ALPINE CAIRNGORMS

Charlotte heading up to the Fiacaill on perfect snow

Alpine Fiacaill Coire Sneachda 

Essential gear today

Fiacaill Buttress 

Lunch spot

Fiacaill Ridge 

Hell's Lum

Great day out

Loch Avon

Fiacaill Coire Sneachda

Ben Macdui from Hell's Lum

Wall to wall sun

When you get a day of wall to wall sun, light winds, low avalanche risk across the whole mountain range and amazing snow conditions then you really cannot ask for anything better. That is what Charlotte and I had today. It was like being transported into the Alps in the Northern Cairngorms. For Charlotte's third day of her course we chose a day of mountaineering on the Fiacaill Coire Sneachda. We headed into the coire and took a traversing line under the Fiacaill Buttress. The snow as amazing. Perfect for cramponing after the low overnight temperatures. We hit the sunshine again on the ridge. There has been some snow loss here but it was still great fun and wonderful trotting along the ridge under a blazing sun. Once on the plateau we wandered over the hills to the top of Hell's Lum. The plateau is frozen too, fabulous walking conditions and so much easier than of late.Lunch at my favourite viewpoint, just as a few climbers topped out of the Lum. After our Alpine picnic Charlotte navigated across the Northern Corries and back down the Fiacaill Cas ridge. Lower down we finished off the day with some sliding (axe arresting). Another brilliant day out. Charlotte mad a comment at the end. 'That was the best day I have ever had in the mountains'. Enough said!