A GLORIOUS MORNING AND DEEP SNOW

Fiacaill Buttress

Beautiful sunrise

Pinnacles

Lots of rime ice

Coire an t-Sneachda

Rime ice and deep snow

Easier over the Pinnacles!

Meall a' Bhuachaille looking good

Weather front from the west

Sneachda sunrise

Fiacaill engulfed in wind and cloud by afternoon

First light on Meall a' Bhuachaille

More rime

Weathers coming in

After 3 days of low cloud and stormy weather the Cairngorms revealed themselves this morning. The west coast mountains have seen nowhere as much snow as over here. With an approaching weather front forecasted by the afternoon it was an early morning start. A glorious sunrise, red sky in morning........... Hard work in the untrodden snow but the views just wonderful. A pretty cold morning, well below freezing so no consolidation of the snow pack for a while yet. Lots of rime ice on the Fiacaill Ridge which was looking just brilliant. The traverse on the western side of the pinnacles was hard work, probably the deepest, softest snow I have experienced along here for some time. A great work out and worth all the effort. It was fascinating watching the approaching weather front moving over the Cairngorms from the west as the day progressed. By afternoon the winds had also picked up with drifting snow. It has been northerly winds over the weekend and yesterday but the winds today were from the SW, it didn't feel any warmer though. Some big accumulations on the plateau with a lot of bouldery terrain now buried.  A great morning to be out. It felt and looked like the end of January today. What a brilliant start to the winter season.