OS Maps
Cairngorms * Monadhliath
by MWIS (PDF format) 		Cairngorms
by Accuweather 		East Highlands
by Met Office 		Beinn Mheadhoin
by Metcheck
Cairn Gorm Area Map
Legend  Munro  Corbett  Graham  English/Welsh Top  Accommodation

A selection of local accommodation options who advertise with Munromagic.com.

  Where to Stay
Results by distance from Cairn Gorm
14.3 km
Ravenscraig Guest House
Grampian Road, Aviemore
19.6 km
Schiehallion House
10 Glenshee Road Braemar
19.7 km
Cranford Guest House
15 Glenshee Road, Braemar, Aberdeenshre
21.7 km
Balneden Steading
Tomintoul, Ballindalloch
28.6 km
Croft Holidays
Croft Dhu, Newtonmore
29.8 km
Netherwood House
Glen Road, Newtonmore
29.8 km
Eagle View Guest House
Perth Road Newtonmore
For information on camping visit
ScottishCamping.com who also produce
a map of scottish camp grounds.
A mobile base fo your next Munro?
Fantastic, heated, 2-4 berth campervans for hire
http://www.bigtreecampervans.com
  Like the idea of a more mobile base for your next Munro?
Fantastic, high quality, heated, 2-4 berth campervans for hire. The perfect year-round base, freedom to choose where you go to get the most from the weather, and a cosy base to come back to after a great day on the hill!

The summary information of one or more ascent routes that include Cairn Gorm.

Click on the route title to load the full content for that route.

  Routes that include Cairn Gorm
  Ascent Distance Time Including... Description Rating
1 650 m 7.74 km 3 hrs Cairn Gorm  A very easy route is made less desirable by the ski tows, funicular railway and the erosion of fragile soil and plants. It is best climbed on route to somewhere more pleasant e.g. Beinn Mheadhion.  
2 1841 m 18.42 km 7 hrs Cairn Gorm and Beinn Mheadhoin  Moderate route but with steep descent from Coire Raibeirt to Loch Avon. This is an interesting climb covering a variety of terrain and offering excellent views.  
 

Pictures submitted by members on the summit of Cairn Gorm

  Baggers Gallery for Cairn Gorm

Liz at the cairn just before nightfall 9/02/2010

© donald brown
Image by donald brown

Three Ladies and me on the top

© Martin Briggs
Image by Martin Briggs

colly!!! at the summit

© Rob Young
Image by Rob Young

Approaching the summit.

© Gary Douglas
Image by Gary Douglas
View All 15 Baggers Images for Cairn Gorm
The logging section stores any entries for Cairn Gorm in your own log. From here you can
  1. Add a route log entry that includes this mountain
  2. Write a full account of your route including photos
  3. Edit an existing log entry including uploading a GPX file or add a photo
  4. Delete your log entry
  Logging
Your Route Log
You need to be a member to have a route log.
Recently Climbed By
John Darling on 25 Jul 2010
Sarah Holroyd on 25 Jul 2010
Andy Munro on 23 Jul 2010
Robert Bruce on 18 Jul 2010
Sarah White on 11 Jul 2010
Phil Smith on 10 Jul 2010
Colin Clarke on 03 Jul 2010
Susan Sinclair on 03 Jul 2010
Peter Dorrington on 29 Jun 2010
Andrew Lau on 24 Jun 2010
John Mortimer on 08 Jun 2010
Mike Blanchard on 06 Jun 2010
Ian Davey on 03 Jun 2010
Geoffrey Knott on 31 May 2010
Andrew Gallacher on 30 May 2010
Jane Masters on 22 May 2010
David Yorston on 22 May 2010
Michael Schouten on 21 May 2010
Peter Tindal on 03 May 2010
John Doig on 16 Apr 2010
James Howard on 12 Apr 2010
David Rennie on 11 Apr 2010
Elina Koudriakova on 27 Mar 2010
Andrew Gifford on 08 Mar 2010
Gareth Lynn on 08 Mar 2010
Phil Dowrick on 10 Feb 2010
donald brown on 09 Feb 2010
Gordon Glennie on 29 Nov 2009
Neil Tilsley on 31 Oct 2009
Andrew Waddie on 31 Oct 2009
Ruth Macdonald on 18 Oct 2009
Chris Mercer on 17 Oct 2009
James Hamilton on 11 Oct 2009
Anne Mawdsley on 11 Oct 2009
Stephen Martin on 05 Oct 2009
Simon Cole on 04 Oct 2009
Neil Bristow on 03 Oct 2009
Peter Sinclair on 30 Sep 2009
Andrew Colquhoun on 26 Sep 2009
Ben Hughes on 15 Sep 2009
Robin Longstaff on 12 Sep 2009
Jan Konstmann on 02 Sep 2009
Gemma Young on 02 Sep 2009
Brian Williams on 30 Aug 2009
Chris Stewart on 29 Aug 2009
Euan Paterson on 25 Aug 2009
12 legs .... on 22 Aug 2009
Charlie Gallagher on 22 Aug 2009
Karen Todd on 19 Aug 2009
Sarah Wallace on 16 Aug 2009
Stuart Ferguson on 15 Aug 2009
Leon Mooney on 10 Aug 2009
Craig Cameron on 08 Aug 2009
Sylvia,ally pirie on 08 Aug 2009
Samantha Munro on 06 Aug 2009
Dot Mechan on 02 Aug 2009
Michael Kerrigan on 01 Aug 2009
Alan Ross on 30 Jul 2009
Alan Ross on 30 Jul 2009

If a member has uploaded a tracklog as part of their personal route log and opted to share it then it will be presented here.

You can view a members route overlayed on an online map or download the KMZ file for use in Google Earth.

 Shared Members Track Logs
 
Ben MacDui and Cairn Gorm
by Jan Konstmann

Post a few words about Cairn Gorm or read what others have had to say.

 Comments
 
Leon Mooney
wrote on
August 11, 2009
Climbed on 10/8/09. This was my third and final outing of a weekend up north. Starting at the car park I took the path towards Coire an t-Sneachda in poor visibility . I left the path and scrambled up the steepest section of Fiacaill a' Choire Chais, then followed the path to a large cairn, which I briefly mistook for the summit, until I realised there was no weather station. Made the final climb to the actual summit before heading off to the Ptarmigan and back to the car.
Kurt Lancaster
wrote on
June 28, 2005
Mine and my fiance's first munro in feb 05. Wot a day, snow every where all you could see was snow. Waist deep snow. We started from the bottom of the ski lift and worked out way up to the top following the ski lift above. Visabilty was very poor so we used the lift as a good marker. Top class day got some mega pics will put on internet in the next couple of months.
Andy Johns
wrote on
March 7, 2004
June 1995 and my first Munro, although I never found out what munros were until later. A long pull up the track from the Coire Cas car-park with full pack - 3-man tent, stove, etc on a fabulously hot day. Blue sky and lots of big snow patches. Big traverse over Cairn Lochan, Ben Macdui & Derry Cairngorm and down to camp at Derry Lodge where I was meeting up with a friend (who had left a car at the Linn of Dee for the return trip, of course). A totally inspirational first day out walking over the big hills of Scotland.
 
 

A full written account of a climb submitted by our members.

You can prepare your own write up by first making an entry in your route log and then visiting the logging section above.

  Route Write-Ups
  Date Title Written by Including...
1 12 Nov 2009 Cairn Gorm Scott and Jackie Turnbull Cairn Gorm
 
|