RETURN OF THE COLD

After this prolonged warm spell it was a very welcome return back to colder conditions overnight which froze up the snowpack for today. Seereen is with me for the next 4 days on a winter skills course. We headed up the Allt a' Mhuillin and into Coire Leis. Plenty of snow about and indeed good ice on The Little Brenva Face by the looks of it. After some ice axe and boot techniques Seereen progressed quickly with cramponing so we headed up the Coire Leis headwall were there was brilliant hard snow. The sun came out mid day for a brief spell but a layer of cloud down to 1100m later, shrouding the Ben in cloud. Not a lot of snow left on the CMD arete. At the summit we came across a group of four well kitted out in light weight rucksacks (one), jeans , handbag (one) and a pair of what I would call Moon Boots but I was corrected by Seereen who informed me they are the latest in 'on the street' booties. Snow depth is around 2  metres at the summit at the moment. We headed down the Red Burn to be asked directions to the summit by another group of ill equipped folk on the way up. Looks like the silly season as begun. Finished off at The Ben Nevis Inn for well earned liquid refreshment