WINTER RETURNS, IN THE EAST

Fiacaill Coire Sneachda 

Fresh snow on top of refrozen

 No one on the ridge today

Top of Jacob's Ladder

Plenty of time ice

Visibility on the plateau 

This looks hard!

Getting winter like again

Refrozen old snow on the ledges

Temperature at 900m

Frosted trees at low levels

Temperatures took a big drop yesterday and some light snowfalls. The Cairngorms and East Highlands getting the snow with the west in blue skies and hardly any white stuff. What to choose. Blue skies, nice summer like photography or mist shrouded Cairngorms and winter conditions? Mmm let me think.
After a few days of warm, dull, muggy and drizzly weather in Aviemore,  it was nice to see winter return. Much of the old snow had of course melted away but what was left after the warm period was well frozen and excellent cramponing. There was a few cm's of fresh snow on top of the old snow pack. Up on the Fiacaill Coire Sneachda ridge it was excellent and surprisingly well snow covered still. There is a sizable drift on the west of the Crest if you are avoiding the middle crux section. Quite well banked out and no one had been along it. Glad I brought my sharp crampons as it was pretty solid. Fabulous. Poor visibility at all levels with the cloud down to round 750m most of the day. Hardly any breeze on the tops so very pleasant.
Winter continues. Staying below freezing on the tops next few days and looking like a nice sunny day tomorrow. Enjoy!